Part 2 of our Premier League Darts week 3 preview is now available with all this evening's action covered:
Simon Whitlock v Raymond van Barneveld
The closest match of the evening looks likely to be a repeat of January’s World Championship Semi Final between Simon Whitlock & Raymond van Barneveld with both men available to back at 11/8 (Draw 4/1). Whitlock finally seems to have settled in the UK. After looking out-of-sorts in week one, a 96.37 average was enough to take a draw against Jenkins in week two but perhaps a more accurate barometer of current form comes in the wake of his maiden PDC Pro Tour final in Swindon on Sunday in what is effectively his first full season on the tour. A 6-1 defeat to King in the final was preceded by victories over the likes of Colin Osborne, compatriot Paul Nicholson, Terry Jenkins & Gary Anderson. This column has previously been critical of van Barneveld’s attitude when things are not going his way but in truth - and much like the similar European Championship battering against the same man 18 months ago, he could not have done much against the barrage of big numbers being thrown by Adrian Lewis and the Dutchman was able to stick in there and take a few legs; which could prove vital when all the numbers are crunched at the end of week 14. The aforementioned World Championship Semi Final went the distance over eleven sets and the only other previous matches between these men were back in their BDO days where they traded victories in the ill-fated International Darts League. It’s incredibly difficult to call; Skybet go 9/1 on the Draw/Draw double result but with Barney continuing to neglect Pro Tour duties, it may well be Whitlock who has that extra match-sharpness required in such a tight encounter.
Phil Taylor v James Wade
Alarm bells weren’t exactly ringing at 4-0 down to Ronnie Baxter last week but hope must have been given to all other players on the tour that the great man is beatable. Fast forward half an hour and with ‘The Power’ having staged the obligatory comeback to take the points with an 8-6 victory, that hope may well have diminished but the layers are still willing to take on Taylor with Sportingbet going a standout 2/5 on him making it three wins out of three against James Wade tonight. It’s worth noting that three players have gone over 100 on the averages in this competition so far with Taylor not being one of them although Taylor backers may well be swift in pointing doubters to the current league table or to the fact that major honours are not given out in February. It would have taken a brave man to predict James Wade being the one left propping up the table after week two as the only man in the league without a point but that’s exactly the situation the 26-year old finds himself in and another defeat tonight could have a real impact on his chances of a top four finish. ‘The Machine’ will be boosted by the fact that of Taylor’s four defeats in the league stage since 2005, he has been responsible for two of them and punters who favour a statistical trend approach to betting, the 5/1 available on Wade may be of interest. With both men currently below their best, yet seemingly able to turn up the heat at anytime, the puntinplay advice is to steer clear of this one and enjoy what should be a fascinating end to a profitable evening of darts.
