Issue 10 (March 4, 2016)

Friday 4 March 2016

UK OPEN

Expect the unexpected Preview pages 4-6

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Van Gerwen storms to the top of the Premier League Pages 2-3 ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

Durrant takes on world champion in exhibition Page 7

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Friday 4 March 2016 Darts Weekly

Smith beats Barney to claim first ever Premier League win Michael Smith 7 Raymond van Barneveld 5 Michael Smith claimed his first win in the Betway Premier League after beating Raymond van Barneveld 7-5 in Exeter last night.

Bully Boy had drawn one and lost four of his five games in his debut year in the tournament, but broke his duck with a narrow win over Barney at the Westpoint Arena. It

did look like Smith’s search for a maiden win was going to go into another week when van Barneveld punished missed doubles to come from 4-2 down to go 5-4 up.

However, Bully Boy regrouped and produced a three leg winning spell of his own to pick up his first two-point haul of the season.

“It means the world to me to get the win and I can relax now,” the ex-world youth champion said.

MVG prevails in the clash of the top two Peter Wright 2 Michael van Gerwen 7 Michael van Gerwen climbed to the top of the Betway Premier League table after beating previously-unbeaten Peter Wright 7-2 yesterday.

The world number one, fresh from breaking the highest televised average in Aberdeen last week, averaged 116.67 as he beat Snakebite in Exeter.

It was the sixth highest televised average in history and moved the Dutchman to the top of the table after week five, and nudged Wright down to third.

Snakebite averaged almost 109 in the defeat and hit both his shots at a double, but was powerless in stopping van Gerwen from

recording his fourth consecutive win in the competition.

Wright took the opening leg with double tops, before MVG reeled off three consecutive legs to move into a 3-1 lead.

A 121 checkout on the bull kept Wright’s hopes alive at the end of leg five, but the 2014 Premier League winner then took the next four legs to wrap up a 7-2 win.

“It was another fantastic performance from myself,” van Gerwen said.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more, to get two points and a good result against Peter because he played well too.

“The hard work has paid off in the last two weeks and I’ll try to do even better next week. I hope I can produce another game like this.”

Wade bounces back with trio Dave Chisnall 4 James Wade 7 James Wade hit a hat-trick of 100 plus finishes as he got back to winning ways with a 7-4 victory over Dave Chisnall in Exeter.

After winning his opening two

games of this year’s Betway Premier League season, the Machine had lost his last three heading into yesterday’s clash with Chizzy at the Westpoint Arena.

But checkouts of 102, 121 and 161 helped Wade to a 7-4 win and moved him up to fifth in the table

ahead of next week’s game against Raymond van Barneveld.

The first of Wade’s trio of big finishes came in leg two, as the 2009 Premier League champion hit the bull to finish off a 121.

In leg five the Machine pulled off a sensational 161 checkout to break

Darts Weekly Friday 4 March 2016

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Anderson wins battle of the Scots to climb up to sixth Robert Thornton 4 Gary Anderson 7 Defending Betway Premier League champion Gary Anderson made it back-to-back wins as he came from behind to beat fellow Scot Robert Thornton in Exeter yesterday.

The Thorn held a surprise 3-0 lead early on in the all-Scottish encounter, before Anderson found his feet and won the next three

without reply to level at 3-3. Leg seven went to Thornton as he regained his lead at 4-3, but the Flying Scotsman was undeterred as he claimed the next four legs to run out a 7-4 winner.

“I’ll take the two points any day of the week,” Anderson said. “I was 3-0 down but probably should have won two of those legs so the pressure was on, but I came good in the end.”

of 100 plus finishes in victory the Chisnall throw for the first time and go 3-2 up.

The treble was complete in leg 10, as after Chizzy missed two darts at double 16 to pull it back to 5-4, Wade checked out 102 on tops to make it 6-4.

Chisnall then missed two darts

to keep the match alive in leg 11, with Wade hitting tops to seal a 7-4 triumph.

“I’m really happy to win,” Wade said. “Every match is a massive match but I haven’t played how I can for the last two or three games I lost them, and maybe I made a

little bit of hard work in this but I got there.”

Elsewhere, Phil Taylor moved up to second in the table after thrashing Adrian Lewis 7-1 in the opening game of the night, with the Power averaging 104 to beat his Stoke rival.

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Friday 4 March 2016 Darts Weekly

UK Open will see upsets but I expect a big name to win it Wayne Mardle GUEST WRITER The UK Open is back this weekend and it really is a tough tournament for anyone to win. It’s one of those events where I do believe it’s horses for courses.

Those who like the big stage and like playing say one game a day I think they kind of struggle to a point, because it’s drawn out.

The format is quite long with it being the best of 17 legs from the third round.

It’s not easy, and especially for the likes of Kevin Painter and Dean Winstanley, who are coming in this year at rounds they wouldn’t normally start in.

It’s going to be hard for them because they’ve got to play one or two more games than they’d like.

You’ve got to play well consistently otherwise any little bad patch and you’re out.

The random draw at the end of each round means we could see the big guns go against each other as early as the third round tonight.

I remember, just going on about my experiences, I think I played Adrian Lewis in the last 32 one year, James Wade in the last 64 and Phil Taylor in the last 16.

You can’t avoid them all the time but when you do draw them in those early rounds you’re thinking: ‘I could have done without that.’

But if you want to win it then you’re going to have to beat someone along the way.

There’s usually an outsider who gets through to the final each time and I find it really odd that there’s been 13 different players finish as the runner-up in the 13 years the tournament has been going. I find that peculiar.

The big boys are not in until tonight and it’s hard to say who is going to go on and win.

But you’ve got to go with your main protagonists. To say Michael and say Michael

van Gerwen is going to get beat in any tournament it takes a brave man.

Phil Taylor’s playing well, but I actually fancy Simon Whitlock this time round, and Alan Norris too.

I just think that they’ve both got quality and they’re both playing well, especially Simon who will be full of confidence. So as an outsider at about 80/1 I think he could be the bet.

Previous finalists in this tournament have gone under the radar a little bit to get through to the final day, and they could well do the same this weekend.

Don’t get me wrong I think if they play someone dangerous, say maybe a Steve Beaton or a Vincent van der Voort, I think they’d be on the main stage then.

Whoever they play then it will be a good game. Norris is watchable

‘For the top four not to reach the Sunday they’ve probably got to meet each other’ and Simon is a potential champion of anything in my opinion.

It’s one of those events which is like no other. I never made it through to the final day and for me it’s all about the last day and getting through to the quarterfinals on the Sunday.

I kept getting beat in the earlier rounds and for me it was the final day that was putting me off.

You’ll be playing at roughly two o’clock for the quarter-finals and in the final at probably around eight or nine in the evening.

It’s a real long, drawn out day against probably five or six of the world’s best as well.

The upsets will happen but I do think four of the top eight players will be in the quarter-finals.

For van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Taylor and Lewis not to make the quarter-finals they’ve probably got

to meet each other earlier on in the weekend.

I think Barney needs a run in a major. Don’t get me wrong he played fantastic at the worlds, but he lacks intensity sometimes.

He’s even said it’s just the World Championship and the Premier League which really switches him on.

I think he needs to start performing in all the televised events.

He seems to go up and down in the rankings because he doesn’t perform so readily all the time.

Obviously the likes of Robert Thornton and Michael Smith it’s a big weekend for them.

If they do well it could kick start their year and maybe even their Premier League.

It could help them then go on and avoid relegation, which is their main prerogative because they’re loitering down the bottom.

My advice to any player, whether it be van Gerwen or someone making their debut, you’ve got to enjoy those early rounds.

You just want to get on with it otherwise it’ll become a real, long winded effort in what is already a tough tournament to win.

Whoever wins it is going to have to do it the hard way at points and maybe even need some luck.

UK Open Roll of Honour 2003 - Phil Taylor 2004 - Roland Scholten 2005 - Phil Taylor 2006 - Raymond van Barneveld 2007 - Raymond van Barneveld 2008 - James Wade 2009 - Phil Taylor 2010 - Phil Taylor 2011 - James Wade 2012 - Robert Thornton 2013 - Phil Taylor 2014 - Adrian Lewis 2015 - Michael van Gerwen Nine darters: Phil Taylor (four), Mervyn King, Gary Anderson

Darts Weekly Friday 4 March 2016

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Five reasons why we love the UK Open

By Alex Moss

Clockwise from top left - Gary Mawson is one of 13 different players to finish as the runnerup in the UK Open in the 13 years it has been held; Peter Manley’s 9-8 victory over then defending champion James Wade in the third round of the 2009 event is among the most memorable upsets in the competition’s history; a random draw takes place before each round meaning the likes of Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson could meet each other as early as the third round tonight; every year the UK Open produces some truly classic games and none more so than perhaps Raymond van Barneveld’s 11-10 win over holder Phil Taylor in the quarter finals on his debut year back in 2006; although there hasn’t been one since 2012 the nine dart leg has been completed six times in the UK Open.

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Friday 4 March 2016 Darts Weekly

FEATURE: What on earth is going wrong with the BDO? Aaron Gratton TUNGSTENTICKLE.COM False promises, cancelled events, no communication and Lakeside dropped by the BBC - a new era?

Or simply no hope What on earth is wrong with the BDO? The British Darts Organisation is a shambles. It is in turmoil and the worst part is that there is nobody within the BDO prepared to come out and provide an answer to players and fans alike.

Compared to the state of what should be the cornerstone of our sport, FIFA is a freshly cleaned window. Board meetings apparently not taking place or well-attended, and that is before we open up the issue of De:Luxe and one Warren Brown.

2016 was supposed to be the dawning of a new era in the BDO names such as Scott Mitchell and Glen Durrant all championed the new events and venues.

The first of which was supposed to have taken place at Old Billingsgate in London, the Players Championship, last weekend. That never happened and it never looked likely.

Promoters De:Luxe promised everything from a free bar to out of this world packages for the county and pub teams.

De:Luxe owner, Warren Brown, was shouting from the rooftops about the BDO’s new era on social media - woe betide anyone who would ask a simple question, however, as they would find themselves blocked by darts’ wannabe Don King.

It came as no surprise when news filtered through that the event was cancelled - or, as De:Luxe claim, postponed on the BDO’s request due to a potential broadcaster.

Fans, who had already organised travel and accommodation, were left to fight for refunds on tickets from De:Luxe. Shownights, who

of set six, before Anderson reeled off three straight legs to level the match once again.

Jackpot's jittery finishing in the seventh set proved costly as the defending champion moved into a 4-3 lead, and another whitewash set then gave Anderson a two-set cushion for the first time.

Lewis fought back in set nine, with a 121 checkout securing him the set in consecutive legs.

But Anderson then returned the favour in the 10th set to move to within one set of victory.

Jackpot would not give up and responded by taking the 11th set 3-0 to close the gap back to one

Vincent van der Voort on Tuesday night, and has set up an intriguing quarter-final clash with James Wade this afternoon.

The Machine has also only lost one set so far in the competition, despite having yet to show his best darts in wins over John Michael, Wes Newton and Jamie Caven.

With Wade yet to get over the semi-final hurdle at the World Championship, and with either Norris or Klaasen awaiting the winner tomorrow night, you feel that this is a big game for him.

Although Anderson has the far superior record against Wade, with

were also selling tickets for the Players Championship along with Ticketmaster, sorted out refunds immediately - just as any promoter worth their salt would do.

While all this was happening, what did the BDO do? Nothing. No statement, no communication to players or fans, absolutely nothing.

The BDO continues to stand by as the very people who support and keep this side of the sport alive are lied to.

As if things couldn’t get any worse, shortly after the Players Championship was postponed, news was confirmed of the BBC axing their coverage of Lakeside after 38 years - this was expected, what came out of the blue though was news of the BBC jumping on the PDC bandwagon to broadcast a new tournament, the Champions League of Darts.

A major kick in the teeth. The BDO loses its one advantage over the PDC in terrestrial television.

Surely now the BDO will have something to say? Nope. Nothing.

Last week saw Deta Hedman, world number two and Lakeside runner-up, open up about the BDO’s current situation on Facebook. She is not alone.

Many have openly voiced their

concerns on various groups and forums on the internet. Players and fans are simply reminded to stay loyal to the BDO. What loyalty? Loyalty is a twoway street. Why in the world would players remain in the BDO rather than try their luck in the PDC? Many remain in the BDO system not because they believe in it, but because darts is nothing more than a pastime.

While times are highly frustrating on this side of the divide, there are some very good people involved and working extremely hard to ensure there is a future for the game outside of the stranglehold of the PDC. The England Darts Organisation regularly stream tournaments, such as the England Open, which attracts sponsors both for the tournament and the players.

Other tournaments streamed successfully include the Dutch Open and the Finder Masters, both of which are televised live in Holland.

One thing certain for the BDO is continued uncertainty with no light visible at the end of what has been an already lengthy tunnel, oh, and the fact that Barry Hearn will be laughing his socks off.

Darts Weekly Friday 4 March 2016

China added to World Series The PDC’s World Series tour is set to get even bigger in 2016 with the introduction of a new event in China this year.

Shanghai will play host to the latest event on the World Series circuit, with the inaugural Shanghai Darts Masters set to be held at the Himalaya Theatre on June 25-26.

The tournament accompanies continued events in Dubai, New Zealand, Japan and Australia as the tour is extended to six events before culminating with the World Series of Darts Finals in Glasgow in November.

Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Adrian Lewis and Phil Taylor, the top four players in the PDC Order of Merit, will be joined by four invited players as the eight PDC representatives in each event.

Peter Wright, James Wade, Dave Chisnall and Raymond van Barneveld are the four invited players to compete at the five events, while Australian pair Simon Whitlock and Kyle Anderson are included in the tournaments in Sydney and Perth.

The Dubai Darts Masters will kick-off this year’s World Series on May 26-27, before the tour heads to Auckland on June 17-19.

Shanghai, Tokyo (July 6-7), Sydney (August 18-20) and Perth (August 25-27) will then follow.

7 him to within one of victory, which he secured in the next leg by taking out 76 to be crowned champion.

Noppert was in good form as he dropped just one leg on route to the last 64, recording whitewash wins over David Hamilton, Bob McGovern and David Kiltie before beating Glen McGrandle 3-1.

The 26-year-old then picked up 4-1 victories against Dafydd Edwards, Neil Duff and Shaun Carroll, with a 5-0 triumph over Dave Parletti securing his place in the semi finals.

Elsewhere, Lorraine Winstanley reeled off three legs in a row to beat Deta Hedman 5-3 and win the Scottish Open Ladies title.

Duzza takes on world champion BDO number one Glen Durrant took on reigning PDC world champion Gary Anderson in an exhibition in Scotland last Sunday.

A sell-out crowd of 250 were at the Bannockburn Club in Stirling at the weekend, where Duzza among others took on the Scot.

Anderson prevailed 3-0 in their encounter averaging 100.20, while Durrant posted three-dart figures of 98.27 in the game.

“The crowd were fantastic,” Durrant said. “They were all there to see Anderson but I think I now have a few more fans.

“Gary finished off in double figures of 180s, while I played six

Database

In brief

PDC BETWAY PREMIER LEAGUE (legs) (Westpoint Arena, Exeter)

Scotland squad for British Internationals announced Scotland have announced their squad to face England and Wales in the British Internationals.

Fife’s Ross Montgomery will captain the team, which includes in it recalls for Craig Baxter (Clackmannanshire), Cameron Menzies (Ayrshire) and Steve Taylor (Grampian).

East Stirlingshire’s Craig Quinn and Steve Robertson of West Ayrshire have both received call ups to the squad for the first time, while Emily Davidson (Grampian)

Week five - P Taylor 7-1 A Lewis, D Chisnall 4-7 J Wade, R Thornton 4-7 G Anderson, P Wright 2-7 M van Gerwen, M Smith 7-5 R van Barneveld.

M van Gerwen P Taylor P Wright A Lewis J Wade G Anderson R van Barneveld D Chisnall M Smith R Thornton

P GD 5 +15 5 +12 5 +5 5 +2 6 -2 4 0 5 -1 5 -1 6 -18 4 -12

Pts 8 8 7 6 6 4 4 3 3 1

Whitlock 6-2 I White, M van Gerwen 6-0

other games and won all six. In one of them I even finished 100 with two bullseyes!”

The 2015 Winmau World Masters champion tweeted a picture of himself and Anderson (above) and said: “Working with the world champion today AND getting paid what a top man.”

Durrant returns to British InterCounty Championship this weekend, with a trip to Glamorgan set to bring up a special milestone.

“We are away to Glamorgan so it will be a very tough game,” he said.

“Sunday will be one of my proudest moments as it’s my 100th cap for my beloved Cleveland.”

will also make her debut after being selected in the Ladies team.

The 37th British Internationals take place at Glenrothes in Fife, Scotland on April 8-10.

For any advertising enquiries please contact Ben Chambers on 01903 899942 or email ben@chambers.media

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Friday 4 March 2016 Darts Weekly

ALEX MOSS CHIEF DARTS WRITER

Has MVG now took Taylor’s crown as the best ever?

It’s hard to think of a world where the answer to the question: ‘who is the best ever darts player?’ would not be Phil Taylor. Yet, in the early months of 2016 another name is mounting a real claim to that title.

This is the third consecutive year that Michael van Gerwen has started at the top of the PDC’s Order of Merit, but still darts fans around the world widely regard Taylor as the best ever.

MVG has won title after title both on and off the TV since lifting his maiden PDC major in the World Grand Prix at the back end of 2012, and is rapidly catching up with the Power’s trophy haul.

But it was the Dutchman’s performance last week in Aberdeen which has really left us wondering if the ‘best ever’ tag could soon be switching hands.

An astounding 123.40 three dart average led van Gerwen to a 7-1 thrashing against Michael Smith in week four of the Premier League and is the highest televised average in the history of the sport.

The previous record stood at 118.66, which was set by Taylor almost six years ago in the UK Open, and before then it was 116.01, again set by the 16-time world champion back in 2009.

What was more incredible with van Gerwen’s record average last week was that it could have been even higher. Three missed darts at double 18 in leg seven brought his average down, and after Smith checked out, ensured an eighth leg would be played.

MVG sealed the victory and the new record average in the next leg, and although many can point at

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watch an evening of the Premier

watch an evening of the Premier

how Taylor went up on stage in the next game and threw a 115.25 average, all the talk was about the man in green.

Last night in Exeter, van Gerwen followed up his Aberdeen heroics with a 116.67 average to beat Peter Wright 7-2 and climb to the top of the Premier League table.

Taylor also posted a 100+ average as he comfortably saw off Adrian Lewis 7-1 to move up to second, yet the feeling is right now

Game on: Michael van Gerwen gets ready for his walk-on at the Alexandra Palace

‘If van Gerwen carries on then Taylor won’t be the greatest forever’ whatever he can do, van Gerwen can do even better.

Times change and as one player’s career comes to an end, another’s is just getting started. Taylor’s 16 World Championship titles is one record which not even van Gerwen himself can see being broken.

Nor can you foresee MVG still playing at the top level in his midfifties, but when both players call

it a day no doubt what they’ve achieved in the sport will be compared, and commentators, writers and fans will have their say on who they think was the best.

Right now Taylor’s career is still going strong. He is still among the sport’s elite, fourth in the Order of Merit, flying high near the top of the Premier League and recording the big averages.

The number of major titles being collected is a lot less than what it was before, most of those nowadays are being snapped up by van Gerwen, but he still has the game to perform with the best.

MVG has been number one for the last few years and the true test to see whether he can eventually overtake Taylor as the greatest of all-time, will come with time.

Taylor dominated the PDC circuit for close to 20 years and it is for that reason why he is classed as the best, but if van Gerwen carries on then he won’t be forever.