Darts: Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
James Wade returned to the top of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts table with an 8-4 win over Jelle Klaasen at the Sheffield Arena - piling the pressure on Phil Taylor.
Wade completed his league fixtures for the 2009 season in impressive style in Yorkshire, taking out a 170 checkout to seal victory against the Dutchman.
That leaves Taylor needing to win or draw against Mervyn King in Cardiff next week when the pair clash if he is to finish top going into the play-offs.
"To finish with a 170 was fantastic and it^s good to be back top of the table," said Wade.
"Phil has a game in hand but my work^s done now and I can look ahead to the play-offs."
The night^s other league match saw Terry Jenkins overcome John Part 8-3 to keep alive his hopes of finishing in fifth place.
Jenkins needs only to draw or win in his final league fixture, against Raymond van Barneveld, to claim fifth and an increased prize of £32,500 after an impressive win over Part, which included a 141 checkout.
Taylor defeated long-term rival Dennis Priestley 8-4 in one of two Challenge Matches in Sheffield, scheduled due to Wayne Mardle^s withdrawal from the Premier League through illness.
The other game saw world number seven Adrian Lewis, a semi-finalist last year, push Raymond van Barneveld all the way before going down 7-5.
Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts
Week 13 - Sheffield Arena
Raymond van Barneveld 7-5 Adrian Lewis (Challenge Match)
Phil Taylor 7-4 Dennis Priestley (Challenge Match)
Terry Jenkins 8-3 John Part
James Wade 8-4 Jelle Klaasen
Latest Table (after 13 weeks)
P
W
D
L
+/-
Pts
James Wade
12
7
3
2
+15
17
Phil Taylor
11
6
4
1
+24
16
Mervyn King
11
4
4
3
+12
12
R v Barneveld
11
5
2
4
+5
12
John Part
12
2
5
5
-23
9
Terry Jenkins
11
2
4
5
-9
8
Jelle Klaasen
12
1
4
7
-24
6
RAYMOND VAN BARNVELD 7-5 ADRIAN LEWIS
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD defeated Adrian Lewis 7-5 in a Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts Challenge Match to continue his confident form at the Sheffield Arena.
Van Barneveld warmed up for next month^s play-offs, and his final league match against Terry Jenkins, with a stylish display to take the £1,000 prize against Lewis.
The Stoke youngster had stepped in to play in Sheffield after Wayne Mardle was ruled out of the remainder of the Premier League through illness, and showed the form which took him to last year^s semi-final in an entertaining game.
He kicked off the match with a 180, and finished 130 on double five for the opening leg before doubling his lead with a 100 finish that featured two double tops.
The pair traded maximums in the third leg, with van Barneveld hitting double eight to get off the mark and finishes of 105, 124 and 92 in taking the next four for a 5-2 lead.
A showpiece 96 of single 20, double 18 and double top from Lewis stopped that run, but tops put van Barneveld a leg away from the win.
Lewis took the tenth leg on double one, and defied a maximum from the Dutchman to take out 84 for the next in cutting the lead to 6-5.
But van Barneveld was too strong in the next, and returned from two missed match darts to hit double four for victory.
PHIL TAYLOR 7-4 DENNIS PRIESTLEY
PHIL TAYLOR denied Dennis Priestley a winning return to the big stage, and declared himself ready to claim a fifth successive Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts title.
Taylor took a 7-4 victory from a Challenge Match against his long-time rival at the Sheffield Arena to maintain his run of form - which included a record televised average of 116 last week.
He takes on Mervyn King in his final league match in Cardiff next Thursday, and could face King or Raymond van Barneveld in the play-offs at the end of May.
"Though this wasn^t a competitive fixture it was played in great spirit and it^s important for me," said Taylor.
"I^m determined to finish top of the table and I^ll have to win against Mervyn to do that, and I^m already determined to win the play-offs.
"At the moment I^m playing well, feeling really good and enjoying my darts, and that^s showing in my performances."
Taylor certainly enjoyed the chance to resume his rivalry with Priestley, which has spanned two decades at the top of darts, and the quality at the Sheffield Arena was typically high.
Taylor edged the early exchanges to take a 3-1 lead, with Priestley hitting a 14-darter to get off the mark and following that up with an 11-dart finish which featured back-to-back 180s.
Taylor took out legs of 13 and 14 darts to move back in front at 5-3, before Priestley edged the ninth.
But double 16 moved Taylor 6-4 up and he took advantage of misses from Priestley to wrap up the win.
"It^s a pleasure to be playing in front of my home crowd and it^s great to be invited," said Priestley, who stepped in after Wayne Mardle was ruled out of the remainder of the Premier League through illness.
"It^s always great to play against Phil, you know you have to be at your best against him and I wasn^t. but I wanted to enjoy the evening.
"I^m trying to keep into the top six and hopefully have one final year in the Premier League that would take me towards turning 60 - when I plan to retire!"
TERRY JENKINS 8-3 JOHN PART
TERRY JENKINS took the advantage in the race for a fifth-placed finish in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts with an 8-3 win over John Part.
Both Jenkins and Part went into their encounter at the Sheffield Arena unable to qualify for next month^s play-offs, but with increased prize money on offer for finishing places in the league table.
While Part sits a point ahead of Jenkins following his defeat, the Ledbury man needs just a draw from his clash with Raymond van Barneveld next week to claim fifth place and £32,500 prize money.
Jenkins looked in control throughout after establishing a 3-0 lead in double-quick time, which included a 141 checkout in the third leg.
Part landed a 180 and a 100 finish to get on the scoreboard and punished missed doubles to take the fifth and reduce the gap to one leg.
But Jenkins landed a maximum of his own in the sixth and also took the next three - missing the bullseye for a showpiece 170 checkout in one leg - to move 7-2 ahead.
Double 16 kept Part in the game, but there was little he could do in the next as Jenkins landed double three for his second victory of the campaign.
"I^m still aiming for fifth place and I know what I need to do against Raymond," said Jenkins.
"I^ll be confident going into that match, just like I was for this game. I felt relaxed and my performance showed that, and I^m just frustrated that I missed some chances in the early weeks that have cost me a play-off place."
JAMES WADE 8-4 JELLE KLAASEN
JAMES WADE returned to the top of the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts table with an 8-4 win over Jelle Klaasen - piling the pressure on Phil Taylor.
Wade completed his league fixtures for the 2009 season in impressive style at the Sheffield Arena, taking out a 170 checkout to seal victory against the Dutchman.
That leaves Taylor needing to win or draw against Mervyn King in Cardiff next week when the pair clash if he is to finish top going into the play-offs.
Wade looked on course to wrap up a comfortable win when he moved 3-0 up against Klaasen before the young Dutchman got off the mark on double 16.
Checkouts of 103 and 76 moved Wade 5-1 up, and he responded to Klaasen taking the seventh with legs of 11 and 13 darts to move to the brink of victory.
Klaasen took out 104 and then 70 to win the next two legs and give hope of a comeback, but Wade wrapped up the victory in style with a 170 checkout to seal two points and a £1,000 bonus as the night^s highest finish.
"Jelle didn^t start well but I took advantage but he came back well and started taking his shots out," said Wade.
"To finish with a 170 was fantastic and it^s good to be back top of the table. Phil has a game in hand but my work^s done now and I can look ahead to the play-offs."