Betway Premier League Night Six

VAN GERWEN'S STRONG FINISH SEES OFF TAYLOR IN NOTTINGHAM

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN moved to the top of the Betway Premier League table with a superb win over Phil Taylor at Nottingham's Capital FM Arena on Thursday, as Dave Chisnall lost his unbeaten record and Gary Anderson returned to his brilliant best.

Dutch ace van Gerwen was a 7-3 winner in the clash of the world's top two ranked players as he picked up victory over his great rival Taylor to move onto ten league points for the season.

The game had bizarrely seen the opening seven legs all won against the throw - started by van Gerwen's 128 checkout - before a brilliant ten-darter from the Dutchman moved him 5-3 up with the first break of throw.

Van Gerwen then punished two missed doubles from Taylor to move three legs clear before landing a 180 as he secured victory in style with a 13-dart finish.

"I had to do the right things at the right moments and I did that at the end," said van Gerwen. "I knew from the eighth leg that I wasn't going to lose and I'm very happy with my performance.

"To beat Phil on a stage like this feels extra good for me. Phil wasn't 100 percent on his doubles but you know he will play well because that's what he's done for 25 years.

"Every time I broke his throw early on I didn't hold my own throw but I think we were both thinking about the winner going to the top of the table and a bit nervous at the start.

"It's great to be top of the table but the most important thing is to win the tournament in May so that's my target."

Van Gerwen's victory saw him jump above Dave Chisnall to top the league table, after the St Helens ace suffered his first defeat of the season with a 7-3 reverse to Stephen Bunting.

Bunting opened the game with a 112 checkout and moved 4-1 up before Chisnall replied with an 11-dart finish - but a stunning 164 bullseye combination saw the former Lakeside Champion restore his advantage before sealing his second successive Premier League win.

"It's nice to be back winning and I've got two wins and a semi-final in the UK Open under my belt in the last week so I'm moving onwards and upwards," said Bunting.

"It's always difficult to play Dave because he's a close friend but I got one over on him last weekend in the UK Open and I just wanted to build on that.

"I never lost faith [in the opening four weeks] but I went up there tonight to try and do a job, get the win and the two points. Hopefully I can keep doing what I'm doing and pick up those vital points."

World Champion Gary Anderson jumped up to third place as he bounced back from last week's defeat to Chisnall - and a third round exit at the UK Open last weekend - by averaging 108.98 in a 7-1 romp against Adrian Lewis.

Anderson put himself in command by winning the opening three legs before Lewis hit back - but a missed bullseye in the next allowed the Scot in to take out 127 before he took the next and then finished 145 to seal an impressive win.

"The last couple of weeks have been a struggle for me but I had a good five days off after Minehead and it's done me the world of good," admitted Anderson.

"Adrian's scoring tonight wasn't as good as it usually is and I managed to take advantage and it's put me onto eight points, which is a good position to be in."

Peter Wright moved off the bottom of the league table with a narrow 7-5 win over Kim Huybrechts in a tight contest.

The game's opening eight legs went with throw before Wright broke, with the aid of a 180, in the ninth, and though the Belgian forced a deciding leg it was the former World Championship finalist who landed another maximum as he sealed his first win of the season.

"I found that the hardest match I've had this season and we were fighting for every leg," said Wright, Sunday's UK Open runner-up to van Gerwen. "I felt Kim played better but I battled it out and took my chances.

"I'm feeling good because I've got the right darts and the right set-up now and I'm delighted with the win."

Reigning Premier League champion Raymond van Barneveld now sits level with Huybrechts in the league table's bottom two places after he went down 7-3 to 2009 champion James Wade.

Wade came from a leg down to cruise into a 6-1 lead, and though van Barneveld rallied briefly with back-to-back legs, the left-hander finished his favoured double top to seal his second win of the season.

"Raymond didn't play remotely like he can and I'm grateful for that," said Wade. "I've been ahead in the past two weeks and let it slip but Raymond left it too late tonight.

"I'm happy with this and I want to move on from this because I still don't feel like I've played my best yet but I believed I'd get the win tonight and I did that."

The Betway Premier League continues next Thursday at The SSE Hydro in Glasgow, where World Champion Anderson steps out in Scotland against Huybrechts, van Gerwen plays Chisnall and Taylor faces van Barneveld.

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Betway Premier League
Night Six, Thursday March 12
Capital FM Arena, Nottingham
Stephen Bunting 7-3 Dave Chisnall
Raymond van Barneveld 3-7 James Wade
Phil Taylor 3-7 Michael van Gerwen
Gary Anderson 7-1 Adrian Lewis
Kim Huybrechts 5-7 Peter Wright

Latest League Table

After Week Six	P	W	D	L	Legs +/-	Pts
Michael van Gerwen	6	4	2	0	+15	10
Dave Chisnall	6	4	1	1	+12	9
Gary Anderson	6	4	0	2	+9	8
Phil Taylor	6	3	1	2	+7	7
James Wade	6	2	2	2	+4	6
Stephen Bunting	6	2	1	3	-5	5
Peter Wright	6	1	3	2	-10	5
Adrian Lewis	6	1	2	3	-9	4
Raymond van Barneveld	6	1	1	4	-11	3
Kim Huybrechts	6	1	1	4	-12	3

MATCH INFORMATION
Stephen Bunting v Dave Chisnall
1-0 - Chisnall lands a 180 in the opening leg, but Bunting finishes 112 with his opponent waiting on tops as he claims first blood.
2-0 - Bunting breaks throw on double four to win a second leg.
2-1 - Bunting misses four darts at double top and ten to win a third successive leg, allowing Chisnall to break back on double five.
3-1 - Chisnall misses two darts to level the game, and Bunting posts double eight to break again.
4-1 - Bunting finds tops with his third dart at the bed as he moves three legs clear.
4-2 - Bunting fires in his first 180, but Chisnall scores 140, 140 and 180 before finishing double 16 for an 11-darter to hit back.
5-2 - Bunting takes out a stunning 164 checkout to regain his advantage.
5-3 - Chisnall opens with his third 180 before tops sees him respond once more.
6-3 - Bunting ensures a minimum of a draw as he lands double 16.
7-3 - Chisnall opens with another 180, but Bunting replies with a maximum before firing in double 16 to claim his second victory of the season and end Chisnall's unbeaten start to the campaign.

Match Stats

Stephen Bunting	7-3	Dave Chisnall
12	100+	11
10	140+	9
0	170+	0
2	180	4
100.99	Average	99.55
164	High Finish	41
3	Breaks of Throw	1
7/18 - 39%	Checkout %	3/7 - 43%

Raymond van Barneveld v James Wade
1-0 - Wade lands a 180, but misses two darts to break throw as van Barneveld - eventually - wins the leg on double one.
1-1 - Wade replies with a clinical 104 checkout on tops.
1-2 - Wade opens with a 174 score before breaking throw on tops.
1-3 - Double ten sees the 2009 champion win a third successive leg.
1-4 - van Barneveld lands a 180 but misses a further four darts at doubles, allowing Wade to finish 80 for another break.
1-5 - Wade misses tops to give van Barneveld a glimpse at a 69 finish, but the Dutchman misses double 16 to allow the left-hander in on double ten to move four legs clear.
1-6 - Wade hits his second 174 score of the game to leave 40 before hitting double ten to complete a 14-darter and win a sixth successive leg, sealing at least a point from the game.
2-6 - van Barneveld opens with a 180 and begins a possible fightback by landing double top.
3-6 - Wade misses a match dart - at double eight for a 96 finish - to allow the reigning champion to finish 82 on tops.
3-7 - Wade is off-target on tops for a 120 checkout, but van Barneveld wires the bull to finish 82 to allow him back, and this time the left-hander claims the win on tops.

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	3-7	James Wade
15	100+	12
7	140+	10
0	170+	2
2	180	1
88.38	Average	97.84
82	High Finish	104
1	Breaks of Throw	3
3/14 - 21%	Checkout %	7/15 - 47%

Phil Taylor v Michael van Gerwen
0-1 - van Gerwen breaks throw with a 128 checkout to make an ideal start.
1-1 - Taylor lands a 180 as he breaks back.
1-2 - van Gerwen moves back ahead with a break of his own.
2-2 - A fourth successive leg is won against the throw as Taylor levels, after the Dutchman misses three darts at double 18.
2-3 - van Gerwen breaks once more to move back in front.
3-3 - Taylor levels on double ten as the break of throw trend continues.
3-4 - van Gerwen misses double 12 for a 129 finish to break, but Taylor is off-target on double 16 to finish 102 - allowing the Dutchman to return on double 12 to regain the edge.
3-5 - The pair score 140 and 180 and both leave a double after nine darts, with van Gerwen posting double 18 for a ten-dart finish.
3-6 - Taylor lands a maximum but misses double top and ten to allow van Gerwen back - after missing the bull for a 170 finish - to post double eight to seal at least a draw.
3-7 - van Gerwen seals victor in superb style with a 13-darter, opening with his second 180 of the game before scoring 159 to leave double 12 as he completes the win with a 107.61 average.

Match Stats

Phil Taylor	3-7	Michael van Gerwen
16	100+	11
8	140+	11
0	170+	1
3	180	2
99.73	Average	107.61
40	High Finish	128
3	Breaks of Throw	5
3/15 - 20%	Checkout %	7/15 - 47%

Gary Anderson v Adrian Lewis
1-0 - Anderson takes out 94 on tops to claim the opening leg.
2-0 - Lewis opens with a 174 score and adds a 140 only to miss two darts at doubles, allowing Anderson in to break on double 14.
3-0 - Double ten puts Anderson three legs up.
3-1 - Lewis finishes 20 to claim his first leg of the game.
4-1 - Anderson misses the bull, but returns on double 16 to regain his cushion.
5-1 - Lewis misses the bull to take out 121, and Anderson makes him pay by finishing 127 on double eight.
6-1 - Anderson scores 180 and 165 to leave 40, and when Lewis misses the bull to take out 170 the World Champion steps in to seal a minimum of a point.
7-1 - Anderson completes victory in brilliant fashion, scoring a fourth 180 before taking out 145 to seal the win with a 108.98 average.

Match Stats

Gary Anderson	7-1	Adrian Lewis
10	100+	8
6	140+	8
0	170+	1
4	180	1
108.98	Average	103.08
145	High Finish	20
3	Breaks of Throw	0
7/12 - 58%	Checkout %	1/7 - 14%

Kim Huybrechts v Peter Wright
1-0 - A 64 finish gets Huybrechts off the mark.
1-1 - Wright levels with a 104 checkout.
2-1 - Double 16 sees the Belgian edge back ahead.
2-2 - Huybrechts misses the bull for a break of throw, and Wright lands double eight to square the game.
3-2 - Double 16 moves Huybrechts back ahead.
3-3 - Huybrechts again misses a chance to break, at double 12 for a 144 finish, as Wright squares the game.
4-3 - The pair trade 180s and also both miss the bull to finish 121, allowing Huybrechts in on double two to hold throw.
4-4 - Wright opens with a 180 before finishing double 16 to level once again.
4-5 - Wright breaks for the first time, landing a maximum before taking out 40.
4-6 - Huybrechts misses the bull to finish 170 and is also off-target with two darts at double 16, allowing the Scot in on double ten to seal at least a point.
5-6 - Double 16 sees Huybrechts send the game into a deciding 12th leg.
5-7 - Wright fires in another maximum to be first to a double, as double eight gives him his first victory of the season.

Match Stats