Judgement Night Elimination Battle

 

WES NEWTON, Dave Chisnall and Robert Thornton are competing to avoid elimination from the Betway Premier League Darts on Judgement Night at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff on Thursday.

The trio will be bidding to escape joining Simon Whitlock, the Premier League’s bottom player, in dropping out of the tournament following the ninth league night of this year’s event.

All three contenders enter Judgement Night in Cardiff on six league points, with Chisnall and Newton facing each other before Thornton takes on Phil Taylor – the six-time Premier League champion who only secured his own survival last week.

Newton, who had been eliminated alongside Gary Anderson on Judgement Night 12 months ago, is in the most precarious position with Leg Difference of -13.

Chisnall has Leg Difference of -5, with Thornton -1 going into his ninth league game.

That means that Chisnall will be safe with a win or a draw against Newton, who knows that he has to win to secure safety, with a draw leaving him hoping for a Thornton defeat.

A defeat for Newton means that he would be eliminated regardless of Thornton’s result, while a loss Chisnall would Leg Difference, and possibly Legs Won Against Thrown, into play should Thornton also be defeated.

Should any players be tied for League Points, Leg Difference and Legs Won Against Throw, the final determining factor would be Tournament Average.

Betway Premier League Darts
Elimination Scenario
Robert Thornton
Is safe with a win or a draw.
Would be safe if Chisnall wins by any score, or if Newton wins 7-3 or better.

Dave Chisnall
Is safe with a win or a draw.
If he loses 7-5, he would need Thornton to lose 7-0 to have worse Leg Difference, other results could mean Legs Won Against Throw come into play.

Wes Newton
Is safe with a win.
If he draws, needs Thornton to lose to survive.
Is eliminated with a defeat.

Betway Elimination Odds
7/10 Wes Newton
7/4 Dave Chisnall
11/2 Robert Thornton

Latest League Table

After Week Eight	P	W	D	L	Legs +/-	LWAT	Pts
Michael van Gerwen	8	6	1	1	+20	20	13
Peter Wright	8	4	3	1	+15	18	11
Raymond van Barneveld	8	3	4	1	+8	15	10
Adrian Lewis	8	3	3	2	+1	18	9
Gary Anderson	8	4	0	4	-1	16	8
Phil Taylor	8	3	1	4	-4	15	7
Robert Thornton	8	1	4	3	-1	15	6
Dave Chisnall	8	1	4	3	-5	14	6
Wes Newton	8	2	2	4	-13	13	6
Simon Whitlock (E)	8	1	2	5	-20	10	4

Betway Premier League Darts
Week Nine – Judgement Night
April 3, Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Gary Anderson v Peter Wright
Michael van Gerwen v Simon Whitlock
Adrian Lewis v Raymond van Barneveld
Wes Newton v Dave Chisnall
Phil Taylor v Robert Thornton
Tickets: SOLD OUT

Betway Premier League Darts Week Eight

 

SIMON WHITLOCK was eliminated from the Betway Premier League Darts with a draw against Wes Newton in Dublin on Thursday, as Phil Taylor secured survival at The O2 and Michael van Gerwen ended Peter Wright’s unbeaten run in the event.

Australian ace Whitlock, the 2012 finalist, went into his eighth league match needing to claim victory to keep alive his hopes of survival into next week’s Judgement Night.

But despite hitting five 180s, Whitlock was only able to pick up a draw as Newton claimed up a point which could be key to his own survival going into Week Nine.

Earlier, Newton had lost 7-3 to Gary Anderson as the 2011 Premier League Darts champion ensured his own passage into the final weeks of the event, where he will now set his sights on claiming a Play-Off place.

Anderson continued his strong form as he picked up the victory – despite being on tenterhooks with partner Rachel at home in Somerset and due to give birth on Thursday.

“I’ve been waiting for the phone call from home all day to be honest but the PDC’s been great with my situation,” said Anderson. “If I’d got a call then I’d have been on the next flight home and I’ve been on edge, so it’s good to get the win.

“I’m enjoying the season and I can look ahead now to trying to get back into the Play-Offs. The hard work I’ve done in practice is paying off and my doubles are going in well, and it was great to give the fans plenty to cheer.

“Dublin’s always been one of the best venues for me and the fans gave me a great reception.”

Newton now faces a huge clash with Dave Chisnall in Cardiff next week, after being joined on six points in the league table by the World Grand Prix finalist after his draw with Adrian Lewis.

“It’s a massive game against Dave now, and with Robert Thornton on six points too it’s shaping up to be a really big night in Cardiff,” said Newton, who played two matches in Dublin after missing the earlier league night in Exeter through illness.

“I’m disappointed to only come away with one point but Gary played well in the first game, and I had a lot of pressure in the second game, so I’m happy with the point and it’s better than two points lost.

“Two points next week will keep me in the competition, so I’ve got to put this behind me and bring my best game to Cardiff.”

Chisnall and Lewis shared ten 180s and four ton-plus checkouts in a thrilling contest, with the Stoke ace taking out 134, 124 and 100 only to see the World Grand Prix runner-up follow an earlier 158 finish by landing double 18 to snatch a draw in the deciding leg.

“I’m happy with that and it was good entertainment for the crowd,” said Chisnall.“Adrian had a few chances but it’s swings and roundabouts, and at the end he let me in and I took my chance.

“I wanted to try and get at least a point this week and it means there’s a big game ahead against Wes next week. I know that a draw will keep me in the competition, but I’ll be going for a win and hopefully I can hit my doubles like I did tonight.”

Lewis said: “Dave ground out a draw at the end there but we both hit some good finishes and plenty of 180s, and it’s a good point for me.

“I’ve got seven or eight weeks now to fight to get into the top four and I’m looking forward to the rest of the tournament now.”

While Chisnall, Newton and Thornton – who sat out the Dublin night after previously doubling up in Exeter in Newton’s absence – will all be battling to avoid elimination alongside Whitlock next week, six-time Premier League Darts champion Phil Taylor pulled himself out of the struggle with a draw against Raymond van Barneveld.

Taylor had found himself in the midst of the battle at the foot of the table after losing his opening three games, but secured survival as he came from 5-3 down to claim a point against his great rival.

“In some ways this felt like a win because I’ve qualified for the second half of the season and I can relax now and get ready for the next six or seven weeks,”said Taylor.

“I know I can play better than I did here, but it’s been very difficult this season and this game was no different because Raymond produced some fantastic darts and finished well.

“We had a lot of nerves out there but for me it’s all about moving on now and trying to get into the top four.”

Van Barneveld’s point meant that he had to settle for a draw for a fourth successive week, although he remains in third place in the league table.

“It was a great battle and there’s no disappointment,” said van Barneveld. “After being 5-3 up and 6-4 down I thought I’d blown it but I’m happy with a point against the best player in the world.

“I’ve had four draws in the past four weeks and am the only player to have beaten Michael van Gerwen so far and I’m third in the table, so I’m very pleased.”

Away from the tension of the games involving players at the lower end of the league table, top two Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright clashed as the Dutchman ended his rival’s unbeaten start to the year in their rematch of January’s World Championship final.

Showman Wright’s attempt to play to the crowd when needing the bullseye to complete a 161 finish at two-all backfired as he missed and van Gerwen reeled off four successive legs.

The Scot hit back to 6-5, but van Gerwen secured victory with a brilliant 128 checkout in the game’s deciding leg to move two points clear of his rival in the table.

“He did a couple of things and I didn’t like them,” said van Gerwen. “Peter’s a good player anyway but I didn’t think he needed to do that, you should just play normal darts like Phil, Adrian or Raymond.

“There are a lot of people that like it, but I don’t and that’s my opinion. He doesn’t need to do that, and he knew that I didn’t like it and I’m very glad that I hit the 128 at the end and won the game.”

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Betway Premier League Darts
Week Eight
The O2, Dublin
Gary Anderson 7-3 Wes Newton
Adrian Lewis 6-6 Dave Chisnall
Wes Newton 6-6 Simon Whitlock
Michael van Gerwen 7-5 Peter Wright
Phil Taylor 6-6 Raymond van Barneveld
All games are the best of 12 legs – first to seven, or six-all draw.

League Table

After Week Eight	P	W	D	L	Legs +/-	Pts
Michael van Gerwen	8	6	1	1	+20	13
Peter Wright	8	4	3	1	+15	11
Raymond van Barneveld	8	3	4	1	+8	10
Adrian Lewis	8	3	3	2	+1	9
Gary Anderson	8	4	0	4	-1	8
Phil Taylor	8	3	1	4	-4	7
Robert Thornton	8	1	4	3	-1	6
Dave Chisnall	8	1	4	3	-5	6
Wes Newton	8	2	2	4	-13	6
Simon Whitlock (R)	8	1	2	5	-20	4

MATCH INFORMATION
Gary Anderson v Wes Newton
0-1 – Newton lands the game’s opening 180 only to initially miss two darts to finish 85, but when Anderson is off-target on tops to take out 76, the Fleetwood ace returns to pin double five to break throw immediately.
1-1 – Anderson this time lands tops for a 76 finish to level with a break back.
2-1 – Anderson fires in a 180 to leave 42, and posts double eight to move ahead.
3-1 – Anderson takes out 82 with a bulleye, double 16 combination.
3-2 – The pair trade 180s before Newton breaks back by finishing 58 on tops, after Anderson missed double top and ten to extend his lead.
4-2 – Anderson breaks back again, hitting a 180 to be the first to a double before returning from a missed bullseye to finish double eight.
4-3 – Double ten sees Newton move back to within a leg of the 2011 champion.
5-3 – Anderson lands a 168 score during the leg, and when Newton misses double 16 to finish 70, he steps in to post tops in moving to the brink of a point.
6-3 – Anderson takes out 96 on double top to earn a minimum of a draw.
7-3 – Newton pays the price for further missed doubles as Anderson takes out 72 on tops to secure the win.

Match Stats

Gary Anderson	7-3	Wes Newton
12	100+	16
9	140+	4
0	170+	0
3	180	2
97.41	Average	91.45
96	High Finish	58
5	Breaks of Throw	3
7/14 – 50%	Checkout %	3/12 – 25%

Adrian Lewis v Dave Chisnall
0-1 – Lewis misses double ten for a 140 finish, allowing Chisnall back in from a miss to break in the opening leg.
1-1 – Lewis opens with a 180, and though Chisnall fires in two maximums of his own, the St Helens ace can only watch as he waits on 32 as Lewis pins the bull for a 124 finish.
2-1 – Lewis takes out 79 on double 11 to move ahead.
2-2 – Chisnall lands double 18 to level the game.
2-3 – Chisnall regains the lead with a sparkling 11-darter, opening with a 180 before taking out 86 in two darts to break.
3-3 – Lewis takes out a 134 finish with a showpiece finish of treble 18 and two double tops to level again.
4-3 – Lewis opens with a 180 and finishes 80 on tops to move back ahead as the lead changes hands again.
4-4 – Chisnall levels with a sensational 158 checkout, hitting two treble 20s and double 19.
5-4 – Lewis takes out 70 on tops to move back ahead.
5-5 – Lewis lands a fourth maximum of the game, but misses double 12 and Chisnall steps in to finish 85 on the bull to level the game.
6-5 – Lewis earns a minimum of a point by hitting a 180 and a 100 finish.
6-6 – Both players open the deciding leg with a maximum, before Chisnall takes out double 18 to claim a draw.

Match Stats

Adrian Lewis	6-6	Dave Chisnall
9	100+	17
7	140+	8
0	170+	0
6	180	4
99.14	Average	101.22
134	High Finish	158
2	Breaks of Throw	2
6/8 – 75%	Checkout %	6/7 – 86%

Wes Newton v Simon Whitlock
0-1 – Whitlock makes an ideal start with a break of throw.
1-1 – Newton hits two 180s as he levels with a break.
2-1 – Whitlock fires in a maximumbut Newton moves ahead.
2-2 – Double one sees the Australian level.
3-2 – Double six edges Newton back ahead.
3-3 – Whitlock lands a 180 before finishing double four to square the game.
4-3 – The Australian misses tops and the same double sees Newton hold throw.
4-4 – Whitlock hits two 180s to Newton’s one in the leg, and double eight sees the Australian level.
5-4 – Double ten moves Newton back in front.
5-5 – Whitlock finishes 65 on tops to level the game – but he needs to take the game’s final two legs to keep alive his hopes of avoiding elimination.
6-5 – Newton fires in a 140 at a crucial time to leave 64, and takes out the finish in two darts to claim a point – ensuring that Whitlock will drop out of the tournament next week following Judgement Night.
6-6 – Newton leaves 81 after nine darts, but misses double 13 to claim the win as Whitlock follows a 168 score by landing double eight for a 13-darter to snatch a point.

Match Stats

Wes Newton	6-6	Simon Whitlock
17	100+	12
6	140+	8
0	170+	0
4	180	5
92.82	Average	91.89
64	High Finish	80
1	Breaks of Throw	1
6/13 – 46%	Checkout %	6/16 – 38%

Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
1-0 – van Gerwen takes out 97 in two darts for a 14-darter to open the game.
1-1 – Double eight sees Wright level.
2-1 – van Gerwen finishes 130 on double eight to move back ahead.
2-2 – Wright levels once more by finishing double 16.
3-2 – Wright misses the bull for a 161 finish – having encouraged the crowd to cheer on his attempt at the bullseye – to allow van Gerwen in to finish 84.
4-2 – van Gerwen breaks by finishing 68.
5-2 – van Gerwen lands a 180 and punishes missed doubles from Wright to hit tops.
6-2 – van Gerwen adds another maximum before posting an 88 finish to secure at least a point.
6-3 – The Dutch ace is unable to close out the win, and Wright keeps his hopes alive.
6-4 – Wright initially misses tops for a 120 finish but returns to continue his fightback.
6-5 – Wright misses the bull for a 132 finish, but returns to land double eight for a 14-darter to break and give himself a chance of grabbing a draw by sending the game into a deciding leg.
7-5 – van Gerwen opens with a 180 and claims victory with a brilliant 128 finish.

Match Stats

Michael van Gerwen	7-5	Peter Wright
14	100+	14
10	140+	13
0	170+	0
4	180	0
101.22	Average	96.84
130	High Finish	40
3	Breaks of Throw	2
7/15 – 47%	Checkout %	5/16 – 31%

Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld
0-1 – van Barneveld opens with a 14-darter to break throw, finishing 60 on tops.
1-1 – Taylor misses double five for a 130 finish, but van Barneveld is unable to post double 18 to take out 116 as the world number two returns on double two.
2-1 – Taylor opens with a 177 as he moves ahead.
2-2 – van Barneveld takes out a sensational 160 checkout to level.
2-3 – Taylor misses three darts at double 14, and the Dutchman breaks on double 16.
2-4 – van Barneveld posts his first 180 before taking out 121 on double 14 to move two legs clear.
3-4 – Taylor fires in double 18 to hit back.
3-5 – Double 16 sees van Barneveld hold throw to regain his two-leg lead.
4-5 – van Barneveld misses darts at double top and ten to secure a point as Taylor steps in to post tops.
5-5 – The Dutchman is again punished for a miss at tops, for a 108 finish, as Taylor hits the same bed to level the game with a break.
6-5 – van Barneveld opens with two 180s to set up a possible nine-darter, but he misses out on a perfect leg and then sees Taylor follow a maximum by finishing double ten for a 12-darter to secure at least a draw.
6-6 – van Barneveld lands his fourth 180s of the game, and returns from missing double 16 for a 109 finish to take out double eight to secure a point.

Match Stats

Phil Taylor	6-6	Raymond van Barneveld
16	100+	18
4	140+	5
2	170+	0
1	180	4
96.92	Average	98.72
59	High Finish	160
2	Breaks of Throw	2
6/18 – 33%	Checkout %	6/12 – 50%

Betway Premier League Darts Preview

WES NEWTON will double up on Thursday for one of the biggest nights of his career as the Betway Premier League Darts visits Dublin, where top two Michael van Gerwen and Peter Wright clash alongside great rivals Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld.

The penultimate night of league action before the bottom two players are relegated from the event features five huge contests, including Newton competing in two matches after missing the league night in Exeter earlier in March with tonsillitis.

Newton has slipped to second bottom in the table with 7-1 defeats to van Gerwen and Taylor over the past two weeks, but plays Gary Anderson and Simon Whitlock in two huge games at the bottom end of the table.

2011 Premier League Darts winner Anderson slipped to seventh with a defeat last week and is only a point ahead of Newton, while Australian ace Whitlock is two points adrift at the foot of the table.

“It’s a massive night for me and probably one of the biggest of my career,” said Fleetwood’s Newton. “The Premier League’s massive and I’m determined to do well – not just to avoid relegation but to be fighting for the title in May.

“I’m feeling good and in the last two games I’ve played quite well and had ton-plus averages but come up against Phil and Michael when they’ve really been on form, and they’re the top two players in the world.

“I’m scoring well but I’ve been punished for missing the odd double here and there recently, so if I can take those chances this week then it should be a different story.

“I’m going out to win both matches, but whatever happens against Gary I’ve got to re-focus and get ready to play Simon because every leg in each match could be crucial.

“It’s a weird feeling, because if I win both matches then I could be in a really good position but if the results don’t go my way then I know I’m in the relegation scrap next week.”

Whitlock has picked up just one win and a draw so far this season, but is refusing to give up on his fight to escape relegation.

“It has been a difficult campaign for me but I’m still in with a chance,” said the Australian. “I know that I’ll have to win my last two games but I also know that I’ve got what it takes to do that.

“The target in Dublin is to make sure I take it to the last night and, after the poor start I had, that will be a mini-achievement in itself.

“I feel like a should’ve got a couple more points at least but I won’t dwell on that. That’s the standard of this Premier League – if you don’t take your chances, your opponent will and I just need to make sure I take mine against Wes.”

At the other end of the table, the league’s top two players – van Gerwen and Wright – meet in a repeat of January’s World Championship final.

Van Gerwen took a 7-4 sets victory that day, but Wright insists he has come of age since competing in his first major televised final, where he allowed the Dutchman into a four-set lead.

“In the World Championship final I was a scared little boy, but I think I’ve turned into a man now in darting terms,” said Wright, the league’s only unbeaten player following seven weeks.

“The Premier League’s definitely helped my game and I believe I can beat anybody in the world now, no matter who they are.

“A couple of weeks ago I looked at the league table and I was hoping that we would be first and second in the table going to Dublin. I’m looking to get my revenge on him this time!”

Wright had opened the season at odds of 4/1 to be relegated from the tournament, but is now 8/1 with sponsors Betway to lift the title in May.

“I don’t want to lose a match up to Week Nine when we have relegation, because that would be an amazing achievement in this field,” added the Scot, who snatched a draw with van Barneveld last week with a 161 finish in the game’s final leg.

“I couldn’t dream this at the start of the season, and before the tournament I was probably one of the favourites to be relegated, so for me to perform the way I am and enjoy these crowds is amazing.

“I’m trying to go up there and entertain the fans as well as perform well.”

Van Gerwen’s victory over Gary Anderson in Leeds last week saw him join Wright on 11 points, as the Dutchman moved top on Leg Difference ahead of his rival.

“I’m really up for it,” said van Gerwen, who hit a nine-dart finish during last weekend’s Players Championship events in Crawley.

“We’re level and it’s very close and he’s done very well so far this season – but he did well in the World Championship and I was the best at the end and he has to live with that.

“Peter likes to have a bit of fun and has been reminding me that he was unbeaten and top of the league – but you still need to do it on the stage and let your darts do the talking, and we’ll see who’s the best this week in Dublin!”

Another huge contest sees great rivals Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld meet in Dublin – having shared the points with a draw when they clashed at The O2 in last year’s event.

Taylor has won his last two games to move onto six points in the league table, and followed up last week’s stunning win over Newton with a brilliant weekend of darts as he won a Players Championship in Crawley and lost in a second final.

“I’ve been trying different things with my darts and it’s coming together,” said the 16-time World Champion. “I’m not in that bottom two now, and it’s a relief because it’s the worst feeling to be down there – but it’s still very close and it’ll be a battle over the next two weeks.

“Every time you say “Taylor v Barney” it brings a smile to my face because I love playing Barney and I always will, the same as playing against Jocky Wilson, John Lowe and Eric Bristow.

“There’s something about playing Barney that I love – I think it’s darts’ equivalent of the Man U v Liverpool match on paper. It’s a game I enjoy playing and I get a real buzz out of it.”

Van Barneveld admitted: “I have exactly the same feeling about playing Phil, and especially this week in Dublin because it’s a fantastic venue and the Irish fans are always brilliant.

“If I play the game like I did last week against Peter, there’s no reason why I can’t beat Phil and I’m going to have a good match with him.

“I’ve been practising hard to keep my finishing sharp. Against every player now you have to hit your finishes, but especially against Phil.”

The night’s other game sees two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis take on Dave Chisnall, who was the World Grand Prix finalist last October in his most recent visit to Dublin but sits above Newton only on Leg Difference going into the eighth league night of his debut Premier League Darts season.

The Betway Premier League Darts will be a 10,000 sell-out at The O2 in Dublin on Thursday, with coverage live on Sky Sports HD from 7pm.

Betway Premier League Darts
Week Eight
March 27, The O2, Dublin
Gary Anderson v Wes Newton
Adrian Lewis v Dave Chisnall
Wes Newton v Simon Whitlock
Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld
Tickets: SOLD OUT

BETWAY ODDS
Latest Outright Odds
11/10  Michael van Gerwen
3/1  Phil Taylor
5/1 Adrian Lewis
8/1  Peter Wright
14/1  Raymond van Barneveld
20/1  Gary Anderson
50/1  Robert Thornton
50/1  Dave Chisnall
100/1  Wes Newton
100/1  Simon Whitlock

Week Eight Match Odds
Gary Anderson v Wes Newton
3/4 Gary Anderson
4/1 Draw
9/4 Wes Newton

Adrian Lewis v Dave Chisnall
3/4 Adrian Lewis
4/1 Draw
9/4 Dave Chisnall

Wes Newton v Simon Whitlock
13/10 Wes Newton
4/1 Draw
13/10 Simon Whitlock

Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
11/20 Michael van Gerwen
9/2 Draw
3/1 Peter Wright

Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld
11/20 Phil Taylor
9/2 Draw
3/1 Raymond van Barneveld

For other bets and special offers, visit www.betway.com. Odds above correct at time of writing and may be subject to change.

Betway Premier League Darts Week One

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN kicked off the Betway Premier League Darts season with a stunning whitewash of Phil Taylor at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on Thursday, as brilliant duo Raymond van Barneveld and Adrian Lewis and debutants Dave Chisnall and Peter Wright opened with victories.

Reigning Premier League Darts champion van Gerwen left the six-time winner stunned as he averaged 109.59 in a flawless performance during a repeat of last year’s final.

Taylor, returning to competitive action for the first time since his second round exit at the World Championship exit in December, had only four darts at a double during the 13-minute contest as he suffered his heaviest-ever Premier League Darts defeat.

Van Gerwen showed his intentions by breaking throw with a 13-darter in the game’s opening leg, and finished 121 on the bull to double his lead before another 13-darter moved him three legs clear.

Taylor hit three 140s in the fourth leg, but missed two darts at double 12 as the Dutchman finished a 14-darter before pinning a 12-dart leg for a 5-0 cushion.

Taylor, using a new design of dart in competition for the first time, landed a 180 in the sixth leg but was left waiting on a finish as tops put van Gerwen 6-0 up, before the new World Champion posted a 180 in a 15-dart leg as he wrapped up an incredible win.

“To start the Premier League with a 7-0 win over Phil Taylor is amazing,”admitted van Gerwen, who hit seven doubles from nine attempts. “I hope I can keep up this form for the next 15 weeks!

“All the pressure was on me and I was the favourite after winning the World Championship, but that didn’t bother me and I played well.

“Phil didn’t play his top game but I played really well and finished everything. I can’t remember anyone beating Phil 7-0 before but he’ll be back – he’s a true great and he’s won 16 World Championships, but it might take him a few weeks to get used to his new darts.”

The night also saw another brilliant performance from the Premier League’s other Dutch star, as Raymond van Barneveld averaged 108.52 in a superb 7-2 win over 2011 Premier League Darts champion Gary Anderson.

The five-time World Champion opened the game with a 13-darter and added two 11-dart legs as he moved 3-0 up, with Anderson replying on tops only for the Dutchman to hit a third 11-dart finish of the game in another burst as he moved 6-1 up.

Anderson – last weekend’s German Darts Championship winner – traded 180s with his rival as double top kept him in the game, but he missed the bullseye for a 126 checkout in the next as van Barneveld sealed a huge victory.

“I’m very happy with that,” said van Barneveld, who took out 70 percent of his darts at a double. “Gary had a great weekend in Germany so I had to play that well to keep him at arms length.

“In the first couple of legs I scored brilliantly and every double went in, and Gary said there was nothing he could do about it.

“The nine-darter was very close and I really wanted to hit one here because it’s a great venue, but I had a couple of 11-darters and I’m delighted with the performance.

“If I believe in myself week in, week out, I know I can win this league, I really do believe that.”

Two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis was another heavy winner on the opening night, bringing the Echo Arena crowd to their feet with a 7-1 romp against another former Premier League Darts finalist, Simon Whitlock.

Lewis raced into a four-leg lead with some superb finishing on double top and ten, took out 61 on double four to win a fifth leg and then posted a 130 finish to lead 6-0.

Whitlock finished 61 to reply as he got avoided a whitewash, but two missed doubles in the next allowed Lewis to complete a heavy win, ending with a 99.13 average and seven doubles from 11 attempts.

“It’s a belting start for me to beat a player like Simon so well,” said Lewis. “I was trying to get the whitewash – I was annoyed with myself when Simon won a leg!

“Since I lost to Michael van Gerwen in the World Championship semi-finals, I haven’t been off the practice board. Michael was the better player on the night, but I’ve tried to put it right.

“This is a new season and a new me, and I’m looking to the future.”

Debutants Dave Chisnall and Peter Wright also enjoyed victories as they opened their Premier League Darts campaigns with defeats of Robert Thornton and Wes Newton respectively.

Chisnall punished missed doubles from Thornton as he won two of the opening three legs, and though the Scot edged into a 3-2 lead, the world number five hit back to regain the edge before breaking throw in the game’s final leg to claim victory.

“I’m very happy to kick off the season with a win,” admitted Chisnall. “I’ll get used to it out there and that’s going to give me bags of confidence, and the crowd were great and really got behind me.

“When it went to three-all tonight I started to feel comfortable, and I think I’ll embrace it as the league season goes on.”

World Championship finalist Wright, meanwhile, was a 7-3 winner against world number eight Newton, who never recovered from falling 3-0 and 4-1 down early on.

Newton pulled back to 4-3 only to miss two darts at double six to level the game, and Wright raced clear to punish further wayward finishing by securing the points.

“I’ve got admit that I was very nervous before the game, but I went out there to enjoy it and I’m full of beans now,” smiled colourful Wright afterwards. “The crowd were great and that spurred me on, and I want to play like this every week.

“I didn’t want to lose on night one because it can be downhill from there, but I’m a totally different player since reaching the World Championship final.

“There’s no pressure on me and I feel I can do some real damage here and in the major tournaments this year.”

The Betway Premier League Darts season continues next Thursday at the BIC in Bournemouth, with the five games on the night including the all-Stoke contest between Taylor and Lewis.

The week also sees van Barneveld face Newton as he returns to the venue of his famous nine-darter in 2006, while van Gerwen plays Thornton, Whitlock plays Anderson and the two newcomers, Wright and Chisnall, also clash.

Watch Live
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Live Scores
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Betway Premier League Darts
Week One
Echo Arena, Liverpool
Dave Chisnall 7-5 Robert Thornton
Peter Wright 7-3 Wes Newton
Raymond van Barneveld 7-2 Gary Anderson
Phil Taylor 0-7 Michael van Gerwen
Simon Whitlock 1-7 Adrian Lewis
All games are the best of 12 legs – first to seven, or six-all draw.

League Table

After Week One	P	W	D	L	Legs +/-	Pts
Michael van Gerwen	1	1	0	0	+7	2
Adrian Lewis	1	1	0	0	+6	2
Raymond van Barneveld	1	1	0	0	+5	2
Peter Wright	1	1	0	0	+4	2
Dave Chisnall	1	1	0	0	+2	2
Robert Thornton	1	0	0	1	-2	0
Wes Newton	1	0	0	1	-4	0
Gary Anderson	1	0	0	1	-5	0
Simon Whitlock	1	0	0	1	-6	0
Phil Taylor	1	0	0	1	-7	0

Match Information
Dave Chisnall v Robert Thornton
1-0 – Thornton posts the tournament’s first 180 of the season, but wires tops to win the opening leg as Chisnall finishes 64 in two darts on double eight to get off the mark and settle any early nerves.
1-1 – Thornton finishes 96 on double nine to level.
2-1 – Thornton again hits a 180 leaves a finish, but misses two darts at double 18 to finish 61 as Chisnall hits tops to win his second leg.
2-2 – Chisnall lands a 180 in reply, but both players initially miss double 16 for ton-plus finishes before Thornton returns to hit double four to hold throw.
2-3 – The Scot opens with a 180 and breaks throw on tops.
3-3 – Chisnall lands another maximum, but initially misses the bull for a 121 finish and two darts at double eight, only for two misses from Thornton on his trusted double top to allow the debutant back to break and level.
4-3 – Chisnall posts his third 180 of the game, and hits double four to regain the lead.
4-4 – Chisnall hits another maximum, but can only watch on as Thornton finishes 95 on the bull to level once more.
5-4 – Chisnall takes out 92 on double 16 to move back ahead.
5-5 – Thornton hits back to level the contest again.
6-5 – Thornton lands a 180 but misses the bull for a 129 finish as well as two further darts at double four, allowing Chisnall in to finish double five to secure a minimum of a point.
7-5 – Chisnall, against the throw, is first to a finish as he lands double ten to claim victory on his Betway Premier League Darts debut.

Match Stats

Dave Chisnall	7-5	Robert Thornton
15	100+	14
6	140+	8
0	170+	0
4	180	4
93.87	Average	93.28
92	High Finish	96
2	Breaks of Throw	1
7/16 – 44%	Finishing %	5/17 – 29%

Peter Wright v Wes Newton
1-0 – Wright makes an ideal start as he finishes double 16 at the first time of asking to win the opening leg.
2-0 – Wright opens with a 180, before finishing double eight for a 12-darter to break throw immediately.
3-0 – The debutant continues his superb start by pinning double top.
3-1 – Newton kicks off the leg with a 180, and despite a 177 in reply from the World Championship finalist, the Fleetwood ace is first to a finish and hits double ten to get off the mark.
4-1 – Wright misses two darts at double eight, but Newton is unable to take out 151 and the Scot returns to pin double four.
4-2 – Newton again opens with a 180 before double 14 puts his second leg on the board.
4-3 – Newton misses two darts at doubles to finish 72, but Wright is unable to land two attempts at double 12 to take out 81 as the Fleetwood ace returns to break throw on double three.
5-3 – Newton misses two darts at double 16 to level the game, for an 83 finish, and Wright finishes 75 on double 12 to break back and restore his two-leg lead.
6-3 – Wright opens the leg with a 180 before double 12 secures at least a point for the newcomer.
7-3 – Newton misses four darts to save the game – with two at double 12, one at double six and another at double three – to allow Wright in to seal a debut victory on tops.

Match Stats

Peter Wright	7-3	Wes Newton
17	100+	12
2	140+	8
1	170+	0
2	180	2
97.53	Average	93.75
75	High Finish	28
3	Breaks of Throw	1
7/12 – 58%	Checkout %	3/13 – 23%

Raymond van Barneveld v Gary Anderson
1-0 – van Barneveld opens with two 140s, and though Anderson lands a 180 in his second visit, the Dutchman finishes tops for a 13-darter to lead.
2-0 – The Dutchman kicks off with five perfect darts in scoring 180 and 140, before pinning a 100 finish for an 11-darter.
3-0 – van Barneveld scores 180, 100 and 180 in another 11-dart leg, which he finishes on double 16.
3-1 – Anderson lands tops to get off the mark.
4-1 – van Barneveld takes out 110 on double 18 to continue his flawless finishing so far.
5-1 – van Barneveld lands two 180s to set up a possible nine-darter, and though he misses the treble 19 on the 141 finish, he returns to finish another 11-darter on double 18 for another break of throw.
6-1 – Anderson hits a 180 but can only watch on as double eight secures at least a point for van Barneveld.
6-2 – The pair trade 180s before Anderson pins tops to keep his hopes of grabbing a point alive.
7-2 – Anderson misses the bull to finish 126, and van Barneveld hits double ten to complete a stunning victory, averaging 108.52 in the process.

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	7-2	Gary Anderson
12	100+	8
6	140+	6
0	170+	0
6	180	3
108.52	Average	100.71
110, 100	High Finish	40
2	Breaks of Throw	0
7/10 – 70%	Checkout %	2/4 – 50%

Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen
0-1 – van Gerwen wins the opening leg against the darts on double 18 as Taylor, using new darts, makes a slow start.
0-2 – van Gerwen takes out 121 on the bull to double his advantage.
0-3 – The World Champion lands a 180 before posting double 16 to break again and move three legs clear of the six-time Premier League winner.
0-4 – Taylor hits three 140s, but misses two darts at double 12 as van Gerwen finishes double eight for a 14-darter.
0-5 – van Gerwen takes out 81 on double 16 to move five legs clear with a third break of throw, maintaining an average around 110.
0-6 – Taylor opens the leg with a 180, but is unable to take out 122 and van Gerwen hits tops to ensure at least a point.
0-7 – van Gerwen opens with a 180, and when Taylor misses darts at double top and ten, the Dutchman steps in to inflict a first-ever Premier League Darts whitewash on the Stoke legend.

Match Stats

Phil Taylor	0-7	Michael van Gerwen
6	100+	9
6	140+	7
0	170+	0
1	180	2
99.45	Average	109.59
–	High Finish	121
0	Breaks of Throw	4
0/4 – 0%	Checkout %	7/9 – 78%

Simon Whitlock v Adrian Lewis
0-1 – Lewis opens the game with a 180, and finishes 80 on tops to pick up an immediate break of throw.
0-2 – Double ten sees Lewis move two legs up.
0-3 – Whitlock misses two darts at double eight to finish 70, and Lewis takes out 62 on tops for another break.
0-4 – Lewis hits a 180 before pinning double ten to continue his charge.
0-5 – Lewis finishes 61 on double four to break again and continue his hunt for another whitewash on the evening.
0-6 – Lewis takes out 130 on double five to ensure he will pick up at least a point.
1-6 – Lewis hits a 180 to leave 43, but Whitlock takes out 61 on double 18 to finally get off the mark.
1-7 – Whitlock misses darts at double top and ten to keep the game alive, and Lewis completes a rapid win by landing tops.

Match Stats

Simon Whitlock	1-7	Adrian Lewis
8	100+	11
6	140+	6
0	170+	0
0	180	4
86.31	Average	99.13
61	High Finish	130
0	Breaks of Throw	2
1/5 – 20%	Checkout %	7/11 – 64%

Relaxed Barney Set For Blackpool

RELAXED Raymond van Barneveld is bidding to turn 2013 into a ‘great’ year at the BetVictor World Matchplay.

The Dutch ace has produced some of the best form of his career since he won last November’s Grand Slam of Darts title in Wolverhampton, ending a five-year wait for a major individual title.

He has since been a semi-finalist at the World Championship, in the Premier League darts – where he finished second in the regular season’s league table – and at last month’s UK Open, where he lost narrowly to Andy Hamilton.

The world number eight has also reached the final of the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters this year, and is aiming to improve on that when he returns to the Winter Gardens this week.

“It’s been a good, but not great, last six months,” said van Barneveld. “The World Championship was good, and although I was disappointed to lose to Phil Taylor in the semi-finals, I think it was one of my best PDC World Championships ever.

“The Premier League was also really good and I was happy with my performance and to finish in second place in the overall standings.

“Phil got the better of me again there so I know that’s something I will have to work on if we meet again in the World Matchplay!

“But after making the semi-finals of the UK Open I had a little break [taking a holiday in America] and I’ve been practising a lot for the World Matchplay, where I hope to play well.”

Van Barneveld reached the 2010 World Matchplay final, and hit a nine-darter in Blackpool, shortly after taking a break to watch his country play in football’s World Cup in South Africa.

The Dutch star is hoping that a similarly relaxed approach will aid him as he prepares to meet Austrian debutant Mensur Suljovic in Saturday’s opening first round games in Blackpool.

“I really like the Winter Gardens, and it’s probably the most beautiful venue we play in,” added the five-time World Champion. “It’s one of the tournaments that I really look forward to playing in and that’s especially so this year.

“Mensur is a tough opponent and it’s hard to find your rhythm against him because he’s quite slow and deliberate, where I prefer playing against quicker players.

“He’s had a great run in the last six months, mainly in the European Tour events, so I won’t be taking him lightly.

“I’ve practised a lot and even had some sessions with Kim Huybrechts, so I’ll be ready.”

The BetVictor World Matchplay is being held from July 20-28 at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. For tickets, call 0844 856 1111 or visit the Winter Gardens Box Office.

Matchplay guide

Rod looks at the clashes in round one at the Winter Gardens

There’s no question this will be the most competitive World Matchplay ever.

Tournament on tournament, the standard of our sport has been getting higher. In my day there were probably only four or five players who could win it, but nowadays there’s a good dozen. I don’t think it’s totally wide open, but there are more people capable of winning tournaments than there used to be.

Taylor: the man to beat yet again

When you see people like Peter Wright and Jamie Caven consistently averaging over 100 then there’s no reason why they couldn’t go on and win here. I don’t think we’ll see a shock winner, but it wouldn’t surprise me if we did.

I still think Phil Taylor is the man to beat and is 3/1 with some bookies which has got to be worth a punt. It could be his year, but then you look at Michael van Gerwen, Raymond van Barneveld, Gary Anderson and James Wade and they’re all in with a shout as well.

And it was very pleasing to see Adrian Lewis win the European Championship. Everybody at the PDC has been waiting for him to get his form back because he’s a major asset to the company.

People say I don’t like him, but that’s a load of rubbish. The kid is great for this game and without people like him, darts doesn’t grow as quickly. It was very pleasing to see him win the final against Simon Whitlock in style and I thought it was an exceptional game.

There was speed, high scoring, big shots out… it really doesn’t get any better. It’s hard to do interviews when you lose a big final, but it was great to see Simon say that he’d given his best but Aidy deserved it and he hoped everybody enjoyed it. I can’t imagine anyone didn’t!

There’s so much drama in our game and when you add in the crowd atmosphere and the Sky Sports production then we can match any other sport.

Here’s my guide to round one in Blackpool…

Saturday July 20
7pm, Sky Sports 1 HD

Terry Jenkins (16) v Andy Smith
These two players are travelling partners and best of mates. They have both been on the slide a little bit, but of the two I think Terry Jenkins has still got a little bit more to his game. Her edges it on scoring power and is able to take out crucial shots when he needs to. I’d have to go for The Bull, because he knows you can’t take Smith lightly and could be more focused against him than he might against other players.

 

 

Raymond van Barneveld (8) v Mensur Suljovic
Barney looked very lethargic in the European Championship. He’d been on holiday and missed a couple of tournaments – and if you do that and then lose then you can’t really complain. We know what talent Barney has got, but if Suljovic gets chances then he will take them, as a few top players have found out. He took Wes Newton’s scalp in Gibraltar and if he gets in front then you could see Barney’s head go down. I’d still go for a Barney win though.

 

 

James Wade (4) v John Part
When James Wade is on top of his game he’s a match for anyone who has ever played darts. He should have more tournament wins and, for me, only James Wade can beat James Wade. Sometimes he doesn’t focus properly or does silly things in the middle of a match, but if you can’t get focused the World Matchplay then you can’t do it for anything. He has won here before and knows what it’s all about and I think the heat on stage this weekend will suit him over Part, who is a big fellow. But remember, Part has been in the game for 25 years and won three World Championships. He’s no mug.

 

Simon Whitlock (5) v Jelle Klaasen
Jelle Klaasen has slowed his throw up and that has made a big difference to his game. He has become a more deliberate player and he doesn’t miss as many big numbers as he did in the past, which makes a big difference. Remember, if you miss big numbers early on it could cost you a dart at a double. Klaasen has been more consistent in his performances, but Whitlock is coming here after finishing as runner-up at the European Championship and will be on a high. I’ve got to go for him to win this. Upsets wouldn’t surprise me, but I expect the four favourites to win on the opening night.

Sunday July 21 – Afternoon Session
1pm, Sky Sports 1 HD

Justin Pipe v (9) Mark Webster
I’ve had some inside information that Mark Webster has hurt his leg. At the time of writing I don’t know if it’s the leg he leans on or not and I don’t know whether he has been able to practise properly or how bad it is, but I do know he has been getting very frustrated with his game lately. Meanwhile, Justin Pipe lost his brother a couple of weeks ago which is obviously very sad for him. It could go either way, but I will go for Pipe although a lot will depend on how the first part of the match goes.

 

 

Kevin Painter (12) v Jamie Lewis
Jamie Lewis had a great run in Gibraltar and it has been great to watch him come through the Youth Tour. He’s one of the great up-and-coming players and has got a lot of bottle. However, he’s up against a seasoned professional in Kevin Painter. Jamie might have won their match when they played each other in Gibraltar, but I think Kev is going to be looking for revenge. He’ll take this game very seriously and that could see him edge it.

 

 

Kim Huybrechts (15) v Peter Wright
This is one of the matches of the first round. Both players have been throwing averages of more than 100 in nearly every game of late and this really could go either way. Peter Wright has been throwing exceptionally well and we know what Kim Huybrechts is capable of after he reached the quarter-final of the World Championship last year. I’ve got to sit on the fence with this one.

 

 

Brendan Dolan (14) v Steve Beaton
This isn’t going to be a quick game, that’s for sure! Steve Beaton is pretty speedy, but Brendan Dolan likes to take his time. This is such a hard game to call because Beaton is capable of playing brilliant darts but will often miss doubles and Dolan is very good at taking advantage of mistakes. I think a lot of people underestimate Dolan’s scoring because he throws so slowly. It’s hard to call but if Beaton makes too many mistakes then he’ll be in trouble.

Sunday July 21 – Evening Session
7pm, Sky Sports 1 HD

Mervyn King (13) v Gary Anderson
What a great game this is going to be. There are signs of both these players coming back into form and if they both hit the trebles like they’re capable of then we’re going to see one of the best games of the tournament. However, you suspect one of them might let us down. There are a lot of variables here; both are great scorers but King checks out slightly better and that could be the telling factor. If Anderson hits his doubles then he will win. As a PDC Director, I’m not allowed to bet on darts but you wouldn’t see a penny of my money going down on this anyway

 

 

Dave Chisnall (10) v Paul Nicholson
The A-Games of these two players are absolutely exceptional, but neither of them are doing it at the moment; they’ve been losing silly legs and silly games. Dave Chisnall lost 6-0 to Jamie Caven recently and that shouldn’t happen to someone of his quality. Paul Nicholson, especially, has been getting frustrated and I’d like to see him stop getting so aggressive and winding the crowd up on stage. That’s not what he’s really like and I’d like to see him just go up and throw darts and forget the rest of it. This is a tough game for the first round and it could go either way. Both players have great aspects to their games, but both have elements that can go off the boil at any time. The player that does the simple things in the right way will probably end up winning it.

 

Phil Taylor (1) v Stuart Kellett
If this had been played over the best of 11 legs then I’d have given Stuart Kellett a chance because he’s a great young player who reached the final in Minehead, but Phil Taylor is up for this and I can’t see him losing over 19 legs. He didn’t play well at the European Championship because he wasn’t too well, but he was exceptional in Gibraltar and at the UK Open where he showed the grit and determination of a 21-year-old. He’s still the bloke to beat and while there are no easy draws at the Matchplay, this is an easier first-round draw than some. Does Kellett have the experience to beat Phil over this distance in the hot weather? Maybe not.

 

 

Michael van Gerwen (2) v Colin Lloyd
Lloydy has been playing quite well lately and had a good run at the European Championship, but Michael van Gerwen has beaten him several times and has been a bit of a bogeyman for him over the last few months. If Colin can get in front of Michael then he can do some damage because he’s taking out a lot of check-outs at the moment and that’s giving him chances to win games. But Van Gerwen is just enjoying throwing darts at the moment. We saw at the UK Open that he sometimes needs to make things happen, rather than just throwing darts and hoping things will happen. However, on current form you’d have to take Van Gerwen as one of the odds-on favourites to win the tournament.

 

Monday July 22
7pm, Sky Sports 3 HD

Robert Thornton (11) v Ian White
Robert Thornton has been playing exceptionally well for the last 18 months, whereas Ian White’s form has been up and down. I think this will be a very close game because White can get close to anybody if he gets out of the gate quickly and builds some confidence in his scoring and his doubles. However, I suspect Thornton will be just too good for him here.

 

 

Wes Newton (7) v Jamie Caven
This is the toughest draw that any of the seeds could have got in the first round because Caven has been playing brilliantly for the last few weeks. Wes has been playing well, but has a shoulder problem that he needs to get sorted out and he would find this tough even if he was at the very top of his game. You could see an upset here, but I wouldn’t be putting any money on it, even if I could!

 

 

Adrian Lewis (3) v Ronny Huybrechts
After beating Phil Taylor at the European Championship, Ronny Huybrechts will be on a high – but Adrian Lewis won that tournament so he’ll be bouncing off the ceiling. It’s brilliant to see him playing so well again and I can see him being really up for this event because he’ll want to prove that the win in Germany was no fluke. Ronny has got plenty of bottle and took out some great checkouts against Taylor, but Aidy should be too strong on the scoring.

 

 

Andy Hamilton (6) v Ronnie Baxter
These are two very solid players and neither of them tend to make very many mistakes. You have to play well to beat these guys and this could be a gruelling match; a real battle. I think that Andy Hamilton may nick it, but you could easily see it going all the way to a tie-break – and remember the rules have changed and we’re only going five legs over the match limit before reaching a sudden death leg.

Wayne Mardle: Back Taylor or Lewis for World Matchplay success

Reigning champ Phil Taylor will be the man to beat at the World Matchplay, according to Wayne Mardle, but he expects protege Adrian Lewis to push the Power all the way. Read on for the Betfair ambassador’s exclusive thoughts on the outright market as well as night one…

World Matchplay Darts
Starts: Saturday July 20, 19:00 BST
TV: Live on Sky Sports 1

Outright betting

The Matchplay seldom throws up massive outsiders as the format suits the better players. The usual protagonists will be there fighting it out come finals day.

Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Raymond van Barneveld, Adrian Lewis, James Wade and Simon Whitlock will all like the look of their draw for the first few rounds.

Lewis, available to back at 8.0, played like we all know he can on his way to winning the European Championships recently and if he shows that form again he’ll go very close indeed.

Barney, who is priced at 15.0, has a tough draw from the quarter-finals onwards; he will more than likely run into Taylor and Wade or Whitlock if he’s to reach the final.

MVG, who is favourite at 3.2, looks a certainty to reach at least the semi-final. There are a few banana skins like Kim Huybrechts and Newton who can beat the Green machine but, as I said, the format favours the real big guns.

The former champ Wade – a 17.0 chance – mustn’t be underestimated, he’s so so tough to beat and he loves this event.

I do think Lewis is a good bet at the price, but I couldn’t advise against backing Phil at a decent looking 4.0. He is looking for his sixth consecutive Matchplay and 14th overall! Ridiculous numbers!

Recommended Bets
Phil Taylor at 4.0
Adrian Lewis at 8.0

Saturday night matches

Terry Jenkins v Andy Smith
19:00

The Bull has an incredible head to head record versus his best friend, the Pie Man, and at 1.5 I think we can get off to a winning start. While I don’t think it will be a walk in the park I do think Terry will win by at least three legs.

Recommended Bet
Back Terry Jenkins at 1.5

Simon Whitlock v Jelle Klassen 
20:00

The young Dutchman has been throwing some sublime arrers in recent months and I think he can give the Beard to be Feared some problems. Jelle has slowed his throw down just enough for him to be more controlled and in my opinion more of a danger to anyone. When he’s on form he’s a winner; the 2006 world champ fears no one. There is value is backing Klassen on the handicap in this one.

Recommended Bet
Back Jelle Klassen +2.5 legs at 1.72

The other two matches should see straightforward victories for Wade and Barney, up against John Part and Mensur Suljovic respectively. Their match odds are too short for me to be playing, but if you wanted to get involved the handicap markets are the way to go.

Wade – 3.5 legs is available at 1.9, while Barney – 4.5 legs is a 2.0 chance.
Please note: All prices quoted are based on our Sportsbook product, so any winnings are exempt from commission.

Anderson Withdraws From Euro Champs

GARY ANDERSON has withdrawn from the partypoker.net European Championship through illness, and will be replaced by Mark Webster.

Under Rule 3.8 of the PDC Order of Merit Rules, the next non-qualified player from the PDC Order of Merit comes into the event as a direct replacement, meaning that  Webster now takes Anderson’s place in the draw.

Welsh ace Webster will meet fellow left-hander James Wade, the number four seed, in Thursday night’s final first round fixture.

World number ten Justin Pipe has confirmed that he will compete in the £200,000 tournament, despite the sudden death of his brother last weekend.

The revised schedule of play is:
partypoker.net European Championship
Schedule of Play
Thursday July 4
8pm-12pm Local Time (7pm-11pm UK Time)
First Round x8
Stuart Kellett v Ronny Huybrechts
Jamie Caven v Dave Chisnall
Colin Lloyd v Peter Wright
Robert Thornton v Brendan Dolan
Simon Whitlock v Kim Huybrechts
Phil Taylor v Vincent van der Voort
Raymond van Barneveld v Tomas Seyler
James Wade v Mark Webster

Friday July 5
8pm-12pm Local Time (7pm-11pm UK Time)
First Round x8
Jani Haavisto v Justin Pipe
Max Hopp v Paul Nicholson
Andy Hamilton v Terry Jenkins
Ronnie Baxter v Mervyn King
Wes Newton v Jelle Klaasen
Michael van Gerwen v Kurt Van De Rijck
Adrian Lewis v Mensur Suljovic
Kevin Painter v John Part

Saturday July 6
Afternoon Session
2pm-6pm Local Time (1pm-5pm UK Time)
Second Round x4
Newton/Klaasen v Haavisto/Pipe
Hamilton/Jenkins v Hopp/Nicholson
Whitlock/K Huybrechts v Lloyd/Wright
Wade/Webster v Caven/Chisnall

Evening Session
8pm-12am Local Time (7pm-11pm UK Time)
Second Round x4
Lewis/Suljovic v Painter/Part
van Barneveld/Seyler v Thornton/Dolan
Taylor/van der Voort v Kellett/R Huybrechts
van Gerwen/Van De Rijck v Baxter/King

Sunday July 7
Afternoon Session
2pm-6pm Local Time (1pm-5pm UK Time)
Quarter-Finals
As Per Draw Bracket

Evening Session
9pm-12am Local Time (8pm-11pm UK Time)
Semi-Finals
Final

German Darts Championship Entries

THE 32 seeds and the UK Qualifier entries for September’s German Darts Championship have been confirmed.

The sixth European Tour event of 2013 will be held from September 6-8 at Halle 39 in Hildesheim, Germany, with 64 players competing across three days for £100,000 in prize money.

The 32 seeded players who come in at the first round stage have been confirmed, with Michael van Gerwen – the winner of the two recent European Tour events in Dusseldorf and Wiener Neustadt – the number one seed.

John Part and Wes Newton, who have also won European Tour events this year, are also amongst the top seeds, while Simon Whitlock – last year’s European Championship winner in Germany – is the number two seed.

2012 German Darts Championship winner Phil Taylor and runner-up Dave Chisnall are also amongst the seeds for the tournament.

The UK Qualifier features 96 players competing for 20 places in the main event, and will be held on Friday June 21 at the K2 Centre in Crawley. Entries are confirmed below, and all games are the best of 11 legs.

The Host Nation Qualifier and European Qualifier will be held on Thursday September 5 at Halle 39 in Hildesheim. For entry information, visit www.pdc-europe.net.

Tickets for the German Darts Championship are available now and can be purchased online through www.pdc-europe.net.

Top 32 Seeded Players
1 Michael van Gerwen
2 Simon Whitlock
3 Robert Thornton
4 Dave Chisnall
5 Wes Newton
6 Jamie Caven
7 Kim Huybrechts
8 John Part
9 Mervyn King
10 Peter Wright
11 Adrian Lewis
12 Raymond van Barneveld
13 Paul Nicholson
14 Ian White
15 Ronnie Baxter
16 Phil Taylor
17 Andy Hamilton
18 Colin Lloyd
19 Gary Anderson
20 Stuart Kellett
21 Justin Pipe
22 Brendan Dolan
23 James Wade
24 Steve Beaton
25 Andy Smith
26 Terry Jenkins
27 Mark Walsh
28 Kevin Painter
29 Arron Monk
30 Richie Burnett
31 Mark Webster
32 Colin Osborne
Top 32 players based on One-Year Rolling ProTour Order of Merit at closing date for entries on June 11 2013.

UK Qualifier
K2 Centre, Crawley – Friday June 21
Paul Amos
Wayne Atwood
Chris Aubrey
Paul Barham
Michael Barnard
Barrie Bates
Michael Blake
John Bowles
Steve Brown
Matt Clark
Scott Coleman
Gaz Cousins
Mark Cox
Joe Cullen
Matthew Dennant
Matthew Dicken
Kevin Dowling
Mark Dudbridge
Pete Dyos
Matthew Edgar
Ricky Evans
Peter Evison
Connie Finnan
Nick Fullwell
Andrew Gilding
Adrian Gray
Shaun Griffiths
Steve Grubb
Daryl Gurney
Johnny Haines
Ted Hankey
Stephen Hardy
Ryan Harrington
Lee Hayes
John Henderson
Nigel Heydon
Sam Hill
Steve Hine
Dave Honey
Richie Howson
James Hubbard
Peter Hudson
Adam Hunt
Atif Hussain
Mark Hylton
Campbell Jackson
Andy Jenkins
Prakash Jiwa
Darren Johnson
Mark Jones
Wayne Jones
Jamie Lewis
Kenny MacNeil
Steve Maish
Michael Mansell
Kevin McDine
Lee Moffat
Joe Murnan
William O’Connor
Joey Palfreyman
Lee Palfreyman
David Pallett
Andy Parsons
Jake Patchett
Josh Payne
Steven Pearson
Scott Rand
Steve Randall
James Richardson
Neville Roberts
Jamie Robinson
Reece Robinson
Paul Rowley
Alex Roy
Dan Russell
John Scott
Kirk Shepherd
Chris Skeates
Dennis Smith
Michael Smith
Ross Smith
Oliver Stell
Keith J Stephen
Ricky Sudale
Kentaro Suzuki
Alan Tabern
Terry Temple
Martyn Turner
Jack Tweddell
Jim Walker
Darren Webster
Steve West
Tony West
Lee White
Dean Winstanley
Brian Woods

Venue Details:
Halle 39, Schinkelstrasse 7, 31137, Hildesheim, Germany
www.halle39.de
Nearest airport: Hannover

Taylor’s Speedy Services UK Open Glory

PHIL TAYLOR claimed his fifth Speedy Services UK Open title in thrilling fashion as he defeated Andy Hamilton 11-4 at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton on Sunday night.

World Champion Taylor completed a superb weekend in ‘The FA Cup of Darts’ by scooping the £40,000 first prize as he took the title with a super-show in an all-Stoke final.

Taylor had begun his challenge on Thursday night against Kevin Dowling and also defeated Ronny Huybrechts, Adrian Gray, Brendan Dolan and Michael van Gerwen before seeing off Peter Wright 10-5 in Sunday evening’s semi-finals.

He then returned to the stage and produced his best performance of the tournament to defeat Hamilton, erasing the memories of his loss to Robert Thornton in last year’s UK Open final with a 107.04 average.

Hamilton shared the final’s first four legs, hitting a 140 finish in the process, but Taylor landed a killer 167 checkout as he took the next four to take command of the game at 6-2.

Hamilton, appearing in his third major final after his dramatic deciding-leg semi-final win over Raymond van Barneveld, hit back with a 100 checkout, but Taylor took out 121 and 106 in taking a 10-4 cushion before sealing victory on double four.

“I’m very proud of winning this title and it’s great to be the champion for a fifth time,” said Taylor.

“I was absolutely terrified about coming in on Thursday and getting past Kevin Dowling was my main objective, and once the format got longer I could relax, so to come through the whole field and win this is very special.

“I had to get in front of Andy early on in the final and I managed to do that, but it’s great to see him doing so well and he’s shown that he’s got the game to win major tournaments.

“He’s a player who you can’t give half an inch because he’ll batter you, and I’m a big fan of him and his concentration and dedication. He’s a workaholic. I used to practice with him and I know what he’s like, so I’m chuffed to beat him.”

Hamilton had won through to the final with a dramatic 10-9 defeat of two-time UK Open champion Raymond van Barneveld in the semis, with the Dutchman missing the bullseye for a 170 checkout to claim victory before then missing a further five match darts in the deciding leg.

“I couldn’t be any prouder of myself,” said Hamilton, who earns £20,000 as runner-up. “I’ve played some great darts and had a great weekend and I’m happy with what I’ve done tonight.

“Last year I reached the quarter-finals and I’m happy to have reached the final – and I think I’ve proved that I’m getting closer to my first major.

“If someone had said at the start of the week that I’d get to the final, I’d have taken that but I’ll be back.

“The UK Open’s probably the hardest tournament to win and I didn’t play badly in the final but Phil played out of his skin and I take my hat off to him. He’s a legend and he was on top of his game.

“When you’re facing Phil it’s so hard to get back in the game. You have to stay with him or you’ll lose the game, and I’m afraid that happened to me tonight.”

The tournament also saw colourful Peter Wright win through to his first major semi-final before he lost out to Taylor.

The Lowestoft thrower enjoyed a brilliant weekend, defeating world number three Adrian Lewis in Sunday afternoon’s quarter-finals before losing to another Stoke ace in the last four.

“To be honest, I think I played Phil instead of the board,” he admitted. “I tensed up and was snatching darts, but it’s experience that I can take into the next competition.

“I’ll the positives from this weekend, work on it and move into the coming events, and hopefully I can go one step better. It’s not quite there on the big stage yet, but it will be one day.

“I’m really proud of the weekend and very happy with how I’ve played. I want to push on now towards the top 16 and by the end of the year I want to be in the top ten and pushing for a Premier League place. I’ll be pushing myself hard!”

Van Barneveld had edged past Ronnie Baxter in the quarter-finals and was also taken to a deciding leg by World Youth Champion Michael Smith earlier in the tournament, but saw his luck run out as he was edged out by Hamilton in the last four.

Get Involved
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Speedy Services UK Open
Semi-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld 9-10 Andy Hamilton
Phil Taylor 10-5 Peter Wright
Best of 19 legs

Click here for Semi-Final Photo Gallery

Final
Andy Hamilton 4-11 Phil Taylor
Best of 21 legs

Click here for Final Photo Gallery

See video interviews with Phil Taylor, Andy Hamilton and Peter Wright in the OfficialPDC YouTube Channel

Match Information
Semi-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld v Andy Hamilton
0-0 – Raymond van Barneveld won the bull and will throw first
1-0 – Hamilton kicks-off the match brilliantly with a 180 but three missed darts at doubles allows van Barneveld to take out 58 on tops.
1-1 – The Stoke ace lands double five with his third dart to level.
1-2 – Hamilton hits double 11 at the third attempt to secure the first break of throw of the match.
1-3 – Hamilton wins a third leg in a row on double top to move two legs clear.
2-3 – van Barneveld hits his first maximum of game before landing double 12 for a 14-dart finish.
2-4 – Hamilton takes out 116 with his opponent waiting on a two-darter.
3-4 – van Barneveld hits double 18 at the first attempt to reduce the deficit to one leg.
4-4 – The five-time World Champion converts an 88 finish in just two-darts to level the contest.
5-4 – van Barneveld hits double 16 to complete a 13-darter and regain the lead.
5-5 – One missed dart at double nine from the Dutchman proves costly as Hamilton hits double 16 with a pressure third dart.
5-6 – Hamilton edges ahead thanks to an accurate first dart at double top.
5-7 – Hamilton fires in a third maximum and wins the leg on double 16 after van Barneveld is off-target with his attempt at bullseye.
5-8 – The world number six wins a fourth leg in a row thanks to a superb 132 checkout, comprising of single 25, treble 19, bullseye.
6-8 – van Barneveld takes out a crucial 64 in two-darts with Hamilton waiting on tops to break throw.
7-8 – The tension mounts as van Barneveld wastes four chances to win the leg. However, Hamilton is off-target with two attempts of his own and the Dutchman returns to hit double ten.
8-8 – van Barneveld takes out 71 with an accurate third dart at double top with Hamilton waiting on a two-darter.
8-9 – Hamilton converts a 91 finish on tops for a 12-darter against the throw to move a leg away from the UK Open Final.
9-9 – Hamilton hits scores of 180 and 139 to take command but two missed darts at double 16 to win the match go agonisingly off-target and van Barneveld shows his class by taking out 100 in just two-darts.
9-10 – A dramatic decidng-leg sees Hamilton miss a second dart for the match but the Dutchman is guilty of wasting six chances of his own and the Stoke star returns to hit double 16 to conclude a thrilling contest.

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	9-10	Andy Hamilton
29	100+	27
17	140+	8
0	170+	0
1	180	4
92.93	Average	90.20
100	High Finish	132
4	Breaks of Throw	5
9/24 – 38%	Finishing %	10/27 – 37%

Phil Taylor v Peter Wright
0-0 – Wright wins the bull and throws first
1-0 – Taylor puts immediate pressure of his opponent as he records a 180 before winning the first leg with just 13-darts thrown.
2-0 – The world number one hits double eight thanks to an accurate third dart.
2-1 – Wright posts a leg on the board with an excellent 13-dart finish.
3-1 – The 16-time World Champion hits a second maximum before landing double ten to restore his two leg lead.
3-2 – Wright holds throw on double ten to keep in touch with his opponent.
4-2 – Taylor hits a third 180 before landing double 12 to hit his second 13-darter of the match.
5-2 – Taylor repeats the trick as he lands double 18 for a 13-dart finish for a second break of throw after Wright is off-target with one attempt at double 16.
6-2 – The Stoke star moves four legs clear as he records a third successive 13-darter.
6-3 – Wright hits double eight with a pressure third dart to reduce the deficit to three legs.
7-3 – Taylor lets three chances to win leg slip away but Wright is unable to land tops and the Stoke man returns to hit double four.
8-3 – Both players hit maximums before Taylor goes on to win with a fabulous 11-darter.
8-4 – Wright hits a superb 161 checkout to break Taylor’s throw for the first time.
8-5 – Wright takes out a 109 finish after Taylor is guilty of missing two attempts at double eight.
9-5 – Taylor hits double 12 thanks to an accurate third dart to move a leg away from victory.
10-5 – Taylor powers to victory as he hits scores of 180, 140 and 165 before hitting double four to end the match with a second 11-dart finish.

Match Stats

Phil Taylor	10-5	Peter Wright
18	100+	24
11	140+	14
0	170+	0
6	180	1
106.84	Average	97.05
47	High Finish	161
4	Breaks of Throw	1
10/26 – 38%	Finishing %	5/11 – 45%

Final
Andy Hamilton v Phil Taylor
0-0 – Hamilton wins the bull and throws first
1-0 – Hamilton starts the Final confidently as he hits double 16 to take the first leg in just 14-darts.
1-1 – The world number six hits a 177 but Taylor wins the leg by landing tops for a 70 finish.
1-2 – Hamilton hits a 174 but is guilty of missing three attempts at doubles and Taylor hits double ten to secure the first break of throw.
2-2 – Both players hit 180s before Hamilton converts a fabulous 140 checkout to level after Taylor is off-target with two chances to win the leg.
2-3 – Taylor records a maximum to leave 32 which he takes out to regain the lead after Hamilton was unable to hit double top.
2-4 – The world number one hits a fantastic 167 checkout to move two legs clear of his opponent.
2-5 – Taylor hits double top at the first time of asking with Hamilton waiting on 36.
2-6 – Taylor takes out 86 on double seven after Hamilton missed an attempt at bullseye.
3-6 – Hamilton wins first leg in five as he hits a two-dart 100 finish for an excellent 11-darter.
3-7 – Taylor restores his four leg lead thanks to a clinical 121 checkout.
3-8 – Hamilton wastes four darts at doubles and Taylor lands double ten to edge closer to victory.
3-9 – Taylor hits double top at the first attempt to leave his Stoke rival trailing by six legs.
4-9 – Hamilton continues to fight as he pulls a leg back by hitting double five.
4-10 – Taylor takes out 106 with ease to go a leg away from a fifth UK Open title.
4-11 – Taylor hits double four for a 15-dart finish to win the match with an average of 107.04

Match Stats

Andy Hamilton	4-11	Phil Taylor
19	100+	18
5	140+	14
2	170+	1
2	180	2
97.95	Average	107.04
140,100	High Finish	167,121,106
1	Breaks of Throw	5
4/16 – 25%	Finishing %	11/19 – 58%