The undoubted highlight of week three of the prestigious Premier League of Darts was the highly anticipated clash between Michael van Gerwen and reigning PDC world champion Gary Anderson. As the weekly showcase of ten of the most gifted darts players on the planet rolled into Liverpool, additional spice had been added to the battle between the two undefeated players after last weekend's German Championship, van Gerwen prevailing on that occasion with a massive 118 average. It was the Dutchman who again came out on top on Merseyside on Thursday, enabling him to move a point clear at the top of the Premier League table in the process.
'MVG' is the top 'draw' at the moment in darts, the world number one and holding a record of just one defeat since losing to the Scotsman in an epic semi-final at the world championships. His prodigious talent was once again evident in Liverpool as he marched into a 6-3 lead over Anderson, with five legs won on the bounce. That guaranteed him at least a point from the fixture, and although the affable Scotsman did prolong the match by taking the next leg with a 68 check-out, van Gerwen clinched the match in the eleventh leg to take a 7-4 victory and his third straight win of the new season.
Local lad Stephen Bunting found the 'Power' of Phil Taylor much too powerful for him in their clash, being well-beaten 7-1 despite plenty of vocal home support from the 7,000 or so fans packed into the Echo Arena.
The sixteen-time world champion hardly broke sweat in taking his second victory of the Premier League season, including two top-class finishes on 121 and 151. Bunting has only a single point to show from his three games so far and looks to be an early candidate for elimination from the competition this year after week nine, unless he starts picking up victories soon.
He has played three of the most consistent players already though in Taylor, Wade and van Gerwen, although all 10 players in the league are top quality in their own right.
The three remaining fixtures all finished in draws, with each player taking six legs apiece and another vital match point towards their league total. That ensured that the match-up between the other two undefeated players in the league ended all-square, between James Wade and Dave Chisnall, with both players still to taste defeat this campaign.
The other two draws were in the matches between the colourful Peter Wright and Raymond van Barneveld, and Adrian Lewis against 'newbie' Kim Huybrechts. Wright had more reason than his Dutch opponent to feel pleased with his efforts on the night, after coming back from 5-1 down to snatch a point in the final leg. It was the first point for either player this season, so they will now look to 'kick on' in future weeks.
