Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts - Night Six

REPORTS and results from the Whyte and Mackay Premier League Darts at the M.E.N. Arena.

Manchester hosted the latest league night of the tournament as the battle for play-off places increased.

Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Week Six - M.E.N. Arena, Manchester
Raymond van Barneveld 8-3 Mervyn King
Jelle Klaasen 7-7 John Part
Terry Jenkins 5-8 James Wade
Phil Taylor 8-4 Wayne Mardle

see match highlights in PDCtv from Friday evening

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RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 8-3 MERVYN KING

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD inflicted Mervyn King's first Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts defeat with an 8-3 thumping at Manchester's M.E.N. Arena.

King had won four and drawn one of his first five games in the tournament to move clear at the top of the table, but came unstuck against an inspired van Barneveld.

The Dutchman produced a master-class to claim his second win of the season, averaging almost 106 in sweeping to victory.

King actually led, taking out 122 on the bullseye to win the opening leg against the throw, but van Barneveld hit back with four successive legs to move clear.

He missed the bullseye for a 170 finish in leg two, but double eight levelled before he landed two 180s and a 167 finish in establishing a 4-1 cushion.

King took out double ten to reduce the gap, but van Barneveld returned from the break with three fine legs, following up 180s by taking out 98 on double 12 and 122 on the bullseye and then moving 7-2 up on double top.

King hit back with a maximum in the tenth leg, and took out 81 for a 12-darter to give himself hope of a comeback.

But van Barneveld kicked off the next leg with a 180, and double top wrapped up a comprehensive victory.

"It's my best performance of the season," said van Barneveld.

"I've known Mervyn a long time and he deserved to be top but I was focused to beat him and am very happy with my performance.

"I was focused but I feel great at the moment. I'm training hard, doing fitness work and losing weight and enjoying my darts."

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	8-3	Mervyn King
12	100+	19
6	140+	10
6	180	2
35.27	Ave1	33.60
105.82	Ave3	100.80
3	Legs Against Throw	1
167,122	High Finish	122

JELLE KLAASEN 7-7 JOHN PART

JELLE KLAASEN came from 5-1 down to grab his second point of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts with a draw against John Part in Manchester.

The young Dutchman looked set for a fifth successive defeat when he allowed Part into a four-leg cushion in their contest.

But, aided by a maximum 170 finish, he clawed his way back into the game before moving 6-5 up.

Part took the next two to lead 7-6, but missed a dart for victory in the decider as Klaasen scrambled home a point.

Klaasen was punished for five missed doubles in the opening leg of the game as Part landed double two - only to be punished for misses of his own as the Dutchman levelled on the same double.

Klaasen was also off-target on double 15 in the third as Part regained his range, hitting double 18 for another break of throw and then double top to move 3-1 up.

The pair traded maximums in the next, only for Klaasen to miss double top as Part pulled clear, and another 180 from the Dutchman was in vain as Part took out double four for a 5-1 lead at the break.

Klaasen returned to kick off leg seven with a 180, taking the leg in 13 darts before pulling back to 5-3 with a 12-darter - ended by a sublime 170 checkout to guarantee at least a share of the £1,000 high checkout bonus.

He also hit 180s in the next two legs in levelling the match, before double top saw him move ahead for the first time.

A 13-darter, finished on double four, put Part level and double three ensured he would take a point at 7-6.

But he was off-target on double seven for 122 finish in the deciding leg, and Klaasen took out 78 in two darts for the draw.

"I was 5-1 down but never gave up because I knew I'd missed a lot of doubles," said Klaasen. "I never gave up and think I deserved a draw."

Part added: "I certainly looked pretty good for the two points at 5-1 but he hadn't clicked at that point and I expected him to hit back and in fairness to him he did.

"At the end, with the momentum he had, I was probably happy with a point!"

Match Stats

Jelle Klaasen	7-7	John Part
15	100+	16
5	140+	7
6	180	4
30.19	Ave1	29.54
90.57	Ave3	88.63
4	Legs Against Throw	4
170	High Finish	76

TERRY JENKINS 5-8 JAMES WADE

JAMES WADE picked up a fourth successive Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts victory with an 8-5 defeat of Terry Jenkins in Manchester.

The world number two moved level with Mervyn King at the top of the table by maintaining his run of form in seeing off below-par Jenkins.

A mid-game burst did much of the damage, winning four successive legs to open up a 6-2 lead before holding off Jenkins' fightback to claim the points.

Jenkins missed five darts at a double in the first leg, before Wade broke on double ten, only for the next two legs to also go against the throw as the 2008 runner-up took a 2-1 lead.

Jenkins kicked off leg four with back-to-back 180s, and also hit a seventh treble 20, with a potential nine-darter going begging when he missed the treble 19.

However, he took out double top for a 12-darter to level, only for Wade to step up a gear.

Double 16 saw him break throw for a third time, and double five gave him a 4-2 lead going into the break.

He defied a 180 from Jenkins to win the next, on double top, before hitting the same bed to complete a 13-darter in taking a 6-2 lead.

Jenkins produced scores of 180, 140 and 135 in setting up a ten-darter to stop Wade's run, and double four in the next two legs saw him pull back to 6-5.

But double ten gave Wade breathing space, and he wrapped up victory on double eight.

"Terry wasn't at his best and missed a lot of doubles," said Wade.

"He usually pushes me but I had to take my chances, and I'm delighted to win even though it wasn't my best display."

Match Stats

Terry Jenkins	5-8	James Wade
13	100+	16
13	140+	10
5	180	2
31.66	Ave1	30.83
94.97	Ave3	92.50
3	Legs Against Throw	5
52	High Finish	50

PHIL TAYLOR 8-4 WAYNE MARDLE

PHIL TAYLOR got back to winning ways in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts with an 8-4 win over Wayne Mardle at Manchester's M.E.N. Arena.

Taylor had slipped to three points behind leader Mervyn King after suffering a defeat and two draws in the past three weeks, but hit back in style.

Mardle led 2-0 and hit seven 180s in the contest, but a five-leg burst took Taylor clear before he wrapped up victory.

Mardle kicked off the game with a 180, breaking throw in the opening leg before adding a second maximum and punishing two missed doubles from Taylor to double the lead.

A superb 158 checkout got Taylor off the mark, double 16 levelled and he then landed double two to move 3-2 up after Mardle wasted four darts at double seven.

Mardle hit his fifth 180 of the match in leg six, only to miss two more darts at a double, with double 16 putting Taylor 4-2 up at the break.

The pair returned with maximums in the seventh, which Taylor took once more on double 16, before a 112 finish saw Mardle reduce the gap to 5-3.

A missed double 13 for a 146 checkout proved costly for the Essex showman in the next, though, as Taylor stepped in on double 12.

Mardle took out a two-dart 78 checkout to pull back to 6-4, but any hope of a fightback was swiftly ended by Taylor.

The 14-time World Champion sealed the win in style, taking out 122 on double seven and then a 14-darter with a 74 finish to wrap up the points.

"I'm really pleased to get the win," said Taylor. "I thought Wayne played superbly and I really enjoyed the challenge.

"He started well but I thought I got into the game as it went on and I'm delighted with how it turned out."

Match Stats