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PHIL TAYLOR broke his own record for the highest average in the history of televised darts with an 8-3 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts demolition of John Part.

Taylor produced a 116.01 average in powering back to the top of the table – breaking his own previous record of 114.53 set at last year’s Blue Square UK Open against Wes Newton.

It also took him back to the top of the Premier League table and ended Part’s hopes of a top four spot – confirming James Wade, Mervyn King and Raymond van Barneveld as the other competitors in next month’s play-offs at the Wembley Arena.

“I’m delighted,” said Taylor. “John was pushing me and you need someone doing that up there to make you perform to the best of your ability.”

Earlier in the night, King had drawn with Terry Jenkins to ensure a top four finish in his debut Premier League campaign, while an 8-5 win for Raymond van Barneveld sealed his play-off place.

“The first part of the job was not to finish last in the league, and then to win a place in the play-offs,” said King, a Premier League debutant in 2009.

“I could have done with the win but I’ll take the draw because of what it means.”

The remaining two weeks will see the players jostle for positions within the top four, with first playing fourth and second versus third in the semis at Wembley on May 25.

With Wayne Mardle absent from the remainder of the Premier League through illness, James Wade took on Scotland’s Robert Thornton in a Challenge Match, posting a 105 average and seven 180s in a 7-2 victory.

Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
AECC, Aberdeen – April 23
James Wade 7-2 Robert Thornton (Challenge Match)
Terry Jenkins 7-7 Mervyn King
Jelle Klaasen 5-8 Raymond van Barneveld
John Part 3-8 Phil Taylor

 

Latest League Table

	P	W	D	L	+/-	Pts
Phil Taylor	11	6	4	1	+24	16
James Wade	11	6	3	2	+11	15
Mervyn King	11	4	4	3	+12	12
R v Barneveld	11	5	2	4	+5	12
John Part	11	2	5	4	-18	9
Terry Jenkins	10	1	4	5	-14	6
Jelle Klaasen	11	1	4	6	-20	6

 

JAMES WADE 7-2 ROBERT THORNTON (Challenge Match)

JAMES WADE maintained his good run of form with a 7-2 victory over Robert Thornton in a Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts Challenge Match in Aberdeen.

The absence of Wayne Mardle saw Scottish star Thornton drafted in to face Wade, who had hit a 108 average, the highest of this year’s event so far, in a win over Terry Jenkins last week.

And he continued that form at the AECC, hitting seven maximums and a 105 average to hand Thornton a Premier League lesson.

Wade silenced the Scottish crowd by opening the game with a 180, and took the first leg in 12 darts with an 81 finish.

Thornton levelled in the second, but Wade edged in front with a 116 finish to win the next and hit two maximums in a 13-darter to break throw and lead 3-1.

He hit another 180 in a second successive 13-dart finish to pull three legs clear, although Thornton hit back to reduce the gap to 4-2 at the break, with a 168 score setting up a double four finish.

Wade returned from the break with a second 116 checkout of the game, and another 180 set up a double 18 finish as he went 6-2 up.

Three missed doubles from Thornton came back to haunt him in the next, as Wade sealed the win on double ten.

“It should have been a higher average than 105 but I lapsed off towards the end,” said Wade. “I felt like I played okay darts, but not great darts, so I can take it as a positive.

“Hopefully it sends out a signal to other players and I’ll look to do it again against Jelle Klaasen in Sheffield.”

Thornton, who has risen to the brink of the top 16 in only a year since joining the PDC circuit, admitted: “The Premier League is a stage I went to play on and this was a great experience.

“The crowd were great and I loved it – I’ve never had a reception like that!

“It was disappointing to lose but it was a last-minute call to play once Wayne was ruled out and I’ll learn from it.”

TERRY JENKINS 7-7 MERVYN KING

MERVYN KING ensured his place in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts play-offs with a draw against Terry Jenkins at the AECC.

Although denied a fifth victory of the season, a point was enough to ensure King will feature in the semi-finals next month after moving onto 12 league points – and also ended Jenkins’ slim play-off hopes.

A tight battle never saw more than one leg between the pair, with King edging 7-6 up to earn himself a point but missing a dart for the win the decider before Jenkins took a draw.

Jenkins twice missed darts to break throw in the opening four legs, which were shared, before King landed a timely 180 in the fifth, taking out double top for a 3-2 lead with a second successive 14-dart finish.

King missed the bullseye and two darts at double eight in the next, allowing Jenkins to level on double top before he took out a two-dart 96 checkout to lead 4-3.

The duo traded double 16 finishes in the next two legs, while King hit a 177 score in winning the tenth to level at five-all.

King also landed a maximum in leg 11, but Jenkins posted double top for a 13-darter to maintain the edge.

A 12-dart finish from King saw him raise the stakes, and he then broke Jenkins’ throw to lead 7-6 and guarantee at least a draw – hitting another 177 when sat on 201 before landing double six.

Both players posted two 140s in the deciding leg, with a missed bullseye from Jenkins giving King a shot for victory – but his missed double 16 allowed the Ledbury man to hit double four for a point.

“The first part of the job was not to finish last in the league, and then to win a place in the play-offs,” said King.

“I had a job to do tonight. Got half of it done, but I enjoyed the game. I could have done with the win but I’ll take the draw because of what it means.

“Terry played well. I broke him early in the match and then he came storming back and broke straight back, and when I broke in the 13th leg I knew I wasn’t guaranteed a shot for the win.

“But I had my shot and didn’t take it, so it’s my own fault.”

Jenkins faces John Part and Raymond van Barneveld in his final two matches, and said: “I can still get fifth place and that’s something to aim for.

“I played well and felt I could have won this match. I don’t think I’ve played badly in the tournament, I’ve played well but everybody has seemed to turn it on against me.”

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 8-5 JELLE KLAASEN

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD moved a step closer to a fourth successive Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts play-off spot with an 8-5 win over Jelle Klaasen.

The five-time World Champion picked up his fifth win of the season against his fellow Dutchman, ending any lingering hopes Klaasen had of claiming a semi-final berth in his debut season.

Missed doubles once again proved costly for Klaasen, who had chances to claw his way back into the game from 4-2 down only for sloppy finishing letting van Barneveld take victory.

After the first two legs were shared, three missed doubles from Klaasen were punished by a double ten from van Barneveld as he broke throw to lead 2-1.

A 110 finish from Klaasen saw him break back, but double 16 saw van Barneveld edge back in front, a two-dart 68 finish moved him clear and double ten saw him take a 5-2 cushion.

A 95 checkout from Klaasen saw him hit back, and double top put him back in the match at 5-4.

However, his comeback was halted in its tracks in the next, Klaasen missing single three to leave a double top finish before van Barneveld hit double eight for the tenth leg.

Van Barneveld missed two darts for a 7-4 lead in the next, with Klaasen hitting double seven for an 88 finish to stay in the game.

But an 11-darter from van Barneveld moved him to the brink of victory, which was sealed in a scrappy final leg when he converted double four in his 11th dart for the match.

“I know I can play better but I’m happy to win,” said van Barneveld. “I’ve been struggling since I won against John Part in Glasgow and I’ve been missing doubles.

“I did again and Jelle could have taken more legs because I gave him chances, but he didn’t and I got the win.”

JOHN PART 3-8 PHIL TAYLOR

PHIL TAYLOR broke his own record for the highest average in the history of televised darts with an 8-3 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts demolition of John Part.

Taylor produced a 116.01 average in powering back to the top of the table – breaking his own previous record of 114.53 set at last year’s Blue Square UK Open against Wes Newton.

It also took him back to the top of the Premier League table and ended Part’s hopes of a top four spot – confirming James Wade, Mervyn King and Raymond van Barneveld as the other competitors in next month’s play-offs at the Wembley Arena.

Taylor began the game in merciless fashion, hitting a 161 finish against the throw for a 12-darter, which also earned him £1,000 as the night’s highest finish.

Double 16 extended his lead but, after opening scores of 180 and 140 in the third, five missed darts at a double allowed Part to get off the mark.

Taylor hit double 16 in the fourth, but a 12-darter from Part saw him pull back to 3-2.

The defending Premier League champion then took the next three legs in stunning style with legs of 12, 13 and 13 darts to push out into a 6-2 advantage.

Part took out 123 on double nine to win his third leg of the contest, but any hope of a comeback was swiftly shattered.

Taylor took a 7-3 lead with another 12-darter, before hitting scores of 180, 140 and 165 in the next, taking out double eight for a ten-darter, victory and a record average.

“I’m delighted,” said Taylor. “John was pushing me and you need someone doing that up there to make you perform to the best of your ability.

“Most importantly, I’m qualified into the play-offs – but I won’t be relaxing.

“The Dennis Priestley game next week is a bit of fun but I’ll be trying my socks off, and the week after against Mervyn King in Cardiff will be special.”

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