Betway Premier League Night 15

VAN GERWEN'S DRAW SEALS TOP SPOT IN FINAL BETWAY PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN topped the Betway Premier League table for a third successive year following a sensational draw with Dave Chisnall in Brighton on Thursday, as Gary Anderson and Raymond van Barneveld entered the Play-Offs with victories and Phil Taylor ended the season with a win.

Dutch star van Gerwen entered the final league night a point clear of Chisnall, but saw the St Helens star threaten to snatch the win, and top spot, in a high-quality contest.

Chisnall led three times during the game as the pair slugged out a thriller, with a 161 checkout putting him 6-5 up and a leg away from a remarkable triumph.

He also landed a 180 in the game's final leg, but saw van Gerwen take out 108 to claim the draw which secured top spot - ending the game with a 111.90 average.

"It means a lot to me to finish top again and I've worked very hard for it," said van Gerwen. "It feels great and I'm very proud.

"Dave's had a phenomenal season and he was amazing tonight again. I needed to play as well as I did just to get a draw - it was a fantastic match and it showed the standard of the Premier League this season.

"It's incredible at the moment, and I'm in good form and I want to keep this going in the Play-Offs now."

Chisnall's outstanding season means that he will make his Play-Offs debut next week, and he is in confident mood as he bids to claim his first major title.

"I'm not disappointed to draw because it was a good game, and when I went 6-5 up I had a chance but Michael's finishing was superb, again, in that last leg," said Chisnall.

"I'm very proud and I've done myself justice this season - people wrote me off at the beginning and I've proved them wrong, and I know what I can do.

"It's all good at the moment and I'm confident that I'll play well next week - and hopefully I can meet Michael again in the final!"

Chisnall will take on World Champion Gary Anderson in the semi-finals, after the Scot sealed third place with a superb 7-3 comeback win over Adrian Lewis.

Lewis had won the game's opening two legs by finishing 77 and 80 - with two double tops - only to see Anderson storm through the next six without reply, hitting a pair of double tops himself in a 105 checkout.

Lewis finished 83 on the bull to hit back to 6-3, but Anderson landed tops in the next to ensure that he enters the Play-Offs with back-to-back wins under his belt.

The 2011 Premier League champion said: "It went okay tonight and I'm pleased with that.

"I played well in the first two legs but didn't get a shot and Adrian punished me, but I got on a roll and got in front - but it's a different week next week and we'll see what happens.

"To win any tournament you've got to beat everyone and I want to be a bit better than I was tonight if I'm going to win this title again. It's four years since I won this title so it would be nice to get it back next week."

Reigning Betway Premier League champion van Barneveld ended the season in fourth place following his 7-4 win over Stephen Bunting, as the Dutchman's clinical finishing again proved the difference.

The Dutchman defied two 11-dart finishes from Bunting to take a 5-2 advantage, with Bunting hitting back to 6-4 at one stage only to see van Barneveld seal victory in the next to move into the Play-Offs on an eight-game unbeaten run.

"This was still an important game and I'm really pleased and proud of myself," said van Barneveld. "After Week Nine I wanted to fight for every point and then all of a sudden I realised I could qualify for the Play-Offs.

"I'm happy, of course, with the win because Stephen played a good match. I'm loving to battle at the moment, I'm happy with my darts and I believe in myself again, and I'm playing well."

Phil Taylor bounced back from the disappointment of missing out on the Premier League's Play-Offs for the first time with a sensational 7-1 win over 2009 champion James Wade, who ends the season in seventh place.

Wade actually led by finishing 96 to win the opening leg, but he missed the bull for a 121 checkout in the next as Taylor levelled with an 11-darter.

Taylor then pulled clear to win the next six legs without reply to end the game with a 108.87 average, regaining the clinical accuracy on his doubles which had proved his undoing earlier in the season.

"The Premier League has escaped me this year and I'm gutted about not being in the top four," said Taylor. "I feel awful to have missed the Play-Offs but I'll improve.

"I'm tweaking some things with my darts and it's hopefully going to come together now - my doubles are going in and my darts are going straighter."

Next Thursday's Betway Premier League Play-Offs at The O2 in London will kick off as Chisnall takes on Anderson - with the St Helens ace having won both league meetings between the pair this season.

Van Gerwen and van Barneveld then face off in a repeat of last season's final as they bid to secure their spot in the decider, which will follow later in the evening in front of over 10,000 fans.

Tickets for the Betway Premier League Play-Offs are still available and can be purchased by calling 0844 856 0202 or online via www.axs.com .

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Betway Premier League
Night 15, Thursday May 14
The Brighton Centre
Phil Taylor 7-1 James Wade
Raymond van Barneveld 7-4 Stephen Bunting
Adrian Lewis 3-7 Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen 6-6 Dave Chisnall

Betway Premier League Play-Offs
Semi-Finals
Dave Chisnall v Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld
Best of 19 legs

Final
Chisnall/Anderson v van Gerwen/van Barneveld
Best of 21 legs

** Please note amended format. Walk-Ons for final to commence 20 minutes following conclusion of interview with second semi-finalists.

League Table

Final League Table	P	W	D	L	Legs +/-	Pts
Michael van Gerwen (Q)	16	10	3	3	+30	23
Dave Chisnall (Q)	16	10	2	4	+30	22
Gary Anderson (Q)	16	9	2	5	+10	20
Raymond van Barneveld (Q)	16	8	3	5	+8	19
Phil Taylor	16	6	3	7	+4	15
Adrian Lewis	16	5	4	7	-13	14
James Wade	16	3	6	7	-17	12
Stephen Bunting	16	3	5	8	-18	11
Peter Wright (E)	9	1	4	4	-17	6
Kim Huybrechts (E)	9	1	2	6	-17	4

MATCH INFORMATION
Phil Taylor v James Wade
0-1 - Wade finishes 96 on double eight to break throw in the opening leg.
1-1 - Taylor opens the leg with a 180 and adds two 140s before punishing Wade for a miss at the bullseye - to finish 121 for a 12-darter - by pinning double 16 for an 11-dart leg.
2-1 - Taylor moves ahead with a 14-dart leg, landing double 16 again.
3-1 - Taylor kicks off with another maximum before finishing double eight for a 13-darter.
4-1 - Taylor takes out 70 on double 16 to win a fourth straight leg.
5-1 - The pair trade 180s before Taylor lands double ten - with Wade waiting on 40 - to pull clear.
6-1 - Taylor finishes 52 as he secures at least a draw from the game.
7-1 - Taylor lands a fourth 180 before finishing 81 on double 12 to end the season with a superb victory, averaging 108.87 and finishing seven doubles from ten attempts.

Match Stats

Phil Taylor	7-1	James Wade
10	100+	11
6	140+	7
0	170+	0
4	180	1
108.87	Average	100.29
81	High Finish	96
4	Breaks of Throw	1
7/10 - 70%	Checkout %	1/2 - 50%

Raymond van Barneveld v Stephen Bunting
1-0 - van Barneveld lands a 177 to leave 32, and when Bunting misses a dart at double 16, the reigning champion steps in to hit the same bed for the lead.
1-1 - The Dutchman fires in a 180 as both players leave 81 after nine darts, with Bunting's three 140s being followed by a two-dart 81 finish as he levels with an 11-darter.
2-1 - Bunting lands a 180, only to miss his chance to break as van Barneveld returns on double four.
3-1 - Bunting again pays for missed doubles, with van Barneveld finishing 74 on the bull.
4-1 - van Barneveld takes out 121 to win a third straight leg.
4-2 - Bunting raises hopes of a nine-darter by opening with two 180s, and though he is unable to hit a seventh perfect dart, he returns to finish 81 for another 11-darter.
5-2 - van Barneveld's impressive finishing continues with a two-dart 69 combination.
5-3 - Bunting fires in a 180 to leave 56 before hitting tops to claim back-to-back legs.
6-3 - Double ten sees van Barneveld secure at least a draw from the game.
6-4 - Bunting lands a fifth 180, and is given a reprieve for one missed double as van Barneveld misses the bull for another 121 combination, allowing the St Helens hotshot in on double two.
7-4 - Bunting misses the bull to finish 170, and double ten ensured victory for van Barneveld as he moves into the Play-Offs on an eight-game unbeaten run.

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	7-4	Stephen Bunting
18	100+	15
10	140+	7
1	170+	0
1	180	5
101.62	Average	100.27
121	High Finish	81
1	Breaks of Throw	0
7/14 - 50%	Checkout %	4/12 - 33%

Adrian Lewis v Gary Anderson
1-0 - Both players land 180s before Lewis finishes 77 on tops to take the opening leg.
2-0 - Lewis breaks throw by taking out 80 with a showpiece finish of two double tops.
2-1 - Double 16 sees Anderson break back.
2-2 - Lewis misses the bull to finish 130 as Anderson returns from a miss at tops to hit the bed and level.
2-3 - Lewis misses darts at double top, ten and five, allowing Anderson in to finish 105 with outer bull and two double tops.
2-4 - Lewis fires in a maximum, but Anderson lands double 12 to win a fourth successive leg.
2-5 - The Scot wins a fifth straight leg, taking out 71 on tops.
2-6 - Anderson this time finishes 62 on tops as he ensures at least a point.
3-6 - Lewis wins his first leg in seven by taking out 83 on the bull.
3-7 - The duo trade 180s before both missing a dart at tops, with Anderson returning to hit the bed as he sealed victory and third place in the final league table.

Match Stats

Adrian Lewis	3-7	Gary Anderson
10	100+	16
4	140+	6
0	170+	0
4	180	3
94.46	Average	97.26
83	High Finish	105
1	Breaks of Throw	3
3/9 - 33%	Checkout %	7/14 - 50%

Michael van Gerwen v Dave Chisnall
1-0 - van Gerwen opens the game with a 180 before finishing 53 for an 11-darter.
1-1 - Chisnall takes out 40 to level the game.
2-1 - van Gerwen posts another 11-darter, this time finishing 44 to move back ahead.
2-2 - Chisnall hits seven perfect darts - including two 180s - and responds to missing out on a possible nine-darter by taking the leg in 12 darts on double 16.
2-3 - Chisnall breaks throw, initially missing double 16 for a 134 checkout before returning to hit the bed for a 13-darter.
3-3 - van Gerwen breaks back immediately with a brilliant 12-darter, landing back-to-back 180s and double 16.
3-4 - Chisnall moves ahead with another break of throw, scoring 162 during the leg and returning on double four for a 14-darter.
4-4 - The brilliant standard continues, this time with a ten-darter from van Gerwen as he scores 180, 140, 145 and double 18 to level.
5-4 - Chisnall lands his third 180, but it comes too late to save the leg as van Gerwen pins double 18 to move back ahead.
5-5 - van Gerwen's 180 is followed by a 171 from Chisnall, who punishes a missed double 16 from the Dutchman by finishing 72 on tops to level.
5-6 - van Gerwen misses the bull for a 170 checkout, and Chisnall incredibly takes out 161 on the bull - putting himself ahead in a game he must win to finish at the top of the table.
6-6 - Chisnall hits his fourth 180 of the game, but can only watch on as van Gerwen takes out 108 on tops to grab a draw, meaning that the Dutchman finishes top of the final league table for a third successive season. An amazing game sees van Gerwen end with a 111.90 average to Chisnall's 106.01.

Match Stats