Premier League 08 Review - Night 13
Posted on April 25th, 2008
PHIL TAYLOR moved to the top of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts on Thursday night, as Raymond van Barneveld secured his place in the play-offs.
Taylor extended his unbeaten run to nine matches with an 8-1 rout of Wayne Mardle at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast.
That result, coupled with an 8-6 loss for leader James Wade against van Barneveld, saw defending champion Taylor move to the head of the table for the first time this year.
“I’m absolutely over the moon,” said Taylor. “People wrote me off after the first four weeks and I was second bottom, so to be top now makes me very proud.”
Van Barneveld completed a Premier League double over Wade with a narrow 8-6 win, coming from 2-0 down before sealing the win with a sensational 157 checkout.
The win ensured his place in the semi-finals in Cardiff on May 26, with the battle for the final play-off place to be decided on the final league night in Newcastle next Thursday.
Adrian Lewis and Wayne Mardle meet at the Metro Radio Arena in what looks like a decisive game, with Peter Manley also able to qualify should he complete a Premier League double against Taylor.
Terry Jenkins’ play-off hopes were ended by World Champion John Part, who ended a four-game losing run with an 8-5 win over last year’s Premier League runner-up.
Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Night 13 Results
Peter Manley 7-7 Adrian Lewis
Wayne Mardle 1-8 Phil Taylor
Raymond van Barneveld 8-6 James Wade
Terry Jenkins 5-8 John Part
Night 14, Metro Radio Arena
Revised Schedule
James Wade v John Part
Raymond van Barneveld v Terry Jenkins
Phil Taylor v Peter Manley
Adrian Lewis v Wayne Mardle
PHIL TAYLOR 8-1 WAYNE MARDLE
PHIL TAYLOR handed another darting lesson to Wayne Mardle with an 8-1 Whyte & Mackay Premier League trouncing at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast.
Taylor whitewashed Mardle when the duo met eight weeks ago in Bournemouth, and produced another sensational display to dent the Essex star’s play-off hopes.
He averaged 107 and landed over 60 percent of his attempts at a double in the contest in extending his unbeaten run to nine matches.
Taylor stormed into a 6-0 lead with a sensational start to the game, breaking Mardle’s throw in the opening leg with a 13-darter.
He took the next three legs without Mardle reaching a double, and punished a missed double 18 to take a 5-0 advantage.
A third successive 14-darter sent Taylor into the break six legs clear, with Mardle defying a 180 from the defending Premier League champion in getting off the mark after the restart.
However he failed to capitalise in the next and three poor scores allowed Taylor to pull clear and move 7-1 up in 14 darts with a 68 finish.
And Taylor landed six perfect darts of 171 and 180 in the next, and though a possible nine-darter went begging he sealed the win in 11 darts to keep up his amazing resurgence.
“It hurt Wayne to lose that heavily and it was a big match for him but I am really determined to keep on winning,” said Taylor.
“After I lost three of the first four games I was worried I’d finish bottom so I’m over the moon how it’s gone since.
“I want to finish top of the table and I’m going to be ready to play superbly next week against Peter Manley.”
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 8-6 JAMES WADE
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD booked his place in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts play-offs with an 8-6 win over James Wade in Belfast.
The Dutchman joins Wade and Phil Taylor in the semi-finals next month, with four players in line for a shoot-out in Newcastle on the final league night next Thursday.
Van Barneveld found himself 2-0 down but clawed back level, and sealed victory in the deciding leg with a show-stopping 157 checkout.
“I’m delighted,” said van Barneveld. “I’ve worked hard in the last couple of weeks to put things right in my game and it’s worked with two wins.
“The pressure’s off me now I’ve qualified. I’ve lost in the semi-finals in the last two years so the aim now is to do better and win this competition!”
However, he began the game under serious pressure, with Wade taking out 115 on double top to kick off with a break of throw before taking leg two with the Dutchman sat on a finish.
Wade missed two darts at double top to extend his lead further as van Barneveld got off the mark in leg three, but double four gave Wade a 3-1 cushion.
Van Barneveld stepped up a gear and included two 13-darters in winning the next three legs to go in front for the first time.
Wade levelled, but van Barneveld edged back ahead and then won a key tenth leg, punishing three missed double 16s to move 6-4 up.
A fine double top finish saw Wade hit back, but the pair traded maximums in the next before van Barneveld took out double 16 to ensure at least a point.
A two-dart 100 checkout kept Wade in the game and sent the contest into a final-leg shoot-out - but the Dutchman finished the stronger with a superb 157 checkout to seal victory.
JOHN PART 8-5 TERRY JENKINS
JOHN PART ended Terry Jenkins’ Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts play-off hopes with an 8-5 victory at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast.
Jenkins needed a victory to keep alive his hopes of a top-four finish, but paid for a below-par performance.
Part ended his four-game losing run at ease, taking command by moving 4-1 up early on before holding off a Jenkins fightback to close out the win.
Jenkins started well enough, taking out the night’s highest finish of 161 to earn a £1,000 bonus.
However, missed doubles cost him dear in the next two as Part moved in front, and the Canadian made it four straight legs before Jenkins pegged him back.
Part returned from the break with a 180, and three successive legs saw him guarantee at least a point at 7-2.
Jenkins produced his best spell to threaten a comeback, taking out 116 and 136 in a run of three straight legs to pull back to 7-5.
But Part moved clear in the next and took out double eight to seal a fourth win of the campaign.
“It was difficult going early on,” said Part. “Terry wasn’t firing and it weighed on my mind that I’m out of the running for the play-offs.
“But I wanted to win to finish as well as I can and end the campaign with dignity and it was nice to get the win.
“I played well in points and finished fairly well. He came back at me and I withstood his charge.”
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