The Machine 8 – 1 Webby
The eleventh week of the Premier League commenced with a resounding victory for James Wade who looks like he might have just timed his run in the competition to perfection again this year as he moves into fifth place with three games to go.
I worried that complacency could have been an issue facing the man at the bottom of the league, but he showed this wasn’t going to be a problem for him as early as the first as a confident Shanghai 120 finish saw him go one up and a 110 check-out in the next gave him an early break.
He reeled off the next three with Webby having just one effort on the bull in the fourth to win a leg at all. It looked like Webster might get only his second effort at a finish in the sixth but Wade wasn’t to be denied eliminating the highest finish on the board (170) and going in 6-0 at the break.
The Welshman came out of the traps after the interval with a 180 and made the maximum count as he showed real guts to get a leg on the board and avoid the whitewash.
That’s all he managed to achieve though as Wade was back to his fine finishing form, needing just one dart at double 8 in the eighth and then two darts at 87 in the ninth and the match was over at 8-1.
It was a dominant, merciless performance from The Machine which we haven’t seen in a long while from him, and although he said he didn’t enjoy it afterwards, I should think he loved it deep down. His first three figure average of the competition shows that he’s peaking at the right time and I fancy him for the semi-finals.
Webster is out of it now, and it looks like he just wants the tournament to be over now so he can get off the big stage at least for a while. I hope he picks up some more points before the end of the league, but I can’t necessarily see it happening.
The Bull 7 – 7 Barney
The draw specialist over the entire history of the Premier League was up to his old tricks again as he shared the spoils with Barney who remains in third place after just the single point.
The match started very evenly as the first two legs went with throw, the first break came in the third though as Barney took it with a 180 along the way. It looked like the Dutchman might just be running away with it as he took the next on his own throw and opened up an early two-leg lead.
The Bull emphatically held throw in the fifth though with a fourteen darter including a classy 177, but Barney wasn’t looking like dropping anything throwing first and comfortably win the sixth, going into the break 4-2 ahead.
Jenks was not to be deterred and won the first leg after the break with a 105 checkout, but the man from Den Haag continued with his dominance on his own throw taking out 76 in two darts.
The Bull again held throw to make it 5-4, and then finally got the opportunity he’d been waiting for in the tenth as a 180 sent him on his way to his first break of the match, finishing on 88 and evening things up at five-a-piece.
The elation wasn’t to last long though as Barney immediately broke back with a cracking 106 finish to take the eleventh leg. The excitement continued though as The Bull wasn’t going to be denied, breaking again, just, to make it 6-6.
The match had turned on its head by the thirteenth leg as neither man could hold throw as Barneveld broke Jenkins again to guarantee himself the point and have the darts to win it. Both men hit maximums in the decider but it was Jenkins who pinched it, finishing off 83 on the bull under pressure as Barney waited on tops.
It was a tremendous game and both men deserved something out of it, and rightfully got it. Jenkins showed what he is all about as he is out of the running for the play-offs but still battles hard.
The point isn’t too bad for Barney as he stays third and still looks pretty assured of qualification.
The Wizard 6 – 8 The Flying Scotsman
A record breaking encounter was served up in the third match of the night as Anderson and Whitlock went maximum mental in a contest of the highest quality.
It looked early on like it was going to be a real cracker as the Scot fired in two 180s in the first leg and broke throw at the first opportunity. The Australian also took his first opportunity to do the same though, capitalising on missed doubles from Anderson to level things up.
Whitlock was getting into his stride as he needed just one dart at tops to go 2-1 up in the third, but then Anderson did the same, needing just one at double 18, despite a 180 from Whitlock.
Both men produced maximums in the fifth, but it was Anderson again who just pipped it and then hit his fourth 180 to claim the sixth and go 4-2 up before the break.
The first two legs after the break were comfortably held on the players’ own throw, the eighth being brilliantly won with a 104 finish. The Aussie then threw the best leg of the match to that point as he took the ninth in just 11 darts.
Anderson wasn’t to be upstaged though as he hit his fifth and sixth maximum of the evening to re-open his two leg lead, but he was again pegged back by Whitlock (despite another 180 from Anderson) who made it 6-5 on his own throw.
The Scot just barely held throw on double 3 to secure the point and open up another two leg lead, before some real fireworks were set off in the thirteenth. Anderson first equalled the Premier League record for 180s in a match hitting his ninth, and then immediately broke it with his tenth and was six darts in to a 9-darter. He was then seven darts in to it, but missed double 19, and then missed six darts at doubles to incredibly lose the leg and take the game to a decider.
The final leg kicked off with Andersons’ 11th 180 and eventually took out 59 to take the game 8-6.
It was an unbelievable encounter which also saw the most 180s between two players in the Premier League, which thanks to Whitlock’s 5 went all the way up to 16. Anderson is back to his sensational best which saw him lead the league table in the first few weeks and has all but guaranteed himself second spot with that win.
Having beaten Taylor in the UK Open Qualifiers on Saturday as well, he will very much believe he can win this tournament.
Whitlock is still part of the fiercely contested battle for fourth place and is the man in possession of the much sought after position, but can’t really afford any more defeats if he is to hang on to it.
Jackpot 3 – 8 The Power
An incredible display from both men finished off an amazing night of darts, but Taylor wasn’t to be denied the revenge he was looking for after his first week defeat to Lewis.
Jackpot had a chance in the first leg to break straight away, but missed double 18 and Taylor stepped in to go 1-0, taking out 68. He then hit a sensational 139 to go two up with Lewis waiting on double 20 and took just one dart at double 14 in the third to go three up.
After three legs Lewis was averaging 116 but hadn’t won a leg, thanks to Taylor averaging 113 and not missing a single dart at a double.
Lewis finally got the leg he deserved in the fourth as he took out 86 and celebrated it appropriately as that finish took the World Champ’s average over 120. The Power’s fifth 180 in five legs saw him on his way to 4-1 up though, but Lewis responded with his first maximum of the contest and kept within two legs at the break.
Lewis had a chance at tops to break throw and really put some pressure on but failed to do so and Taylor opened up a three leg lead again, he then broke Jackpot for the second time in the eighth and looked like he was going to stroll to victory.
He was certainly strolling there in the ninth as he was nearly 300 points ahead and with 50 left hit the bullseye with his first dart. Lewis managed to hold in the tenth though and make the score a little more respectable, but The Power wasn’t to be denied on his own throw as he won the game in style with a 130 finish.
The Power continues his absolute dominance of the Premier League and it is hard to see him losing on that stage. Lewis is in trouble as far as qualification is concerned as he is now down in sixth place, but there is still everything to play for over the next three weeks, and two wins could see him do it.
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