Adrian Lewis showing promise in Premier League, says Rod Studd
Wednesday 17 February 2016 13:23, UK
Adrian Lewis is the early leader in this year's Premier League and Sky Sports' Rod Studd is glad to see one of the sport's most exciting talents back at the top...
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It's great to see Adrian Lewis playing so well in the Premier League, with two wins out of two, and being top of the table. He is one of only two players with a 100 per cent record, along with Peter Wright.
I think he's actually enjoying it a lot more. He's come off the back of a World Championship where he did really well, got to the final, and wasn't that far off beating Gary Anderson. If Anderson hadn't taken out that 170 right at the end, it might have been a different story.
Off the back of that, Adrian decided to change his darts to throw with heavier darts, and a lot of people wondered why he was doing that. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating and he's throwing better, there is no doubt of it. That amazing natural talent of almost just lobbing the darts in effortlessly has kind of been amended and adjusted. With the heavier darts, he's throwing with a lot more authority to go with his obvious talent and panache.
Maybe it comes to us all at some point, where you kind of just mature a little bit. Adrian is 31 now, he's happily married, and has got his young family. I think maybe his whole perspective and attitude has changed and he'll be the first to admit he has probably grown up a little bit. I think his darts has improved because of it.
The rest of the commentators will say this too - his performances in the Premier League have been poor really by his standards, much poorer than his ability would dictate. We've been critical, saying he has been playing poorly. I remember him getting the hump after a match at the World Matchplay, which he had won. He had a go at us commentators, but we pretty much said, 'Look, we only criticise you because it's frustrating to see you play so poorly when you know you're much better than that'.
He's realised that he was not doing himself justice in the Premier League and now is the time to stop wasting that talent and really do something about it.
When we're talking after matches this year he says, 'It's a darn sight better than I used to play in the Premier League'. He has realised that he was not doing himself justice in this competition and now is the time to stop wasting that talent in the Premier League and really do something about it.
It's been terrific to see him play so well and long may it continue. Darts is a better place with Adrian Lewis playing in top form, it really is.
