Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts - Night Two

REPORTS from the second night of the 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.

The tournament makes its Edinburgh debut in front of 4,000 fans at the Royal Highland Centre.

Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Week Two - Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh
John Part 7-7 Raymond van Barneveld
Wayne Mardle 7-7 Terry Jenkins
Phil Taylor 8-2 Jelle Klaasen
James Wade 1-8 Mervyn King

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JOHN PART 7-7 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD claimed his first point of the 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts with a draw against John Part in Edinburgh.

The Dutchman was defeated by Phil Taylor in Liverpool on the opening night a week ago, but bounced back in a high-scoring thriller.

The pair shared eight 180s and traded blows throughout - but crucially neither was able to break throw to leave the points split equally.

Both landed maximums in the opening leg, with Part hitting double top after van Barneveld missed double 16 for a 104 checkout.

Double top gave the Dutchman the second, but after matching a Part 180 with his third of the game in the next leg he was left waiting on 24 as the Dutchman edged 2-1 up.

He levelled on double top as the bed was hit for a fourth successive leg, while Part landed a maximum on his way to the fifth leg, which he took out on double 18.

A 180 from van Barneveld set up a double 12 finish as he squared matters, and he hit a 165 score to leave a double in the eighth before landing double six to punish a missed bullseye from Part and stay level at four-all.

Van Barneveld missed double 14 to break in leg nine, but matched Part's double four finish by hitting the same bed in the next leg.

A 117 checkout from Part gave him leg 11, while van Barneveld hit back on double 16 to ensure a tense final two legs.

Part earned a minimum of a draw by taking the penultimate leg on double 18, but double 16 in the decider gave van Barneveld a point.

"I don't think I've ever played a game where every game went with the throw," said van Barneveld. "I had some chances but missed a couple of doubles.

"I couldn't break John's throw. He had some good shots and didn't miss many doubles but in my legs he didn't have many chances."

Part drew his opening game, against James Wade a week ago, and said: "I'm quite satisfied to get this point.

"I was out-scored immensely on his legs and I was frustrated that, because I started first, I was never able to get the break.

"All in all, I'm pretty happy with a solid effort under considerable pressure. I'm happy with how I'm playing and it's a good start to be unbeaten still."

Match Stats

WAYNE MARDLE 7-7 TERRY JENKINS

WAYNE MARDLE silenced the partisan Edinburgh crowd with a stunning 160 checkout to grab a draw with Terry Jenkins in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.

Mardle claimed his first point of the season with a dramatic fightback - after finding himself playing both Jenkins and the Scottish crowd.

Mardle had knocked out Scotland's Robert Thornton in the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship six weeks ago, and found himself in the unusual position of Jenkins being the crowd favourite.

The 2007 Premier League runner-up looked set to condemn Mardle to a second successive loss, only for a 160 checkout in the deciding leg to grab him a point.

"I got the better of Robert in the World Championship but the crowd got their own back tonight!" said Mardle.

"It's unusual and I didn't react well at the start. When it was nip and tuck I was okay and to get a point at this stage is great because I usually lose my first four games!"

Jenkins punished a slow start from Mardle to take the first leg, only for Mardle to take out finishes of 88 and 89, on the bullseye, to move 2-1 up.

Jenkins won the next three, including a 14-darter against the throw, to move clear at 4-2 before Mardle - aided by legs of 14 and 13 darts of his own after hitting two maximums - pulled back level.

A fourth 180 of the game from Jenkins helped him to a 13-darter in taking a 6-5 lead, only for Mardle to take out 107 to break back.

Double top in the penultimate leg gave Jenkins a 7-6 lead, but he missed two darts for victory on double 18 in the decider - allowing Mardle back in to power home his 160 finish.

Match Stats

PHIL TAYLOR 8-2 JELLE KLAASEN

PHIL TAYLOR powered past Jelle Klaasen to pick up a second Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts victory in as many games.

The four-time Premier League maintained his superb start to this year's event with an 8-2 defeat of the young Dutchman.

Taylor won the game's first four legs without reply before Klaasen took out 118 to get off the mark, also winning leg six to halve the deficit.

But legs of 11, 12, 12 and 14 darts after the interval saw Taylor storm clear and secure another win.

"I've got four points on the board and every player would be delighted with that," said Taylor.

"I always felt in control but knew I had a couple of extra gears even though I wasn't playing that well. I showed that in the last four legs."

Klaasen had a chance to grab the first leg against the darts, but paid the price for failing to set up a double for a 112 finish before Taylor took out double eight.

Taylor hit the same bed in the next two legs, and also in leg four after being off-target on the bullseye for a 164 checkout.

Klaasen picked up his first leg with a classy 118 checkout, and a double 16 finish saw him halve the deficit going into the break at 4-2 down.

Any hopes of a comeback, though, were dashed in mesmerising style by Taylor.

The 14-time World Champion hit two 180s in an 11-darter to go 5-2 up, posted further maximums in back-to-back 12-dart legs to move to the brink of victory.

Klaasen hit his first maximum of the game in the next, but was left stranded on a double as Taylor hit a 14-darter on double 16 to wrap up the points.

Match Stats

MERVYN KING 8-1 JAMES WADE

MERVYN KING continued his mightily impressive Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts debut campaign with an 8-1 rout of world number two James Wade.

King followed up an 8-1 win over Wayne Mardle in the opening week with another superb display to remain unbeaten at the top of the table.

While Wade was below-par in a draw with John Part a week earlier, he was given little chance by King, who averaged 104 and restricted his opponent to just three darts at a double in the game.

King hit double eight to win the first leg against the darts, and back-to-back 13-darters saw him take a commanding 3-0 lead.

He then landed a 180 in a 12-dart leg to move 4-0 up and repeated the feat in taking the fifth, before double ten put him into the break with a 6-0 advantage.

Wade took out double 12 to win the next and get off the mark, but King pulled clear to take out double eight in the next and a 7-1 cushion.

He then sealed the win with another 13-darter, hitting double 12 to make it two stylish wins from as many games.

"People are now starting to see the real Mervyn but there's still more in the tank," said King. "Hopefully that's going to come out.

"I've been working hard over the last two years and it's now starting to come."

"Tonight was good. James is a great player but he hasn't been at his best for a while, that wasn't the real him on stage and I took full advantage and punished him."

Match Stats

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