A review of Tuesday Unibet Premier League Darts action, as Michael van Gerwen claimed a resounding 7-2 victory over Peter Wright.
Michael van Gerwen thrashed Peter Wright 7-2 in their 'friendly' grudge match on the second night of the new Premier League Darts season and moved to the top of the embryonic table.
Neither player produced anything like their best, with MVG averaging just 92.16 compared to Snakebite's 88.41 in a disappointing encounter that didn't really live up to the hype.
But the stats won't particularly bother the four-time champion as he comfortably put Wright in his place after his rival recently claimed he wouldn't win a TV title all season.
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β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) April 6, 2021
It's been a friendly war of words between them but Michael van Gerwen clinches the bragging rights with a 7-2 victory over Peter Wright. pic.twitter.com/rqLtadHVKh
It would have been much closer had Wright not missed all four of his attempts at doubles in the fifth and seventh legs as MVG's superior finishing helped him win five in a row from 2-2 to seal his first victory of the season.
Van Gerwen hit two of the three 180s in the match and converted 44% of his doubles although Wright did manage the high checkout of the match of 83.
Flying Scotsman up and running
Gary Anderson held his nerve to pinch his first victory of the Premier League season - but only after Jose de Sousa missed three darts at a double in the final leg of the match.
The Flying Scotsman, who opened the campaign with a draw against James Wade, looked well on course for maximum points when moving into a commanding 4-1 lead with the help of checkouts from 112 and 145.
Gary Anderson's last three winning legs... 156, 112 and now 145.
β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) April 6, 2021
He only deals in big finishes π₯ pic.twitter.com/zj5AcGYF6m
But the debutant bounced back with a 13-darter and two 14-darters in the next three legs to level the score while a clinical finish from 86 made it 5-5 as he threatened to claim a maiden Premier League win.
Anderson raced through the next leg in 13 darts to guarantee himself at least a point and that's all he looked like he'd take when de Sousa stepped up to the oche needing 24 in the deciding leg.
However, the Special One spurned all three before Anderson pinned double seven with his last dart in hand to seal the victory.
The former two-time champion averaged 99.75 compared to se Sousa's 97.08 and also hit three more 180s with six, although his 50% checkout percentage wasn't quite as impressive as his opponent's 55.56%.
Ferret shows no mercy to Duzza
Jonny Clayton is celebrating his first ever Premier League victory as he put a struggling Glen Durrant to the sword with a 7-3 victory.
It looked as though it would be an even heavier scoreline when the in-form Ferret moved into a 5-0 lead and at that point Duzza hadn't even earned an attempt at a double as his recent problems continued to go from bad to worse.
The defending champion finally stopped the rot in the next leg with a 15-darter and even pinched another couple at 6-1 down to add some respectability to the scoreline - although his average of 88.81 was 10 points lower than his opponent.
Clayton hit all four of the 180s in the match, hit the highest checkout of 96 and pinned seven of his 18 attempts at doubles, with Duzza spurning six of his nine.
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β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) April 6, 2021
Many tip him to go far in this Premier League and Jonny Clayton has his first victory on the board as he beats Glen Durrant 7-3 to pick up two points.
It's back-to-back defeats for Durrant who knows he has work to do! pic.twitter.com/ZTerRuUoj7
Dimi denies the Asp
Dimitri Van den Bergh reeled off four legs on the trot to snatch a maiden Premier League victory against Nathan Aspinall.
The 2020 World Matchplay champion, who impressively drew with Michael van Gerwen on opening night, was in trouble after Aspinall turned an early 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 lead as the pair produced a thrilling topsy-turvy game of darts.
Aspinall produced a match-high 144 checkout in that run to complete a 12 darter and started to show the kind of form that helped him reach the Premier League final on debut last year.
Neither player headed into the campaign in any kind of form but now it was Van den Bergh's turn to hit back - although he was assisted by Aspinall crucially missing a dart at double 16 for a guaranteed point in the 10th leg.
The Belgian made him pay to make it 5-5 before following up an 11-darter with another in 12 to claim an impressive victory.
Van den Bergh averaged 103.7 compared to his opponent's 98.32 and hit seven of the 12 maximums, although his doubles will need improving having missed 19 of his 26 attempts.
Big moment for Dimitri Van den Bergh as he turns this game back around to level things at 5-5!
β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) April 6, 2021
Aspinall missing one dart at D16 to ensure a point! pic.twitter.com/Mcyns047mG
Voltage too hot for Wade
Rob Cross could well be about to prove all his relegation backers wrong as he ran out a 7-3 winner over James Wade in a surprisingly one-sided affair.
Voltage headed into the campaign as the biggest priced title contender at 40/1 but having ground out a 6-6 draw with Jose de Sousa on opening night, the 2019 runner-up produced another solid display which will further boost his confidence.
Cross averaged 94.34 compared to Wade's disappointing 88.78 and hit three of the four 180s in the match, while he pinned seven of his 16 attempts at doubles as his opponent spurned five of his eight.
The 30-year-old is still someway short of the form that helped him win the 2018 world title and 2019 World Matchplay but it's certainly a step in the right direction compared to his last 18 months.
ππ₯π’π¦π¦ πͺππ‘π¦!
β PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) April 6, 2021
It's three points from two matches for Rob Cross as he beats birthday boy James Wade 7-3 continue his bright start in the 2021 Unibet Premier League pic.twitter.com/oLzrWY0pPU
2021 Premier League Darts Table
- Michael van Gerwen P 2 W 1 D 1 L 0 LegD +5 Pts 3
- Rob Cross P 2 W 1 D 1 L 0 LegD +4 Pts 3
- Jonny Clayton P 2 W 1 D 1 L 0 LegD +4 Pts 3
- Gary Anderson P 2 W 1 D 1 L 0 LegD +2 Pts 3
- Dimitri Van den Bergh P 2 W 1 D 1 L 0 LegD +2 Pts 3
- Nathan Aspinall P 2 W 1 D 0 L 1 LegD +2 Pts 2
- Jose de Sousa P 2 W 0 D 1 L 1 LegD -2 Pts 1
- James Wade P 2 W 0 D 1 L 1 LegD -4 Pts 1
- Peter Wright P 2 W 0 D 1 L 1 LegD -5 Pts 1
- Glen Durrant P 2 W 0 D 0 L 2 LegD -8 Pts 0
- The top four after 16 games qualify for the end of season play-offs, where the title will be decided
- Players earn two points for a win, and one for a draw.
- When players are tied on points, leg difference is used first as a tie-breaker, after that legs won against throw and then tournament average.
Premier League Darts 2021: Tuesday results and Wednesday schedule
Night 2, April 6
Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes
TV Channel: Sky Sports (1900 GMT)
- Gary Anderson 7-5 Jose de Sousa
- Jonny Clayton 7-3 Glen Durrant
- Dimitri Van den Bergh 7-5 Nathan Aspinall
- Michael van Gerwen 7-2 Peter Wright
- James Wade 2-7 Rob Cross
Night 3, April 7
Marshall Arena, Milton Keynes
TV Channel: Sky Sports (1900 GMT)
- Rob Cross v Michael van Gerwen
- Glen Durrant v Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Peter Wright v Gary Anderson
- Nathan Aspinall v James Wade
- Jose de Sousa v Jonny Clayton
