Jose de Sousa hit a nine-dart finish and a record-equalling 11 180s in Darts' Premier League
Jose de Sousa delighted with his nine-dart finish but says: "It was a shame for me not to win this match but I know if I keep playing at this level then a win will come soon."; Wayne Mardle bothered by his continuous miscounts
Friday 9 April 2021 11:44, UK
Jose de Sousa said it was an "amazing feeling" hitting a nine-darter in the Premier League on Thursday night, but it was his continuous miscounts which concerned Wayne Mardle.
Night Four of the tournament saw De Sousa at his relentless best on the treble 20 at the Marshall Arena to equal the decade-long 180 record set by Gary Anderson against Simon Whitlock in the 2011 event.
He also landed a second nine-darter in as many days in the event - having been on the receiving end of a perfect leg from Jonny Clayton on Wednesday - after his achievement in the second leg against Nathan Aspinall, landing two 180s before taking out 141.
In the end, the Grand Slam of Darts champion had to settle for a second draw of his maiden Premier League campaign after Aspinall valiantly stayed in the contest to secure a point.
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"It was an amazing feeling hitting the nine-darter," said De Sousa, who was left with mixed feelings following the match after missing the bullseye to take victory in the final leg.
"To break the 180 record is something positive for me too, my confidence is very good and I enjoy my darts.
"It was a shame for me not to win this match but I know if I keep playing at this level then a win will come soon.
"Yesterday I really had problems in my shoulder so I had to throw at the treble 19, but today I played very well in practice so I was able to score on the treble 20 and it went well!"
De Sousa's miscounts have cost him dearly in the past and in the first leg of Thursday's match 'The Special One' made another error when requiring 82. He left tops with his final darts, but he went for double 16, which he missed and that allowed Aspinall to clean up.
The miscounts bothered analyst Mardle, who said he was trying to get in the mind of the Portuguese star.
"My problem is not the numbers," said De Sousa. "When I see 70, I'm thinking 78. It's something that I have to stop and look at what I have to do.
"It's doesn't me, but I have to fix it."
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