Adrian Lewis was the star performer in Bournemouth to earn his first Premier League win in 2010 and he did it in some style!
But Phil Taylor stays top of the table after coming from 4-0 down to pip Ronnie Baxter!
Also on night two, Terry Jenkins was again the draw specialist, while reigning Premier League Champion James Wade is rooted to the bottom of the table after enduring a nightmare night on the South Coast.
Lewis was simply sensational against Barneveld in a high quality all Unicorn clash but to be fair, Barney didn’t do a lot wrong!
Incredibly, Lewis raced into a 6-0 lead with a 116 average in less than ten minutes!
The Dutchman restored some pride by winning three legs and finishing with a 99 average, while Lewis’ end average dipped to 105 but it was still some performance.
“I was disappointed with what happened at the O2. This was much more like it. If I am on my game, I can beat anyone,” Lewis said.
“It is good to get that first win under my belt. I reckon I can reach those semi-finals and then who knows!”
In that amazing opening burst, Lewis was 6/7 on his doubles, hit three 180s. an 11 darter, two 12 dart legs and finishes of 121, 102 and 81 on the bull.
Barneveld, who switched back to his slim flights again, didn’t get a shot at a double until the 7th leg and a 76 check-out got him on the board….he won the next after a third 180 but Lewis hit back-to-back 180s in the next to move 7-2 in front.
A 116 from Barney won him another leg but Lewis wrapped it up with his fifth attempt at D16.
Taylor admitted he was lucky to get the better of Baxter. He averaged just over 80 as he fell 4-0 behind to a firing ‘Rocket’.
He found something special from somewhere, as Baxter went off the boil….Taylor hit four 180s, two 11 dart legs and found himself 7-4 in front, having hit 7/9 on the doubles.
Baxter stopped the rot and then took the match into a deciding leg with a terrific exhibition finish on 96…after hitting single 20, he checked out with D18, D20 and the finish brought applause from ‘The Power’ himself!
Baxter threw for the draw in the last leg but his scoring let him down and Taylor pinched the win on D14. In the end, his finishing won him the two points….he was 8/12 on the doubles.
“It was a real struggle and Ronnie certainly deserved a point from the match,” admitted Taylor.
“When I was 4-0 down, the crowd were chanting ‘easy’ and they were right! I knew if I could win a couple of legs, it would be game on and I am just relieved to get through this to be honest.”
Unicorn’s World No.3 James Wade served up a video nasty in the art of finishing……normally, it is his strong suit but not this time…..just four hits from 21 attempts tells its own story, as he slumped to an 8-4 defeat against Mervyn King and he props up the rest in the table.
Wade actually went 2-0 in front, before he missed double after double, after double….King didn’t, as he gained some revenge for defeat to Wade in last year’s Premier League Final.
For Wade, it is already looking to be a big ask to qualify…..we shall see what he’s made of over the next 12 weeks.
So, it was another draw for Jenkins, who for the second consecutive week, managed to win the last two legs to scrape a point!
After losing his throw twice and going 3-0 behind, a draw was a great result for ‘The Bull’ against Simon Whitlock.
Jenkins yet again showed his fighting qualities. “I started slowly again which is disappointing but never write ‘The Bull’ off! I will get better as the tournament goes on,” he said.
The Australian looked set for a comfortable ride when he won those first three legs and it took a 12 darter and a 116 finish to get Jenkins on the board.
It was nip and tuck after that as the pair settled down to the task but when Whitlock hit a third 180 and an 86 check-out to lead 5-2, it looked like the game was up for Jenkins.
But not a bit of it! Jenkins dug in despite the Australian taking his 180 tally to six. The Unicorn ace hit his fourth maximum in a brilliant 11 darter which pulled the match back to 7-6.
In a dramatic decider, Whitlock missed D16 for a 102 finish and the match….up stepped Jenkins to nail a brilliant 104 to earn a deserved draw.
Week Two results:
Adrian Lewis 8-3 Raymond van Barneveld
Terry Jenkins 7-7 Simon Whitlock
Phil Taylor 8-6 Ronnie Baxter
James Wade 4-8 Mervyn King
Next up – the Premier League heads for Belfast, where the big match of the night sees Taylor taking on Wade…..
By STUART PYKE (Twitter @stuartpykesport)
Photo courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC