Premier League Darts: Michael Smith fit for Exeter despite having surgery to remove an abscess

By Sporting Life

21:36 · WED February 27, 2019

Michael Smith will compete in Thursday's Unibet Premier League at Westpoint Exeter - and this weekend's UK Open in Minehead - despite needing emergency surgery on an abscess on Monday.

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The 2018 Premier League and World Championship runner-up required surgery on Monday after the abscess worsened during last weekend.

Smith is now recovering from the infection and is set to line up against Raymond van Barneveld in Exeter on Thursday before then competing in the Ladbrokes UK Open this weekend.

"I'm not sure how I will be," Smith told Live Darts. "I'm on painkillers and antibiotics. I've got strapping round my leg and groin which has to be changed every day to protect it from further infection."

Smith has picked up just one point from his opening three Premier League games, but is targeting a first victory of the season against the five-time World Champion.

"It's been a tough start to the Premier League," he added. "My leg hasn't really helped to be honest.

"It's been there for six weeks and bugging me a bit and stressing me out. I should have just got it checked earlier. I was just being a bloke and not getting it checked, thinking it will heal itself."

Raymond van Barneveld, who is making his Exeter farewell, said: "The crowds have been fantastic this season and every week is special for me. I am trying to enjoy the atmosphere in every venue."

Meanwhile, Michael van Gerwen is aiming to maintain his 100% start to the Premier League season when he takes on James Wade.

The Exeter league night was cancelled 12 months ago due to the effects of Storm Emma, and Van Gerwen is aiming to produce another big showing as he returns to the south-west.

"I'm at the top of the table and I want to stay there," said Van Gerwen, who beat Wade in the Masters final earlier this season. "Winning is the only thing that counts, and I love playing in front of the big crowds.

💚5⃣🏆 Michael van Gerwen wins a fifth successive Masters title!

🏆 118 career titles
🏆 34 PDC TV majors
😲 He's still not 30!
👊 @MvG180 lays down another ominous marker for the rest of the seasonpic.twitter.com/jFfdAdDAGA
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) February 3, 2019

"The other players need to play well to beat me, and I need to make sure I keep in good shape, play well and don't make any mistakes.

"I've started well and I'm happy with three wins so I can't complain, but I want to get another two points in Exeter."

Gerwyn Price, who sits on four points alongside Daryl Gurney and Peter Wright, is aiming to continue his brilliant form after winning both Players Championship events in Barnsley last weekend.

Price takes on Contender Luke Humphries in Exeter, and said: "I'm happy with my consistency over the weekend - I proved to myself and a lot of people that I can play top quality darts.

"Hopefully now I can carry this form into the Premier League and I can keep performing to this standard. It's all a case of having confidence in myself, believing in my ability."

What an incredible weekend for Gerwyn Price.

Back-to-back titles
14 wins out of 14
10 ton+ averages
£20,000 won
Ends it all with a 170 checkout!

World class darts like this deserve to win over the boo boys...https://t.co/JUHyOWPAGH
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) February 24, 2019

Youngster Humphries steps onto the Premier League stage for the first time after enjoying a superb run to the quarter-finals of the World Championship recently.

"I'm out to show everyone that my performances at the Worlds weren't a flash in the pan," said Humphries. "This game could kick-start my year and prove that I belong up there.

"I know it will be a tough game against Gerwyn but I definitely think I can win. When I play on TV it makes me come alive, there's just something about it that makes you focus more, I think that is the same for a lot of the younger players.

"A good performance on Thursday would boost my confidence and I think it's come at the right time for me because I'm not playing too well on the floor at the moment."

2017 Premier League finalist Wright meets Mensur Suljovic, while Northern Ireland's Gurney takes on world number two Rob Cross.

Gurney has won two of his opening three matches, and said: "I'm happy with my start and I want to keep myself in that top four. I always want to beat what I've done in previous years - I finished fifth last year so if I can make the top four I'll be really happy."