It was almost the perfect night for the Scots up in Glasgow yesterday, as they crowded into the packed SSE Hydro to witness night seven in this year's Betway Premier League of Darts, as one of their own bore down on a possible nine-dart finish. Sadly, current World Champion Gary Anderson just missed the double-12 finish that he required and the chance was gone. He did however take the match against the Belgian player Kim Huybrechts and was loudly congratulated for his efforts at the end by the 10,000 who witnessed it. Phil Taylor was not as fortunate, as despite achieving an amazing average in excess of 115 for his match, he still wound up on the losing side to the Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld.
Anderson started strongly, despite the loss of the first leg to Huybrechts, roaring back to take a 3-1 lead. He maintained his advantage up to 6-4, just about keeping his dangerous rival at bay, but was pegged back to just one leg ahead when the 29-year-old Belgian took out a finish of 84. Already certain of a point, a relaxed Anderson then almost brought the house down in the deciding leg, as he backed up a 177 with a perfect score of 180, leaving 144 to hit a nine-darter, the pinnacle in darting excellence. He was ever so close to achieving it as well, as his accuracy only deserted him on the last dart, the double-12 shot grazing the wire but landing the wrong side. He did take the leg two darts later on his return to the oche though, sealing a 7-5 success in the match.
Taylor suffered a disappointment on the night, as he lost 7-4 to his old rival and five-time World Champion van Barneveld. He was in top form though for much of the game, but lost out at crucial moments when he failed to finish the legs off after heavy scoring prior to that. After a whirlwind start saw 'The Power' charge 2-0 ahead, including a 12-dart finish, he made an error of judgement by foregoing a potential bull finish to take out 125, setting up double-sixteen on his next throw instead.
That proved fatal, as the Dutchman dramatically clinched a 144 check-out of his own. With a score on the board, the game became much more even as 'Barney' took the next leg, before Taylor took out another 12-darter to edge ahead once more. Van Barneveld reeled off three legs in a row as missed doubles cost Taylor, leaving him 5-3 in arrears.
With the momentum going his way, Holland's number two moved to 6-3 and despite Taylor scoring well in the next leg to raise hopes of maybe taking a point after all, he saw even that taken away from him, as van Barneveld closed the match out at 7-4. Taylor's 115.80 average was the highest by a losing player for a televised match, including an extraordinary nine 180s.
World number one Michael van Gerwen heads the league, two points ahead of Anderson, after clinching a 7-4 victory over Dave Chisnall. Neither player was at their best, but van Gerwen did just enough to get both points with the win.
The other two games played in Glasgow resulted in 6-6 draws, with a point each to the players involved.
James Wade tied with Adrian Lewis and the other Scot in the league, Peter Wright came back from 5-1 down to snatch a draw against Stephen Bunting.
Night eight will see the Premier League visit Dublin, as the players down at the bottom of the table need to start picking up points fast or risk elimination the week after, when Manchester will be the venue for 'Judgement Night', with two players dropping out after it.
