Mighty Mike's Perth Glory!

MIGHTY MIKE'S TABTOUCH PERTH DARTS MASTERS GLORY

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN finally tasted victory on Australian soil with a dominant 11-4 win over Dave Chisnall in the final of the TABtouch Perth Darts Masters at the PCEC on Saturday.

Van Gerwen has previously been defeated in two Sydney Darts Masters finals and at the 2014 Perth Darts Masters since the PDC introduced the World Series of Darts three years ago, but went all the way this time as he also denied Chisnall a maiden TV triumph.

Chisnall had followed up Friday's superb 10-7 quarter-final win over World Champion Gary Anderson with a brilliant display to see off Raymond van Barneveld 11-8 in their semi-final in Perth.

However, he once again saw his hopes shattered by van Gerwen as the world number one bounced back from last week's loss to Phil Taylor in Sydney in style, taking a ninth straight win against Chisnall and his 14th tournament victory of 2016.

The Dutchman had earlier swept aside Peter Wright 11-5 in the semis, winning five successive legs early on to move into an advantage he would never lose, and after taking a 4-1 lead in the final against Chisnall was always on course to claim the win.

Chisnall hit back to 5-3 before the Dutchman took three in a row, including an 11-darter, to edge towards victory, and though the Englishman pulled a leg back he was unable to continue his challenge as van Gerwen completed the triumph.

"This is my first World Series win in Australia so it's a great victory," said van Gerwen. "Dave's such a good player and you have to produce your best game but I went into the final with a lot of confidence because I had a fantastic record against him.

"I found it hard and didn't play my best game, but think I did well to win this trophy and I'm glad I did.

"I think tonight I played well; against Peter Wright I didn't give him any chances and against Dave I did the right thing at the right moments, and if you want to win the tournament you have to do that."

Chisnall won past the semi-finals for the first time in five attempts on the World Series of Darts circuit, hitting eight 180s and averaging almost 105 in his win over van Barneveld.

However, he lost in a televised final against van Gerwen for the second time this year, following January's loss in the Unibet Masters, and admitted: "Michael showed why he's world number one - he's a great player.

"I've played Michael a lot of times and he does what he does. He wasn't in his best form tonight but he still wins, he hits the right scores at the right times.

"I tried my hardest and it wasn't good enough, but I'll work on it like I always do. I've had a great weekend and I'm happy - I'll take a lot of confidence from this week."

The defeat for van Barneveld saw him lose out in the semi-finals for a second time on the World Series circuit in 2016, after defeating Simon Whitlock and Adrian Lewis earlier in the weekend in Perth.

Wright, meanwhile, was left to rue a second semi-final defeat to van Gerwen in as many weeks as he once again missed out - but having produced one of his finest-ever displays in Friday's quarter-final defeat to Corey Cadby was left to rue missed doubles against the Dutchman.

Van Gerwen's win means that he now enters November's Ladbrokes World Series of Darts Finals as the number one seed, after jumping above Anderson in the World Series rankings with his win in Perth.

The Ladbrokes World Series of Darts Finals will be held on November 5-6 at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow. For tickets visit www.ticketmaster.co.uk or call 0844 499 1700 .

UK coverage of the TABtouch Perth Darts Masters semi-finals and final will be shown on ITV4 on Saturday evening (BST). Highlights will be available in www.LIVEPDC.TV from Sunday.

TABtouch Perth Darts Masters
Saturday August 27
Semi-Finals
Dave Chisnall 11-8 Raymond van Barneveld
Michael van Gerwen 11-5 Peter Wright
Best of 21 legs

Final
Michael van Gerwen 11-4 Dave Chisnall
Best of 21 legs

MATCH INFORMATION
SEMI-FINALS
Dave Chisnall v Raymond van Barneveld
0-1 - van Barneveld punishes Chisnall for missed darts as he breaks throw in the opening leg.
1-1 - 47 on tops for Chisnall to break back immediately.
1-2 - Another break as van Barneveld hits double six.
2-2 - Level again as Chisnall hits double nine.
3-2 - Sloppy from both players but it's Chisnall who hits tops to take the lead for the first time.
3-3 - Chisnall misses the bull before van Barneveld hits double 16 to draw level again.
3-4 - Yet another break as van Barneveld checks out 96 on double 18.
4-4 - Chisnall breaks back, hitting double eight.
5-4 - Chisnall hits the front again as he pins double four for a 16 finish.
5-5 - Nerves setting in for both as chances come and go for both before van Barneveld holds throw to level up.
6-5 - Despite the misses both players are averaging over 100 as Chisnall checks out a ton on double ten.
6-6 - Level again with van Barneveld taking out 98 on double 19.
7-6 - 94 on tops for Chisnall.
7-7 - A hold for van Barneveld as he takes out 41 on double 16.
8-7 - Double five for Chisnall and he leads again.
9-7 - Big moment as Chisnall hits a maximum and then checks out 100 with two double tops to break throw.
10-7 - 42 on double 18 for Chisnall moves him one leg away from the final.
10-8 - Chisnall misses the bull for the match allowing van Barneveld to hit double ten and keep his hopes alive.
11-8 - Eight 180's and an average of 104.81 gives Dave Chisnall an 11-8 win and a place in his first World Series final.

Match Stats

Dave Chisnall	11-8	Raymond van Barneveld
25	100+	18
15	140+	20
0	170+	0
8	180	6
104.81	Average	100.70
100	High Finish	98
4	Breaks of Throw	3
11/27 - 41%	Checkout %	16/43 - 37%

Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
0-1 - van Gerwen misses to darts to break before Wright hits double eight.
1-1 - Wright puts the pressure on with a 180 but 112 out from the world number one levels the score.
2-1 - 72 on double six gives van Gerwen the break of throw.
3-1 - Double five for van Gerwen after hitting his first maximum of the match.
4-1 - Another break for van Gerwen as he hits double 16.
5-1 - Six missed darts at doubles for Wright and van Gerwen punishes him to move four clear.
5-2 - 104 out for Wright stops the rot.
6-2 - 25 on double eight for van Gerwen as he moves four ahead once again.
6-3 - Better from Wright as he takes out a superb 140.
7-3 - van Gerwen holds throw on double four.
8-3 - Big moment as van Gerwen breaks again on tops, after Wright missed four darts to hold.
8-4 - Wright gets a break back checking out 76 on tops.
9-4 - van Gerwen edges closer to the final as he hits double ten.
10-4 - Double 18 moves van Gerwen one leg away from the final.
10-5 - Double 18 for a ten-dart leg for Wright.
11-5 - Michael van Gerwen will face Dave Chisnall in the TABtouch Perth Darts Masters final as he finds double ten for the win.

Match Stats

MIchael van Gerwen	11-5	Peter Wright
16	100+	25
8	140+	15
1	170+	0
6	180	4
97.22	Average	97.75
116	High Finish	140
4	Breaks of Throw	1
11/26 - 42%	Checkout %	5/19 - 26%

FINAL
Dave Chisnall v Michael van Gerwen
0-1 - Sloppy start from van Gerwen as he misses five darts at a double but Chisnall can't take advantage as the world number one hits double one for the opener.
1-1 - Chisnall level as he holds throw on tops.
1-2 - Double eight for van Gerwen as he takes the lead again.
1-3 - 76 on double eight gives van Gerwen an early break.
1-4 - Three in a row for van Gerwen, hitting double 16 for a three leg lead.
2-4 - Double 16 for Chisnall this time as he closes the gap.
2-5 - 75 out on double 12 for van Gerwen.
3-5 - van Gerwen misses two at double 14 allowing Chisnall to hold, after the pair trade 180s.
3-6 - Double three for van Gerwen as he holds his throw.
3-7 - Another break for van Gerwen as he hits double eight to move four clear.
3-8 - An 11-dart leg for van Gerwen puts him five ahead.
4-8 - Double eight for Chisnall as he gives himself some hope.
4-9 - A 12-dart leg this time from van Gerwen, he's getting closer!
4-10 - One leg away for van Gerwen as he takes out 84.
4-11 - 61 on double four seals the title for van Gerwen as he claims victory in Australia for the first time.

Match Stats