Betway Premier League Night 13

TAYLOR MOVES THIRD AS CHISNALL & LEWIS' BETWAY PREMIER LEAGUE PLAY-OFF HOPES ARE ENDED

 

PHIL TAYLOR moved up to third in the Betway Premier League Darts table as he picked up three points in Birmingham on Thursday night - but Adrian Lewis and Dave Chisnall saw their Play-Off hopes ended at The NIA.

Six-time Premier League champion Taylor extended his unbeaten run to nine matches as he drew with Raymond van Barneveld before defeating Chisnall 7-2 as he doubled up in Birmingham.

The three points put Taylor up to a season's best third place in the table, a point ahead of Peter Wright and Gary Anderson going into the final two league nights.

"I'm really pleased to get three points tonight," said Taylor. "I wanted four points coming here tonight but I would have taken three all day long, and I'm in there in the top four with a chance of qualifying.

"I was practising brilliantly tonight but then I went up on stage against Barney and got nervous because I'm fighting for my life and I knew I was in for a tough game.

"Raymond's been remarkable during this Premier League and he's blown everyone else away, and he's up there at the top of the table. Against Dave I didn't feel nervous but I didn't click as well as I can, but I got a good result.

"There's five players who can qualify for the four places and it's a race for the ticker-tape now, so the pressure's on and everybody's going to push forward."

Wright remains inside the top four, ahead of Anderson on Leg Difference, following his draw with Adrian Lewis - as he hit back from 6-4 down to claim a point with a 12-dart finish in the game's deciding leg.

"It's another point and I'm still fighting to try and qualify for the Play-Offs," said Wright. "I was a bit disappointed in my game tonight because I expected to come out and blow Adrian away, but that's how it goes sometimes.

"I'd been playing really well in practice and I expected to perform better on stage, but next week's another great chance when I play Phil in Newcastle and I'm already looking forward to that."

Anderson, meanwhile, joined Wright on 16 league points with a fine display as he defeated league leader Michael van Gerwen 7-4, as the reigning champion suffered only his third defeat of the season.

The 2011 Premier League winner took five successive legs as he moved into a 5-1 lead, and though the World Champion hit back, Anderson had enough cushion to secure both points to keep him in the hunt for a top-four place.

"I've got two games left that I've got to win and I'd love to make it into the Play-Offs," said Anderson. "I won the Premier League in my first year, and to win this again would be the icing on the cake after a couple of difficult years.

"This was the usual scenario for me - I got in front and then lost a couple of legs that I shouldn't have lost, but I got there in the end.

"Losing to Michael in the World Championship was a kick up the backside for me and it made me want to get back up to the top, and I'm doing well. I love shutting the critics up and I'm not quite finished yet!"

Van Gerwen's defeat allowed van Barneveld to draw level with his fellow countryman on 20 league points as he shared the spoils with Taylor.

"Against Phil, if you were offered a draw before the game you'd probably take it and it takes me onto 20 points and I'm happy," said van Barneveld. "Neither of us were at our best and I never felt comfortable, so I'm pleased to get a point.

"Maybe a point was a fair result but I missed three crucial doubles in the tenth leg and if one of them had gone in I might have got the win.

"I'm still up there and I'm unbeaten for 11 weeks now, and I'm still focused on trying to make the final. I'm going to keep working hard and I want to keep playing well."

The night had begun with a 7-5 win for Robert Thornton over Chisnall, as the Scottish star - who was also out of contention for the Play-Offs after suffering four successive losses recently - hit nine 180s before claiming a narrow win.

"I can't make the top four but I want to finish as strongly as I can, and this was a great win," said Thornton. "I felt really comfortable and I don't want to make it easy for anyone else to make the Play-Offs against me.

"I love this tournament, it's absolutely brilliant and you're up against another nine top players, so I'm not too disappointed with how it's gone.

"I've lost a lot of games 7-5 but it's only been the odd missed double here and there which has cost me, and if I can tighten that up in the last two weeks I could cause Adrian Lewis and Phil Taylor some trouble!"

The Betway Premier League Darts continues at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle next week, with top two van Gerwen and van Barneveld facing off, Taylor meeting Wright, Anderson taking on Chisnall and Lewis meeting Thornton.

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Betway Premier League Darts
Week 13
May 1, NIA, Birmingham
Robert Thornton 7-5 Dave Chisnall
Raymond van Barneveld 6-6 Phil Taylor
Michael van Gerwen 4-7 Gary Anderson
Adrian Lewis 6-6 Peter Wright
Dave Chisnall 2-7 Phil Taylor

Latest League Table

Match Information
Robert Thornton v Dave Chisnall
1-0 - Thornton lands two 180s as he takes the opening leg in 13 darts on tops.
1-1 - Double 18 for Chisnall sees him level the game.
1-2 - The pair trade 180s only to miss three doubles apiece before Chisnall returns to finish a third-dart double four to break.
2-2 - Thornton breaks back to level with a superb 11-darter, as the players trade scores of 180 and 140 before the Scot punishes Chisnall for a miss at double 18 to finish 99 by hitting back.
3-2 - Thornton opens with 180 and 140 before posting 145 to leave 36 after nine darts, and he takes out the finish on double nine for another 11-darter as he moves back ahead.
3-3 - The Scot posts yet another 180 but misses a dart at tops, and Chisnall takes out 61 on tops to level.
4-3 - Thornton lands his seventh 180 and adds two 140s before finishing tops for a third 11-darter of the game.
4-4 - Chisnall takes out 90 in two darts on double 18, as he squares the contest again.
5-4 - Thornton is first to a finish once again, and takes out double ten for a 13-darter.
6-4 - Chisnall lands his third 180 of the game, but an eighth maximum from Thornton pushes him to a finish first once more, and he lands tops for another 11-dart finish to break and secure a minimum of a draw.
6-5 - Chisnall finishes 72 in two darts as he takes the game into a deciding leg.
7-5 - Thornton posts his ninth maximum, and takes out 65 on tops for a 14-darter to seal only his second win of the season.

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld v Phil Taylor
1-0 - van Barneveld takes out 79 on double 11 to claim the opening leg.
1-1 - The duo open with 180s before Taylor adds a 177 to set up the prospect of a nine-darter, but after hitting another treble 20 he misses the eighth perfect dart, only to later return and level on double ten.
1-2 - Taylor lands another 180 but misses the bull for an 86 finish, only for a miss from van Barneveld at double 16 to complete a 101 combination to let him back in on double eight.
1-3 - Double top sees Taylor move two legs clear.
2-3 - Taylor opens with a 174, but van Barneveld replies with his second maximum of the game before finishing double 16 to hit back.
3-3 - van Barneveld scores 170 in being first to a finish, and eventually breaks throw on double four to level.
4-3 - The Dutchman takes out 118 on tops to move back ahead.
5-3 - van Barneveld lands a maximum before taking out double 16 for another break of throw as he moves two legs clear.
5-4 - Double 16 from Taylor sees him respond to win his first leg in four.
5-5 - Taylor misses three darts at double eight to win the leg, but van Barneveld misses one at double ten and two at double five for another break, and the six-time Premier League champion returns to finish double four with his third dart as he levels.
6-5 - van Barneveld takes out 70 on double eight as he secures a minimum of a draw from the game.
6-6 - Taylor is first to a finish and takes out 88 on double 14 to claim a point.

Match Stats

Michael van Gerwen v Gary Anderson
1-0 - Double six sees van Gerwen claim the opening leg.
1-1 - Anderson posts a 180 and finishes 117 as he levels.
1-2 - Double eight sees the 2011 champion break throw.
1-3 - Anderson finishes tops as he moves two legs clear of the reigning champion.
1-4 - Anderson wires the bull for a 170 finish, before returning to land double 12 as he breaks throw again and takes his average up to 103.
1-5 - The Scot lands the game's second 180 before tops gives him a fifth straight leg.
2-5 - Anderson posts another maximum, with van Gerwen landing a 171 score to leave 24, and he returns to pin double 12 after the Scot is unable to finish double five to take out 85.
2-6 - Anderson is first to a finish, as double ten secures at least a point from the game.
3-6 - van Gerwen takes out 80 on tops to keep alive his hopes of claiming a draw.
4-6 - Anderson misses tops for a 117 finish to claim the win, and van Gerwen pins double 16 to break throw and hit back further.
4-7 - Both players open with 180s, with Anderson missing two further match darts, at double 16, only to return and hit the bed to claim the win after van Gerwen agonisingly wired three darts at tops.

Match Stats

Adrian Lewis v Peter Wright
0-1 - Wright breaks throw immediately by finishing 68.
0-2 - Lewis opens with a 180, but a third-dart double 12 from Wright sees him double his lead.
1-2 - Lewis finishes 48 to get off the mark.
2-2 - The two-time World Champion takes out 122 on double seven to break and level the game.
3-2 - Lewis opens with a 177 and takes out double ten to win a third successive leg.
3-3 - The pair trade 180s, but Lewis misses the bull for a 129 finish as Wright returns to pin double eight with his third dart as he levels.
4-3 - Tops sees Lewis edge back ahead.
4-4 - Wright lands a maximum, and when Lewis misses two darts to punish his own off-target doubles, the Scot returns on tops to level.
5-4 - Double 16 moves Lewis back in front.
6-4 - The UK Open champion seals a point as he finishes double six.
6-5 - Wright takes out 12 to send the game into a decider.
6-6 - Wright lands a 180, and though Lewis replies with a 174 score, the World Championship finalist finishes 81 for a 12-darter to grab a point.

Match Stats

Dave Chisnall v Phil Taylor
0-1 - Taylor finishes double eight to break in the opening leg.
0-2 - The pair trade 180s before Taylor takes out 84 on tops to double his lead.
0-3 - Taylor breaks throw by landing double 12 to move three legs clear.
0-4 - Tops sees Tayolor claim a fourth successive leg.
0-5 - The pair trade 180s to leave finishes, but Chisnall misses three darts at double 12 and Taylor steps in with a clinical two-dart 63 checkout to win a fifth successive leg.
1-5 - Taylor misses double 16 for a 111 finish, and Chisnall posts double seven to claim his first leg.
1-6 - Taylor opens with a 177 score, and though Chisnall hits a 180 in reply, the world number two finishes 94 on double 16 to secure a minimum of a draw.
2-6 - Taylor misses three darts at double top, and Chisnall finishes double 19 as he claims a second leg.
2-7 - Double 16 sees Taylor complete the win and end Chisnall's Play-Off hopes.

Match Stats