Raymond van Barneveld ended Mervyn King's unbeaten sequence in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League in Manchester on Thursday.
Premier League leader crushed in Manchester
Raymond van Barneveld ended Mervyn King's unbeaten sequence in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League in Manchester on Thursday night.
The Dutchman produced a masterclass to crush the league leader 8-3 after King had won four of his first five matches, drawing the other.
Indeed, King started brightly by checking out 122 on the bull but van Barneveld swiftly racked up four legs courtesy of a couple of 180s and a 167 finish.
King reduced the gap at the break but van Barneveld stormed back, taking out 98 and 122 before opening up a 7-2 lead on double top.
King hit a 12-darter to pull one back but could not delay the inevitable as 'Barney' kicked off the next with a maximum before wrapping up a comprehensive win with tops, finishing with an average almost of 106.
"I was very focused," he told
Sky Sports. "Me and Merv have known each other for a very long time.
"Merv is leading the standings and I was very focused for this game. I'm very pleased to win the two points.
"Phil (Taylor) led us to these averages these days and it's unbelievable. Last week I was averaging 108 and beat Terry Jenkins 8-6.
"I'm working very hard every single day, practising and going to the gym, training hard on the cycling machine, and it's paying off.
"Playing in front of crowds of this size is unbelievable. I feel like a superstar."
Klaasen hits back
John Part blew a 5-1 lead as Jelle Klaasen hit back to claim only his second point of the Premier League season.
The young Dutchman appeared set for a fifth successive defeat as Part capitalised on his opponent's inability to hit the doubles.
Klaasen missed five doubles in the opening leg, double 15 in the third and tops in the fifth to open the door for the Canadian, who gratefully accepted the opportunity.
But the former BDO world champion clawed his way level via a clutch of maximums and a 170 finish that earned him at least a share of the £1,000 highest checkout prize.
Double top saw him move ahead for the first time at 6-5 but Part levelled and then hit double three to claim a point at worst.
He had a chance to double his haul with one dart at double seven for a 122 checkout, but he missed to leave Klaasen needing 78, which he closed out with two darts.
"I was 5-1 up but it was only because Jelle was missing some doubles," said Part. "I'm just trying to get my game better, I'm looking to get my averages up and hit doubles - I had a few problems early on myself."
Klaasen added: "Even when I was 5-1 down I was scoring well but I was just missing doubles. I knew it was still possible to come back."
Wade too good
James Wade moved level with King at the top of the table with a high-class 8-5 victory over Terry Jenkins.
It was Wade's fourth consecutive victory in the Premier League and had a mid-match burst of four successive legs to thank as he surges 6-2 in front.
Jenkins levelled at 2-2 when taking out double 12 after seeing a nine-darter go begging when he missed treble 19.
But Wade broke the throw for a third time in the next and didn't look back, even defying a maximum to go 5-2 ahead on double top before completing a 12-darter to move within two of victory.
But 'The Bull' wasn't finished with and a 10-darter stopped the rot before he checked out twice on double four to bring it back to 6-5.
However, Wade stepped up a gear once more and sealed the points when hitting double eight.
"Terry didn't play particularly well," admitted Wade. "I was surprised Terry let me have a lead like that - he missed a lot of doubles and it was a lot easier that I thought it would be.
"Me and the other seven players in the league have an advantage on the other darts players.
"It's fantastic practice for the other tournaments."
Power surge
Phil Taylor overcame the loss of the first two legs against Wayne Mardle before pulling through 8-4.
The reigning world champion had not won for a month and only required an average of 99 to ease past an inconsistent opponent who slotted seven 180s but struggled with his finishing.
Taylor missed two doubles to gift Mardle the opener against the head and 'Hawaii 501' doubled his advantage as he played to the crowd.
But the smiles soon disappeared as 'Power' stepped up a gear with a 158 checkout, levelled with double 16 and then led for teh first time after Mardle missed four darts at double seven.
Mardle continued to pound the treble-20 but two more misses at doubles allowed Taylor to take a 4-2 lead at the interval, which he extended with another finish on his favourite double 16.
Mardle checkout 112 to pull one back but missed a chance at 146 in the next and Taylor capitalised, before the Essex arrowsmith got it back to 6-4 with a two-dart 78.
But Taylor was in no mood to surrender and followed a 122 checkout with a 14-darter to clinch the points.
"I thought Wayne played superb there as he just missed some doubles," he said.
"I'm pleased to win, I'm absolutely over the moon to get past Wayne tonight - he hit a lot of 180s."
