REPORTS from night six of the 2008 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts at the Nottingham Arena.
The night included one of Phil Taylor's finest ever displays, averaging 111.14 in an 8-3 win over league leader Raymond van Barneveld.
Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Night Six, Nottingham Arena
Wayne Mardle 7-7 James Wade
Adrian Lewis 6-8 John Part
Terry Jenkins 7-7 Peter Manley
Raymond van Barneveld 3-8 Phil Taylor
Latest League Table
Highlights are available from Friday evening for DartsTV subscribers
Click here to purchase the official 2008 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts programme
WAYNE MARDLE 7-7 JAMES WADE
JAMES WADE denied Wayne Mardle a first win of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts in a final-leg thriller at the Nottingham Arena.
Mardle had claimed just one point from the opening five weeks of the tournament, but doubled his tally in a tight battle with Wade.
He led 3-0 early on before Wade took five in a row to hit the front, only for Mardle to pull away in a see-saw battle to move 7-6.
Wade, though, was first to a double in the decider and snatched a point in the deciding leg.
Mardle started well, winning the opening three legs including a key 95 for a break of throw in the second after Wade wasted six darts at a double.
A 180 from Wade sparked the world number three into life in the fourth leg, and he took out 104 on double top for a 12-darter to get off the mark.
He took advantage of missed bullseyes from Mardle to take the next two legs and level, and then landed double top in the first two legs after the break to move 5-3 up.
Mardle won the ninth on double four, and another lapse from Wade - who missed six darts at double top and three more for the leg - allowed the Essex man to level once more.
Wade kicked off the next with back-to-back 180s, and suffered a double blow when he missed the seventh of a potential nine-darter and then saw Mardle check out 81 for an 11-darter of his own.
Wade levelled at six-all, but a 110 finish ensured Mardle at least a draw.
Wade, though, denied him both points in the final leg, missing double 11 for a 142 finish but returning to hit a pressure double two for a point.
"James missed a couple of chances but I'm over the moon with a draw," said Mardle. "It was probably a fair result but it doubles my points tally!
"I'm playing okay and just missing crucial doubles and I need to a tighten up a little on that."
Wade admitted: "I made the most of the opportunities I had. We both missed a few chances and a draw was possibly a fair result.
"I'm challenging for the top spot but it's still very tight at the moment."
Match Stats
JOHN PART 8-6 ADRIAN LEWIS
JOHN PART sneaked past Adrian Lewis to take his second win of the 2008 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts with an 8-6 triumph in Nottingham.
The Canadian bounced back into form following two defeats with a strong display of finishing against the Stoke youngster, albeit for both to suffer jitters on the doubles at the end of the contest.
Part, though, was not complaining after moving onto five points in the table and kick-starting his hopes of a play-off place.
Lewis led 2-1 after the first three legs went with throw, before Part landed an 11-darter and then broke the throw with a 90 finish to lead for the first time.
The next three legs also went against the throw to leave Part 5-4 up, before he then took the next on double 16 to edge clear.
Lewis, aided by a 174 score to set up a finish, took out double 12 at the first attempt in the next leg in an uncharacteristically rare show of class.
The Stoke youngster has struggled with illness for the past week, and it showed with three misses at his favoured double top in the next as Part sealed at least a point at 7-5 up.
He also missed eight doubles in the next before taking advantage of sloppy finishing from Part to send the match into a decider.
Part, though, recovered from his nine earlier missed darts for the game to take the win on double eight after Lewis wasted his only dart to snatch a point.
"I found a way to win, which was good," said Part. "I didn't score great throughout the game but I took some good finishes out and made a win out of it somehow.
"My scoring was pretty horrible to be honest but my doubles saved me and it was a good game to win."
Match Stats
TERRY JENKINS 7-7 PETER MANLEY
PETER MANLEY took advantage of missed doubles from Terry Jenkins to claim a fourth draw of the 2008 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.
Manley has earned himself a reputation as a draw specialist so far this season and grabbed another point in front of 5,000 fans in Nottingham.
Jenkins had looked on course to take a fourth successive victory when he took leads of 5-2 and 6-4, only to miss crucial doubles and allow Manley back in.
The opening four legs were shared before Jenkins took out 101 with Manley on a finish in the fifth and then won the next two legs either side of the break to move three legs up.
Manley took the next on double top, and then punished four misses from Jenkins to pull back to 5-4.
But he was agonisingly close to levelling before Jenkins took out double eight to move 6-4 up.
The world number four wasted three darts to seal a point in the next before Manley took out double ten, and then took out double 15 to level.
A missed double top in the 13th cost Jenkins dear, with Manley hitting double top with his last dart to claim himself a point and at least a draw.
Jenkins kicked off the deciding leg in perfect fashion against the darts with a maximum, and added a second 180 later to put himself first to the double, finishing in 13 darts on double top to snatch a draw.
"At 4-2 up I thought I'd got him," admitted Jenkins. "I missed too many doubles in the second half of the match and it cost me."
Manley said: "If I'd been offered a draw before the game I'd have taken it, because Terry's the form player and has just beaten Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld and John Part.
"But after going 7-6 up I felt the pressure in the last leg and started poorly, and that cost me in the end."
Match Stats
PHIL TAYLOR 8-3 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD
PHIL TAYLOR demolished Raymond van Barneveld 8-3 in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts with a stunning display at the Nottingham Arena.
Taylor averaged 111 in a majestic display, landing five ton-plus finishes and completing the win with a 167 checkout.
He set out his stall breaking the throw with a 121 finish on the bullseye in the opening leg, and doubled his lead with a 13-darter.
Taylor started the next with a 177 score, only to miss the bull for a 164 finish as van Barneveld got off the mark.
He repeated the double top finish to level in the next, and the Dutchman also punished a missed double top from Taylor to move 3-2 up.
However, it was to be his last look-in as Taylor found a sensational other gear to pull clear in style.
Taylor hit seven perfect darts in taking the sixth leg to level going into the break, and then went out in 14 darts to regain the lead at 4-3.
He took out 100 for an 11-darter and then landed checkouts of 144 and another 121 to move 7-3 up.
He then sealed the win in incredible style with a 167 checkout, earning £1,000 for the night's highest finish and a standing ovation from 5,000 enthralled fans.
"I'm absolutely over the moon," said Taylor. "My form is picking up and I'm really pleased.
"I started well but relaxed when I went 2-0 up but maybe I eased off too much. I knew at two-all that I couldn't afford any slack darts and I'm delighted with how I played from there onwards.
"Raymond stuck in there and I knew he had the capability to come back, so I'm delighted with a 167 to win it!
"You have to improve, you can't stand still when people like James Wade and Adrian Lewis are coming through. It's coming together and the message is that I'm back!"
Match Stats
The night included one of Phil Taylor's finest ever displays, averaging 111.14 in an 8-3 win over league leader Raymond van Barneveld.
Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Night Six, Nottingham Arena
Wayne Mardle 7-7 James Wade
Adrian Lewis 6-8 John Part
Terry Jenkins 7-7 Peter Manley
Raymond van Barneveld 3-8 Phil Taylor
Latest League Table
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
+/- |
Pts | |
|
R v Barneveld |
6 |
4 |
0 |
2 |
+6 |
8 |
|
James Wade |
6 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
+6 |
8 |
|
Terry Jenkins |
6 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
+7 |
7 |
|
Phil Taylor |
6 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
+7 |
6 |
|
Peter Manley |
6 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
+1 |
6 |
|
Adrian Lewis |
6 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
-1 |
6 |
|
John Part |
6 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
-10 |
5 |
|
Wayne Mardle |
6 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
-16 |
2 |
Highlights are available from Friday evening for DartsTV subscribers
Click here to purchase the official 2008 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts programme
WAYNE MARDLE 7-7 JAMES WADE
JAMES WADE denied Wayne Mardle a first win of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts in a final-leg thriller at the Nottingham Arena.
Mardle had claimed just one point from the opening five weeks of the tournament, but doubled his tally in a tight battle with Wade.
He led 3-0 early on before Wade took five in a row to hit the front, only for Mardle to pull away in a see-saw battle to move 7-6.
Wade, though, was first to a double in the decider and snatched a point in the deciding leg.
Mardle started well, winning the opening three legs including a key 95 for a break of throw in the second after Wade wasted six darts at a double.
A 180 from Wade sparked the world number three into life in the fourth leg, and he took out 104 on double top for a 12-darter to get off the mark.
He took advantage of missed bullseyes from Mardle to take the next two legs and level, and then landed double top in the first two legs after the break to move 5-3 up.
Mardle won the ninth on double four, and another lapse from Wade - who missed six darts at double top and three more for the leg - allowed the Essex man to level once more.
Wade kicked off the next with back-to-back 180s, and suffered a double blow when he missed the seventh of a potential nine-darter and then saw Mardle check out 81 for an 11-darter of his own.
Wade levelled at six-all, but a 110 finish ensured Mardle at least a draw.
Wade, though, denied him both points in the final leg, missing double 11 for a 142 finish but returning to hit a pressure double two for a point.
"James missed a couple of chances but I'm over the moon with a draw," said Mardle. "It was probably a fair result but it doubles my points tally!
"I'm playing okay and just missing crucial doubles and I need to a tighten up a little on that."
Wade admitted: "I made the most of the opportunities I had. We both missed a few chances and a draw was possibly a fair result.
"I'm challenging for the top spot but it's still very tight at the moment."
Match Stats
|
Wayne Mardle |
7-7 |
James Wade |
|
17 |
100+ |
22 |
|
15 |
140+ |
12 |
|
0 |
180 |
3 |
|
30.64 |
Ave1 |
30.87 |
|
91.92 |
Ave3 |
92.61 |
|
2 |
LWAT |
2 |
|
110 |
High Finish |
104 |
JOHN PART 8-6 ADRIAN LEWIS
JOHN PART sneaked past Adrian Lewis to take his second win of the 2008 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts with an 8-6 triumph in Nottingham.
The Canadian bounced back into form following two defeats with a strong display of finishing against the Stoke youngster, albeit for both to suffer jitters on the doubles at the end of the contest.
Part, though, was not complaining after moving onto five points in the table and kick-starting his hopes of a play-off place.
Lewis led 2-1 after the first three legs went with throw, before Part landed an 11-darter and then broke the throw with a 90 finish to lead for the first time.
The next three legs also went against the throw to leave Part 5-4 up, before he then took the next on double 16 to edge clear.
Lewis, aided by a 174 score to set up a finish, took out double 12 at the first attempt in the next leg in an uncharacteristically rare show of class.
The Stoke youngster has struggled with illness for the past week, and it showed with three misses at his favoured double top in the next as Part sealed at least a point at 7-5 up.
He also missed eight doubles in the next before taking advantage of sloppy finishing from Part to send the match into a decider.
Part, though, recovered from his nine earlier missed darts for the game to take the win on double eight after Lewis wasted his only dart to snatch a point.
"I found a way to win, which was good," said Part. "I didn't score great throughout the game but I took some good finishes out and made a win out of it somehow.
"My scoring was pretty horrible to be honest but my doubles saved me and it was a good game to win."
Match Stats
|
Adrian Lewis |
6-8 |
John Part |
|
13 |
100+ |
10 |
|
7 |
140+ |
11 |
|
3 |
180 |
1 |
|
28.53 |
Ave1 |
28.40 |
|
85.58 |
Ave3 |
85.20 |
|
2 |
LWAT |
3 |
|
81 |
High Finish |
90 |
TERRY JENKINS 7-7 PETER MANLEY
PETER MANLEY took advantage of missed doubles from Terry Jenkins to claim a fourth draw of the 2008 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts.
Manley has earned himself a reputation as a draw specialist so far this season and grabbed another point in front of 5,000 fans in Nottingham.
Jenkins had looked on course to take a fourth successive victory when he took leads of 5-2 and 6-4, only to miss crucial doubles and allow Manley back in.
The opening four legs were shared before Jenkins took out 101 with Manley on a finish in the fifth and then won the next two legs either side of the break to move three legs up.
Manley took the next on double top, and then punished four misses from Jenkins to pull back to 5-4.
But he was agonisingly close to levelling before Jenkins took out double eight to move 6-4 up.
The world number four wasted three darts to seal a point in the next before Manley took out double ten, and then took out double 15 to level.
A missed double top in the 13th cost Jenkins dear, with Manley hitting double top with his last dart to claim himself a point and at least a draw.
Jenkins kicked off the deciding leg in perfect fashion against the darts with a maximum, and added a second 180 later to put himself first to the double, finishing in 13 darts on double top to snatch a draw.
"At 4-2 up I thought I'd got him," admitted Jenkins. "I missed too many doubles in the second half of the match and it cost me."
Manley said: "If I'd been offered a draw before the game I'd have taken it, because Terry's the form player and has just beaten Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld and John Part.
"But after going 7-6 up I felt the pressure in the last leg and started poorly, and that cost me in the end."
Match Stats
|
Terry Jenkins |
7-7 |
Peter Manley |
|
18 |
100+ |
20 |
|
11 |
140+ |
13 |
|
4 |
180 |
1 |
|
31.09 |
Ave1 |
29.25 |
|
93.28 |
Ave3 |
87.75 |
|
3 |
LWAT |
3 |
|
101 |
High Finish |
42 |
PHIL TAYLOR 8-3 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD
PHIL TAYLOR demolished Raymond van Barneveld 8-3 in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts with a stunning display at the Nottingham Arena.
Taylor averaged 111 in a majestic display, landing five ton-plus finishes and completing the win with a 167 checkout.
He set out his stall breaking the throw with a 121 finish on the bullseye in the opening leg, and doubled his lead with a 13-darter.
Taylor started the next with a 177 score, only to miss the bull for a 164 finish as van Barneveld got off the mark.
He repeated the double top finish to level in the next, and the Dutchman also punished a missed double top from Taylor to move 3-2 up.
However, it was to be his last look-in as Taylor found a sensational other gear to pull clear in style.
Taylor hit seven perfect darts in taking the sixth leg to level going into the break, and then went out in 14 darts to regain the lead at 4-3.
He took out 100 for an 11-darter and then landed checkouts of 144 and another 121 to move 7-3 up.
He then sealed the win in incredible style with a 167 checkout, earning £1,000 for the night's highest finish and a standing ovation from 5,000 enthralled fans.
"I'm absolutely over the moon," said Taylor. "My form is picking up and I'm really pleased.
"I started well but relaxed when I went 2-0 up but maybe I eased off too much. I knew at two-all that I couldn't afford any slack darts and I'm delighted with how I played from there onwards.
"Raymond stuck in there and I knew he had the capability to come back, so I'm delighted with a 167 to win it!
"You have to improve, you can't stand still when people like James Wade and Adrian Lewis are coming through. It's coming together and the message is that I'm back!"
Match Stats
|
Raymond van Barneveld |
3-8 |
Phil Taylor |
|
11 |
100+ |
13 |
|
8 |
140+ |
17 |
|
1 |
180 |
2 |
|
31.37 |
Ave1 |
37.05 |
|
94.10 |
Ave3 |
111.14 |
|
1 |
LWAT |
4 |
|
72 |
High Finish |
167,144,121 x2,100 |