Wade ready for rematch

Watch week eight of the Premier League darts live on Sky Sports 3 from 7.30pm on Thursday.

By Paul Higham   Last updated: 20th March 2008

James Wade

Wade: Ready for Taylor test

I'd rather have gone another week in the Premier League now I've settled down but it's there now and I'm playing the best I have done for three months, so I'll be alright.

James Wade
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James Wade insists he is ready for his rematch against a rejuvenated Phil Taylor in the latest instalment of Premier League darts on Thursday.

Wade became the first man to beat Taylor in the Premier League for three years when he ended his 44-game unbeaten streak in the opening round of the 2008 Premier League in Aberdeen.

Taylor went on to lose three of his first four games in the tournament as he struggled with his new darts and many thought that his long reign at the top of the darting hierarchy could be coming to an end.

His critics could not have been more wrong as it suddenly clicked for Taylor, and he started throwing the red-hot tungsten that has seen him gobble up 13 world titles and dominate the sport for so long.

Three storming wins have followed, and now Taylor gets his first chance of revenge when he goes up against Wade in Brighton on Thursday.

World number three Wade insists that he had never written Taylor off despite his struggles, and 'The Machine' knows he will be in for a real battle.

Finished

"Some people had convinced themselves that he (Taylor) was actually down and out, done, finished, but I never did because it's Phil," Wade told Sky Sports News.

"He's got a lot of ability there, you don't lose 14 years worth of ability at a high level in six months.

"When everyone was saying he was playing bad his worst average was 93.8 - and they said he was playing bad."

Wade is second in the Premier League table, level on points with Raymond van Barneveld, but he admits he has not been at his best in recent weeks.

Back to winning ways last week, however, Wade says he is ready to take on 'The Power' in Brighton.

"I'm ready for it," said Wade.

"I'd rather have gone another week in the Premier League now I've settled down but it's there now and I'm playing the best I have done for three months, so I'll be alright."

Enjoyment

Taylor insists the main difference between his flying form now and the start of the Premier League is that he is now enjoying his arrows again.

The Stoke thrower warned Wade that he will be facing a totally different Taylor than he did in the first round of matches in Aberdeen.

"When I first played him in the first round I was nervous and everything was on my shoulders," said Taylor.

"But now I'm looking forward to it now and that's the difference.

"James knows he's got a battle on his hands and he's got a Phil Taylor that wants to win, where as before I was a bit negative and didn't think I could win."