Cazoo Premier League Night 3 preview

Peter Wright, Gary Anderson

Gary Anderson and Peter Wright will meet in a clash of two Scottish darts legends on Night 3 of the Cazoo Premier League in Belfast on Thursday night.

Two-time Premier League champion Anderson and reigning World Champion Wright will meet in one of four quarter-final ties at the SSE Arena.

Anderson, who defeated Michael van Gerwen on Night 1, admits he is enjoying the return to a traditional Premier League schedule in 2022.

Having withdrawn from the 2019 event through injury and playing predominantly behind closed doors in 2020 and 2021, Anderson is looking to enjoy a full Premier League campaign around Europe for the first time in four years.

“I’m actually enjoying being back playing darts," said Anderson.

“It will be good to get back to Belfast after shutting the country for the last year or two years.

"It’s nice to get back on the road and playing in different venues instead of just one like we had to before."

Anderson's will face a familiar foe in Wright; the Scottish duo lifted the World Cup title together in 2019, though in more recent times Wright has been a thorn in Anderson's side.

“He’s come on leaps and bounds from 10 or 12 years ago when I met Peter at the PDC," Anderson continued.

“He’s a double World Champion now, he’s done brilliant for himself.

“In the World Championship semi-finals, he nipped it. I would have liked to make it 5-5 to see what would happen. But he got the game out at 6-4.

“Then I played him in the Premier League in the semi-finals on the first night and he done me 6-5. So I’ll have to try and get a bit more practice in!"

A further three quarter-final ties will also take place as the Northern Irish capital welcomes back the sport's top stars for the first time in almost three years.

Michael Smith, the only player yet to get off the mark, will be seeking a first victory of the season against Gerwyn Price.

World Championship runner-up Smith insists he isn't pressing the panic button just yet ahead of his meeting with the world number one.

"He poses a big challenge, just like all the players in this tournament," said Smith.

"In my first year in the Premier League I was chasing a win for the first few weeks, so I know not to fall into that trap again.

"I'm practicing five hours a day so I just need to go up there and play my game."

Night 2 runner-up Joe Cullen continues his debut campaign against Michael van Gerwen, while last week's winner in Liverpool Jonny Clayton faces James Wade.

The quarter-final winners will return to the stage for the semi-finals, before the final sees the Night 3 champion crowned with a five league points and a £10,000 bonus awarded to the winner.

The top four players in the table following Night 16 will qualify for the Play-Offs.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK TICKETS FOR NIGHT 3 IN BELFAST
 
The Cazoo Premier League is being broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV for Rest of the World Subscribers (excluding UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland).

Night 3 - The SSE Arena, Belfast
Thursday February 17
Quarter-Finals

Michael Smith v Gerwyn Price
Joe Cullen v Michael van Gerwen
Gary Anderson v Peter Wright
James Wade v Jonny Clayton

Semi-Finals
Smith/Price v Cullen/Van Gerwen
Anderson/Wright v Wade/Clayton

Final
v

Premier League table after Night 2

Format
A new format in 2022 will see eight players contest 16 mini-events during the season ahead of the Play-Offs to determine a champion.

All 16 league phase nights will be individual events comprising quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final over the best of 11 legs - with a £10,000 bonus to each night's winner.

Ranking points will be awarded from each night - with five to the winner, three to the runner-up and two to the semi-finalists - to form the league table from which the top four players will progress to the Play-Offs.

League Points
Night Winner - 5 points + £10,000 bonus
Runner-Up - 3 points
Semi-Finalists - 2 points

Prize Fund
Winner: £275,000
Runner-Up: £125,000
Semi-Finalists: £85,000 each
Fifth in League Table: £75,000
Sixth in League Table: £70,000
Seventh in League Table: £65,000
Eighth in League Table: £60,000
Nightly Winner Bonus: £10,000 x16
Total: £1,000,000