Michael van Gerwen (Picture: Lawrence Lustig)

Premier League Darts: Michael van Gerwen thrashes Barney while Gary Anderson and Daryl Gurney also win

Darts

Fri March 30, 2018 · 7y ago

Michael van Gerwen produced a ruthless display to beat Raymond van Barneveld 7-2 while Daryl Gurney went 180 crazy in an epic win over Rob Cross to delight the Belfast crowd.

Scroll down for match-by-match reports, statistics and updated standings

Dutch derby triumph for MVG

Michael van Gerwen consolidated his place at the top of the Premier League Darts table with a resounding 7-2 triumph against his great Dutch rival Raymond van Barneveld.

MVG, who averaged over 104 and hit 70% of his doubles in a ruthless display, trailed 2-1 before winning the next six legs in succession that not only restores his two-point lead over Michael Smith but also give his leg difference a further shot in the arm (now +29).

The world number one has also now averaged over 100 in 30 consecutive Premier League matches.

It could have been a different story - or at least much closer - had Barney not spurned five darts at a double in the fifth leg which would have put him 3-2 up.

The veteran also missed a further dart at a double to level the scores at 3-3 as the wheels quickly came off form him following a blistering start to the match.

He hit two more 180s than MVG with four but he only managed to hit two of his 10 attempts at doubles.

MVG told www.pdc.tv: "My finishing was good and I didn't make a lot of mistakes, so I'm happy with this win. I like winning and I want to keep this going.

"I'm very confident and my form is good. My scoring power isn't there yet but I'm winning my games and all that matters is being top of the table and getting into the play-offs."

Gurney thrills Belfast crowd

Daryl Gurney delighted his home crowd in Belfast by throwing a staggering nine 180s in a thrilling 7-5 win over world champion Rob Cross.

His tally was only two fewer than the competition's record of 11, which was achieved by Gary Anderson against Simon Whitlock back in 2011, and it no doubt compensated for his sloppy finishing on the night.

Cross averaged a higher 100.16 and hit five of his nine darts at doubles but it was not enough to stop Gurney, who took just enough of his 24 double attempts.

The Northern Irishman, who needed a point to guarantee his place in the Premier League beyond next week's Judgement Night, trailed 4-2 at one point before a run of three successive legs put him ahead for the first time, taking out 119 in the ninth.

Voltage responded with a fine 11-darter only for Gurney to get his nose in front again before back-to-back 180s in the last helped him seal just his second victory in his debut Premier League season.

The World Grand Prix champion, who ended his wait for a first win last week, now has an outside chance of a top four place and said: "It was unbelievable - I knew that atmosphere would be good but the support was amazing," said Gurney. "It's the best feeling I've ever had, even better than winning the World Grand Prix last year.

"I was nervous from the atmosphere but as soon as the first treble went in it was mad - I wish I could take the Belfast fans with me every week! I'm really glad to get the win too. When I went 2-0 down I knew I had to be more aggressive because if Rob had won a third leg he'd have demolished me.

"The 119 was a big shot because he'd have had two breaks of throw. That shot kept me in the game and then I kicked on, and the 180s kept me going.

"There are things I need to improve because although I got nine 180s it was still only 7-5 so I know in my heart that I need to get my finishing right - but this is a night I'll remember for a long time."

Iceman frozen out as Bully Boy charges

Michael Smith continued his stunning Premier League Darts season with a crushing 7-2 victory over Gerwyn Price that sees the Welshman eliminated a week before Judgement Night.

Bully Boy now has six wins from eight games to move onto 12 points - just two behind Michael van Gerwen - and this latest triumph sees him bounce back from his heavy defeat by the same scoreline to the world number one last Thursday.

It was far from a vintage performance stats-wise as Smith only averaged 93.84 and only managed a single 180 (albeit one more than Price) but the highlight was a showstopping 160 checkout which saw him complete a 15-darter to go 5-2 up.

Price's miserable season, which has seen him pick up just two points from a pair of draws, will come to an end at Judgement Night next week with no hope of survival.

The former World Youth Champion admitted: "It wasn't my best performance but I got the job done and winning the two points is all that matters. I was trying not to watch Gerwyn because I knew he was under pressure.

"I'm trying to fight and win every match that I can, because I'm playing well away from the Premier League and not producing it on that stage at the moment."

Flying Scotsman grinds it out

Gary Anderson kept up his pursuit of a top-four place in Premier League Darts with a hard-fought 7-5 victory over Mensur Suljovic, who is in grave danger of elimination at Judgement Night next week.

The Flying Scotsman wasn't at his high scoring best as he posted an average of 97.41 and only managed two 180s but his clinical finishing of 50% proved to be the difference.

A superb checkout of 124, finished on the bullseye, when Suljovic was waiting on 40 proved to be a pivotal moment of the match as Anderson moved 5-3 up although his Austrian opponent continued to dig deep to force a deciding leg.

With the leg evenly poised, Anderson produced superb back-to-back visits of 140 and 171 which set him up for a 14-darter that sealed maximum points.

Suljovic, who averaged 98.17 and managed a high finish of 101, faces Michael van Gerwen on Judgement Night in Liverpool next week and will need at least a point to stand a chance of extending his debut season in the competition. (Scroll down for full table).

Anderson said: "It was a bit of a scrape but I got there in the end so I'm happy to win. My scoring wasn't great but I finished okay, especially the 124 on the bull.

"I couldn't get into my rhythm and I never can against Mensur because I've got my own pace, but it's good for me to get past elimination because I'm plodding along and not totally happy with my game. I've got a few more weeks now and I'm looking forward to it."

Snakebite snatches crucial point

Peter Wright moved out of the bottom two a week before Judgement Night as he came from 6-3 down to rescue a crucial point against Simon Whitlock.

Snakebite, the 2017 runner-up, has endured a torrid Premier League campaign and headed into this clash on the back of three successive 7-1 defeats in this competition that had left him second-bottom of the table.

Wright's confidence would have been boosted by a return to form at the weekend's European Darts Open, where he lost 8-7 in a thrilling final against Michael van Gerwen, but he quickly found himself up against it in Belfast.

Whitlock fired three of his seven maximums in the eighth and ninth legs to surge into a 6-3 lead and guarantee himself a point but Wright kept his hopes alive with a clinical 11-darter.

The Aussie missed double 16 for the match in the next leg before Wright landed a 120 checkout to force a deciding leg, which he won to snatch a draw.

Snakebite is now a point above Mensur Suljovic, who plays MVG next Thursday in Liverpool, and will be favourite to survive ahead of his clash with Daryl Gurney.

Wright said: "I did okay last weekend by getting to the final in Leverkusen and I'm still fighting in the Premier League. I was getting beaten easily but I'm still fighting and I won't roll over. My game is improving and I can't really explain what the last few weeks were like - I seem to have a spell like this each year.

"I wasn't sure what the situation was in the table earlier but this moves me above Mensur and it could be important. I'm only going to get better now."