Klaasen And Mardle Confirmed

JELLE KLAASEN and Wayne Mardle are the two Wildcard selections for the 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.

The announcement of the two Sky Sports Wildcards completes the field for the £400,000 tournament, which begins on Thursday February 5 at the Echo Arena Liverpool.

Klaasen, the 2006 Lakeside champion and a quarter-finalist in the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship recently, will join world number six Mervyn King as a newcomer to the Premier League this year.

The 24-year-old Dutchman celebrated his second year in the PDC by moving up to 25th in the Order of Merit, qualifying for the Blue Square UK Open, Las Vegas Desert Classic and European Championship before starring at Alexandra Palace.

He dropped only one set in wins over Colin Lloyd, Jan van der Rassel and Andy Hamilton, before Raymond van Barneveld ended his hopes in the last eight.

"I'm delighted to be involved," said Klaasen. "Behind the World Championship, the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts is one of the biggest tournaments to be involved in.

"It's the top six players and you play each other twice, and for me it's brilliant because I will get so much experience of playing on stage and in front of such big crowds.

"I have always wanted to play in front of such big crowds and it's going to make me practice even more to make sure I play well.

"I'll enjoy all the matches but I want to win every one of them too!"

PDC Chairman Barry Hearn said: "Jelle's displays in the last year proved that he has matured into a player who can compete at the very highest level on a consistent basis.

"He is a fine player and a great ambassador as the future of darts who will have a great future at the top level of our sport.

"Both Jelle and Wayne will make this the most exciting field yet for the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.

"I can't wait for it to kick off next month, and I'm sure neither can the nearly 80,000 fans who will pack into venues around the UK in the next four months and the viewers on Sky Sports."

Mardle returned to the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts in 2008, only missing out on a play-off place on the final league night.

A finalist in two Las Vegas Desert Classics and the World Matchplay, as well as a five-time World Championship semi-finalist, he reached the last four at Blackpool last year, including a win over van Barneveld.

"I am over the moon," said Mardle. "Apart from the Ladbrokes.com World Championship, this is the biggest thing in darts.

"You're playing front of amazing crowds, who love the darting entertainment and all the stresses and pleasures that go with it - and I think it works for me!

"Hopefully I'll give them loads to cheer about and I can't wait for the first week in Liverpool."

He added: "In the first couple of years I struggled with the format - I struggled with losing a game and then going back the next week.

"Last year I had a typically bad start and put myself in a bit of bother but I never looked like finishing bottom after the sixth or seventh week.

"This year, I know exactly what I have to do and what to expect from the ups and downs of a league format. Now I know I can do it, I haven't got any problems and losing a game isn't the end of the world."

Mardle and Klaasen join the top six players from the PDC Order of Merit, Phil Taylor, James Wade, Raymond van Barneveld, John Part, Terry Jenkins and Mervyn King, in the 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.

Tickets are still available for all 14 league nights and the play-offs, which will be held at the Wembley Arena on Monday May 25 - click here for further details.

Every night of the 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts will be screened live on Sky Sports.

Tournament fixtures will be announced in due course.