Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts - Night Seven

REPORTS and stats from Thursday's Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts in Brighton.

The Brighton Centre hosted the latest league night, as the event's round-robin league phase reached its half-way stage.

Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Week Seven - Brighton Centre

Mervyn King 5-8 Terry Jenkins
Wayne Mardle 3-8 James Wade
Raymond van Barneveld 8-3 Jelle Klaasen
Phil Taylor 8-3 John Part

See match highlights in PDCtv from Friday night - click here for PDCtv

Click here to purchase the official Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts Programme

TERRY JENKINS 8-5 MERVYN KING
TERRY JENKINS claimed his first victory of the 2009 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts with an 8-5 defeat of Mervyn King.

Jenkins ended his slow start to the campaign by coming from 3-0 down to win eight out of ten legs and take both points.

The defeat is King's second in succession after he powered clear at the top of the table in the opening four weeks, although he seemed on course for another good win in the early stages.

He took the first leg on double three before stepping in with a 70 checkout to break throw in the second, with Jenkins missing doubles to take both legs.

A missed bullseye for a 121 finish and two missed darts at double four came back to haunt Jenkins in the third leg, before he finally landed a double in the fourth - raising his arms to celebrate a double ten finish.

Both players landed double three in sharing the next two legs, before Jenkins returned from the break to take out 100 in two darts in reducing the gap to 4-3.

He began the next two legs with scores of 180 and 140 as he swept into the lead, and he extended his run to six straight legs in moving 7-4 up and securing a minimum of a draw.

King kicked off the 12th leg with a 180 and took out double ten - after Jenkins missed three match darts - to threaten a comeback.

But Jenkins swiftly wrapped up the win, completing a fine display with a 120 checkout for his maiden victory of 2009.

"I think I've been trying too hard to get my first win and if I'd lost this I would have been devastated," said Jenkins.

"I've been scoring really well but it's been my doubles letting me down, and it was getting in my head.

"I thought it would happen again when the game started but I'm delighted how it turned out - I relaxed and let my darts flow."

Match Stats

Mervyn King

5-8

Terry Jenkins

18

100+

17

8

140+

11

2

180

4

29,76

Ave1

31.64

89.27

Ave3

94.92

2

LWAT

4

70

High Finish

120,100


JAMES WADE 8-3 WAYNE MARDLE

JAMES WADE moved to the top of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts table after picking up a fifth successive win, defeating Wayne Mardle 8-3 at The Brighton Centre.

Wade, the 2008 runner-up, continued his impressive renaissance to leapfrog Mervyn King and return to the top of the table - where he spent most of last year's event.

He took a 3-0 lead before Mardle levelled, but a run of five successive legs saw the 25-year-old claim the victory.

"It's great to be top of the table but we're only half-way through the league stage and it's more important to make sure I'm in the top four," said Wade, with an eye on May's play-offs.

"I'm really pleased to get a fifth win in a row, Wayne missed a lot of doubles and I made the most of my opportunities."

Wade kicked off the game in clinical fashion, hitting double ten to break throw in the opening leg and then a 114 checkout to double his lead.

He kicked off the third leg with a maximum before landing double 12 for a 3-0 lead, only for Mardle to win the next two legs on double top and then level the game going into the break.

But Wade crucially broke throw for a third time in moving 4-3 up and edged clear with a fine 11-darter.

Mardle kicked off leg nine with a 180, but four missed doubles allowed Wade in, and he took out 97 in two darts to steal the leg and a 6-3 lead.

Another 180 from Mardle set up a 121 finish in the next, only for a missed bullseye to this time prove costly as double 18 put Wade 7-3 up, and he swiftly sealed the win.

Match Stats

Wayne Mardle

3-8

James Wade

12

100+

18

7

140+

9

3

180

2

30,44

Ave1

32.91

91.31

Ave3

98.74

2

LWAT

5

125

High Finish

114


RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 8-3 JELLE KLAASEN

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD extended his unbeaten run in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts to four matches with an 8-3 victory over Jelle Klaasen.

The five-time World Champion continued his recent dominance over his fellow countryman with a convincing win at the Brighton Centre, as Klaasen again suffered with his doubles.

The youngster had chances in two of the opening five legs to break throw, but found himself 3-2 down instead of a possible 4-1 - before van Barneveld pulled clear.

Van Barneveld hit a 180 and double top in the opener, before double 16 from Klaasen saw him level.

But he missed two darts at double eight in the third, and three at double 18 in leg five, as van Barneveld held a slender lead.

He then broke throw in leg six to lead 4-2 at the break, took out 110 and 156 to push 6-2 up and also won leg nine to move to the brink of victory.

Two missed match darts allowed Klaasen to remain in the game after landing double two, but van Barneveld took out double eight for the victory.

"I didn't play as well as I can but I'm obviously pleased to get the win," said van Barneveld.

"It was a disappointing game for both pf us but Jelle missed a lot of doubles and I took out some crucial shots."

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld

8-3

Jelle Klaasen

16

100+

14

7

140+

5

2

180

1

30,50

Ave1

28.66

91.51

Ave3

85.99

2

LWAT

0

156,110

High Finish

32



PHIL TAYLOR 8-3 JOHN PART

PHIL TAYLOR powered past John Part with an 8-3 victory to move second in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts table at the Brighton Centre.

Taylor showed little mercy to the Canadian, taking out a 170 finish to claim a £1,000 bonus as well as claiming a fourth win of the campaign.

Part landed a 180 in the game's opening leg, but missed two darts to break throw as Taylor landed a third-dart double 16.

The Canadian replied in 14 darts, and he took out 80 on double top to level at two-all after a 101 checkout from Taylor.

Taylor landed a 180 in winning the fifth leg on double 16 for a 14-darter, before repeating the feat in taking the next in 13 against the throw to lead 4-2 at the break.

He landed a killer blow in the next, opening up a three-leg lead with a 12-darter that began with a 180 and ended with a maximum 170 finish.

Double ten saw Part reduce the arrears to 6-3, but Taylor hit two 180s in winning the next leg with another 13-darter, and he took the next two without reply to wrap up the win.

"Getting the win is very pleasing," said Taylor. "The 170 was great for me and came at a crucial time.

"John pushed me hard at the start but I seemed to hit form as the game went on and I put a lot of pressure on him."

Match Stats

Phil Taylor

8-3

John Part

20

100+

19

5

140+

7

5

180

1

34,68

Ave1

31.71

104.05

Ave3

95.14

2

LWAT

0

170,101

High Finish

80