Lewis States Premier League Aim

ADRIAN LEWIS sets out to prove his Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts title credentials when he takes on Phil Taylor in Birmingham on Thursday.

The 23-year-old has enjoyed a mixed Premier League campaign so far, but grabbed his third win win a superb display to defeat Terry Jenkins 8-3 last week.

Lewis averaged almost 102 and moved himself back into the league's top four ahead of this week's contest with Phil Taylor at the NIA in Birmingham.

And Lewis believes that a win over his former mentor and Stoke rival Taylor would set him up for a serious bid for a first major title.

"I think I will win this Premier League," said Lewis. "If I play well, there's no way the other players have as much ability as I have got.

"All it is for me is in my head, I'm young and I'm learning. As soon as I learn, they'll be scared.

"Phil Taylor isn't scared of anybody, Raymond van Barneveld isn't scared of anybody and I'm not scared of anybody.

"I'm back, and I feel comfortable."

Lewis has evolved the style of his darts since breaking into the world's top ten, but has opted recently to return to the set which saw him break to prominence.

He has since reached the final of the Blue Square UK Open North-West Regional Final as well as performing well in Brighton, when he produced his best scoring display of the Premier League so far.

"I won seven tournaments with these darts but wasn't playing as well as I know I can with the other darts," said Lewis.

"I wasn't winning tournaments and though I was winning matches I was playing rubbish.

"I've gone back to my old darts and am playing pretty consistently."

Remaining tickets for the NIA in Birmingham can be bought on 0870 909 4144 or via this link.

Click here to read Rod Harrington's Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts Preview

Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Week Nine, NIA, Birmingham

Raymond van Barneveld v John Part
Terry Jenkins v James Wade
Adrian Lewis v Phil Taylor
Wayne Mardle v Peter Manley
Live on Sky Sports 1, 7.30pm

Follow the action live in DartsTV, with Live Audio Commentary for subscribers and a Free Live Scoreboard, along with Highlights available from Friday evening

Click here to purchase the official 2008 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts programme