Darts results: Nathan Aspinall shocks Michael van Gerwen in Cardiff as Peter Wright beats Rob Cross
A review of Thursday night's Unibet Premier League Darts action in Cardiff, as Nathan Aspinall claimed a shock 7-5 victory over Michael van Gerwen.
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Aspinall stuns van Gerwen
Nathan Aspinall added his name to an elite list of players who have inflicted a Premier League defeat on Michael van Gerwen thanks to a breathtaking display in Cardiff.
In just his third match as a fully fledged member of the line-up, debutant Aspinall underlined why he's regarded as the fastest rising star in darts by averaging 101 against the five-time champion and showing nerves of steel in a compelling clash that went the distance.
It's still amazing to think the UK Open champion was ranked 73 in the world back in December 2018 before the first of his two World Championship semi-final runs and now he's level on four points with the man who beat him at the Ally Pally two months ago.
Only eight different players had previously beaten van Gerwen in his seven Premier League regular seasons - Phil Taylor (x2), Gary Anderson (x3), Peter Wright (x2), Raymond van Barneveld (x4), Adrian Lewis (x2), James Wade (x3), Daryl Gurney (x2) and Simon Whitlock - while this result also ends the sole surviving 100% record after just three weeks of action.
Aspinall, who was 5/1 to cause an upset before a dart was thrown, certainly didn't look much of an underdog early on when a sublime 110 checkout put him 2-1 up before holding his throw with a 15-darter to open up a two-leg cushion.
The Stockport ace came close to making it 4-1 but his effort at the bullseye to complete a 170 finish veered into single 16 and although MVG pinned double two with his last dart in hand to cut the gap, Aspinall held again for a 4-2 lead.
Van Gerwen threatened to turn the tide at 4-3 down when kicking off a tremendous eighth leg with six perfect darts and while the seventh was off target, he still won it with a 10-darter with Aspinall waiting on tops.
The Dutchman, bidding to top the regular season table for the eighth year in a row and lift the trophy for a fifth in succession, began to turn the screw with a 15-dart hold only for Aspinall to respond in kind and take the match to the final two legs.
Van Gerwen blinked first as the 28-year-old punished him for two missed darts at tops before keeping his cool under pressure when aiming at the same target for a landmark 7-5 victory as his opponent waited on 42.
Aspinall averaged 101.12 compared to MVG's 97.61 and although both hit three 180s apiece, he missed just six attempts at doubles as the Dutchman blew eight.
The 2019 US Darts Masters winner told www.pdc.tv: "I feel like I've arrived in the Premier League now, it doesn't get much better than beating the best player in the world on the Premier League stage. I haven't been at all happy with how I played in the first two weeks, which makes it an even better feeling to play well tonight.
"It was important for me to prove to everyone and myself that I can play well in the Premier League. I enjoyed every minute of it up there tonight and I think that's when I'm at my best. The crowd were fantastic.
"I was disappointed with how I played against Michael at the World Championship so it was nice to get one back over him."
Duzza takes top spot
Glen Durrant's dream debut continued as he claimed the prize scalp of Gary Anderson to take top spot in the embryonic Premier League table.
The world number 21's 7-4 victory over the two-time champion further justified his selection - which wasn't really in any doubt after rocketing up the rankings during his maiden PDC season - and he's now one of just two unbeaten players along with Gerwyn Price.
However, unlike the winless Welshman, Duzza now has a second win to his name which takes his points tally to five from three games and one clear of Michael van Gerwen and Nathan Aspinall.
Unsurprisingly, the key to Durrant's latest success was his clinical finishing as he pinned seven of his 13 attempts although his average of 97.24 was also higher than Anderson, who recorded a below-par mark of 96.89 despite only spurning three darts at the outer ring.
The three-time BDO world champion probably couldn't believe his luck to catch the Flying Scotsman on such a slow day and looked on course for a crushingly heavy victory when following up a 107 checkout with another finish from 89 to complete a 12-darter that put him 5-1 up.
Anderson did kick-start a trademark turbo boost of three legs out of the next four with a 122 checkout to finish off a 12-darter but it was all in vain as Durrant sealed the points.
"I'm in a great place right now, I never thought I would be top of the Premier League at any point of my career," Durrant admitted. "To beat one of the all-time greats in Gary in front of this amazing crowd is an unbelievable feeling. I can't say I enjoyed the Fallon game last week but tonight absolutely made up for it.
"I wish I was bullish and say 'I'm going to finish in the top four' but that's not the person I am. I still just want to avoid being eliminated so that will be my focus until I achieve that goal."
Price draws home comfort
Gerwyn Price enjoyed a hero's reception from the Welsh crowd but it wasn't quite enough to inspire him to a first Premier League victory of the season against Daryl Gurney.
On the one night he didn't have to overcome any kind of jeering, the player who stepped into his usual role of pantomime villain managed to defy them pretty well in a hard-fought 6-6 draw in Cardiff.
The two-time Grand Slam of Darts champion, who of course 'earned' his reputation during the first of those titles in 2018, was below his best in front of his home fans and needed a 13-darter in the 12th and final leg to seal a third successive point.
Price had earlier looked in pole position to triumph when breaking his opponent for a 5-4 lead but the Northern Irishman bit back with a 13-darter before another in 14 guaranteed he'd get off the mark after a troubled start to the campaign.
Gurney had lost his opening two matches, including last week's thumping 7-1 defeat at the hands of Michael van Gerwen, while his results in other tournaments this year had also been disappointing so this result could spark a change in fortunes.
He averaged 97.46 compared to Price's 93.7 despite hitting one fewer maximum with two, while he pinned six of his 13 double attempts as the Welshman spurned 10 of his.
The highest checkout of the match was Gurney's 80 to complete an impressive 11-darter in the second leg.
"The crowd tonight were fantastic, I wish I could've won for them but it wasn't to be," said Price. "Fair play to Daryl for hitting his doubles under pressure, he deserved something from the match.
"I'm not happy but I've picked up a point so it's not all bad. Everyone is playing well against me lately but it's time to start converting draws into wins."
Snakebite survives scare
Peter Wright picked up his first victory of the Premier League Darts season but only after being taken to the wire by a battling Rob Cross in Cardiff.
The world champion, who began the campaign with a 7-5 defeat to Michael van Gerwen before last week's 6-6 draw with Gary Anderson, blasted out of the blocks with a pair of 13-darters in the opening three legs and was averaging 112 before his opponent finally got off the mark.
Voltage, bidding to maintain his unbeaten start to the season despite an otherwise shaky 2020 so far, made it two legs on the trot with a stunning 127 checkout on the bullseye only for Wright to break back in style with a 10-darter.
Snakebite quickly re-established his three-leg cushion at 5-2 and at this point he was averaging a whopping 108 compared to his opponent's lowly 82 in what now looked something of a mismatch.
The next two legs were shared as Wright guaranteed himself a point but suddenly Cross threatened an unlikely point by cutting the deficit to 6-5 and subsequently forcing the Scotsman to throw for his two.
An unruffled Snakebite responded to the pressure like a true world champion, finishing up with a 102 average that was 12 points higher than Voltage.
The Masters winner threw two more 180s with three and while his highest checkout was just 40, he pinned 50% of his doubles - as did Cross.
"I made it hard work for myself, and Rob is never going to give you a game," said Wright. "Rob is a fantastic player so I'm happy to get the win against him. I'm finding it hard work up there, I'm putting pressure on myself and I need to relax a little bit more."
Brilliant Bully Boy ruins Clayton's night
Michael Smith ended his long drought for a Premier League win in barnstorming fashion as he hammered home favourite Jonny Clayton 7-1 in Cardiff.
Bully Boy, who hadn't celebrated a victory in this competition for 10 matches dating back to last March, fell 1-0 down after this week's Challenger threw a 13-darter to electrify the Welsh crowd but they were soon quietened by a majestic display.
The 2018 runner-up punished Clayton for three missed attempts at a double in the third leg to move 2-1 up before back-to-back 12-darters - the latter of which completed with a 167 checkout - put him in total command.
Smith made it 5-1 with a 13-darter and although he needed to survive two more spurned darts from the Ferret in the seventh leg to guarantee himself a point, there were no finishing line jitters like there was in last week's 6-6 draw with Gerwyn Price as he fired in a 142 checkout to seal a match-winning 12-darter.
The St Helens thrower, who was runner-up in the season-opening Masters, averaged 105.51 compared to Clayton's 97.44 and while the pair both hit a solitary 180 each, his finishing was far superior, pinning seven of his 11 attempts at the outer ring as the Welshman blew six of his seven.
"I'm over the moon to get my first win of the season, I can't believe it's been ten games since I last won in the Premier League," said Smith.
"Jonny gave me a couple of legs at the start and the 167 really did change things. Once I got a lead I was telling myself not to make the same mistake as last week; I was really angry with myself that I threw that one away."
Night three results, next week's fixtures and table
Night 3, February 20
Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
TV Channel: Sky Sports (1900 GMT)
- Peter Wright 7-5 Rob Cross
- Jonny Clayton 1-7 Michael Smith
- Michael van Gerwen 5-7 Nathan Aspinall
- Daryl Gurney 6-6 Gerwyn Price
- Glen Durrant 7-4 Gary Anderson
Night 4, February 27
Motorpoint Arena, Dublin
TV Channel: Sky Sports (1900 GMT)
- Glen Durrant v Nathan Aspinall
- Rob Cross v Gary Anderson
- Daryl Gurney v Michael Smith
- William O'Connor v Michael van Gerwen
- Gerwyn Price v Peter Wright
Click here for full Premier League Darts season guide including fixtures & dates
2020 Premier League Darts Table
- Durrant P 3 W 2 D 1 L 0 LegD +7 Pts 5
- Van Gerwen P 3 W 2 D 0 L 1 LegD +6 Pts 4
- Aspinall P 3 W 2 D 0 L 1 LegD +4 Pts 4
- Smith P 3 W 1 D 1 L 1 LegD +2 Pts 3
- Wright P 3 W 2 D 1 L 1 LegD 0 Pts 3
- Cross P 3 W 1 D 1 L 1 LegD 0 Pts 3
- Price P 3 W 0 D 3 L 0 LegD 0 Pts 3
- Anderson P 3 W 1 D 1 L 1 LegD -1 Pts 3
- Gurney P 3 W 0 D 1 L 2 LegD -8 Pts 1