2018 Premier League

[Ginge]

Thread has run its course now until next Thursday, please lock for 6 days.

[Little Lonely Garry]

Thread has run its course now until next Thursday, please lock for 6 days.

[ssjsa]

ROB CROSS has attributed his return to clinical form to his practice regime, after kick-starting his Unibet Premier League season with four straight wins.

The World Champion had opened his debut Premier League campaign with back-to-back losses in February before finding his feet as he earned match practice.

However, he has regained the killer finishing which helped him to Alexandra Palace glory in recent weeks, with wins over Raymond van Barneveld, Michael Smith and Mensur Suljovic seeing him finished 7/10, 7/12 and 7/9 attempts at a double.

Cross believes that form has come in part as a result of his hard work in practice focusing on setting up a checkout.

"Everyone can score, everyone can hit 180s but it's the crucial doubles that can cost you," said Cross.

"I play a lot of 201 in practice - that set-up and finish, you want to be doing it in six darts and that's what you need to be doing, have a good tidy end to your leg."

Cross plays Gerwyn Price as the Premier League visits Glasgow on Thursday night, and is aiming to extend his winning run to five straight matches.

"I've been working hard recently and I'm feeling good," said Cross. "My doubles went great last week but my scoring wasn't as relentless so it's not all come out yet but it was an improvement.

"I feel great at the minute and I'm a lot more comfortable in the Premier League now. As long as I'm focused and I know I'm playing well, I'll get the results."

A small number of tickets are still available for Thursday's Unibet Premier League at The SSE Hydro, and can be purchased through www.thessehydro.com and 0844 395 4000.

The Unibet Premier League will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from 7pm on Thursday nights and shown worldwide through the PDC's international broadcast partners.

In addition, the Unibet Premier League will feature radio commentary throughout the season on talkSPORT and talkSPORT2. For further details of coverage, please visit www.talksport.co.uk.

[ssjsa]

TABLE-TOPPERS Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith clash as the Unibet Premier League visits Glasgow on Thursday, where Gary Anderson and Peter Wright hope to boost their battles against elimination on home soil.

The Premier League's top two players, Van Gerwen and Smith, will clash at The SSE Hydro in a bid to move two points clear at the head of the table following seven matches.

The pair's only previous Premier League meeting had seen Van Gerwen set a world record average of 123.40 in Aberdeen in 2016, and the Dutchman is aiming to assert his dominance over the early-season pace-setter.

"I always have good games against Michael," said Van Gerwen, who moved top on leg difference last week following a fourth straight win. "It's going to be a tough one also for him because he did well up to now.

"I'm going to stop him and he knows I want to. He's a good player and it's about time it comes out because he's a phenomenal talent.

"I know I can raise my game a lot more but I'm winning and that's the most important thing. It's a tough schedule ahead but I'm top of the table and I only want to be at the top."

Smith won his opening four matches and bounced back to winning ways with a 7-1 demolition of Wright last week - but insists that facing the world number one will be a true test of his form.

"This game and the game against Gary Anderson were the two I was looking forward to when I got back in the Premier League," said Smith. "I love playing Michael.

"He's one of the nice lads, we have a laugh but when we're playing he gets on with the game. He believes in his ability, the way I do, and hopefully there will be some fireworks this week.

"It could go six-all and be over in ten minutes with how quick it is, but I'm really looking forward to that game.

"I know I'm playing okay, and you want to play the best players in the world to see what else you need to improve on. I'll know that if I lose what I need to work on."

Scottish superstar Anderson has drawn his last three matches and is aiming to defeat fourth-placed Simon Whitlock to avoid being drawn into the battle against elimination on Judgement Night.

"It's good to be back in Scotland," said Anderson. "We only do it twice a year and the reception from the fans in Glasgow is always fantastic.

"Simon's played really well so far this season so I've got to be good. I've been nicking points here and there recently but it's got to come good at some point and hopefully that will be this week."

2012 Premier League finalist Whitlock had won his first three matches this season on his return to the tournament, and is relishing the chance to face the UK Open champion.

"I've got a poor record against him - I beat him a couple of times last year, one in a final, but he's a fine player," said Whitlock. "I'm trying to play really well and to try and get some points every week.

"A lot of people pay good money to watch the Premier League and I don't want to be there to make the numbers up - I want to be there and perform and do my best to try and make the Play-Offs.

"I've had a bad couple of weeks but I'm enjoying the Premier League and it's looking okay at the moment."

World number two Wright is also hoping that a return to Scotland can boost his season, with the 2017 runner-up having been dragged into the elimination scrap with successive 7-1 defeats.

Wright is hoping to shake off a shoulder problem in time for his game with Raymond van Barneveld, and said: "I love playing at The Hydro.

"The atmosphere is just out of this world, the Scots always give me such a loud welcome, it's just fantastic and I just want to win for them.

"The fans in Glasgow love Raymond so our game will be really special to play in. He's a class act and has looked good the last couple of weeks so I think it will be a great match."

The night in Glasgow also sees two players locked on four points, Daryl Gurney and Mensur Suljovic, meet in a key clash, while bottom player Gerwyn Price searches for his first win of the season against Rob Cross.

World Champion Cross, though, is in confident mood after claiming four successive victories to move into third place in the table.

"I've been working hard recently and I'm feeling good," said Cross. "My doubles went great last week but my scoring wasn't as relentless so it's not all come out yet but it was an improvement.

"I feel great at the minute and I'm a lot more comfortable in the Premier League now. As long as I'm focused and I know I'm playing well, I'll get the results."

A small number of tickets are still available for Thursday's Unibet Premier League at The SSE Hydro, and can be purchased through www.thessehydro.com and 0844 395 4000.

The Unibet Premier League will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from 7pm on Thursday nights and shown worldwide through the PDC's international broadcast partners.

In addition, the Unibet Premier League will feature radio commentary throughout the season on talkSPORT and talkSPORT2. For further details of coverage, please visit www.talksport.co.uk.

Unibet Premier League
Night Seven - March 22
The SSE Hydro, Glasgow
Daryl Gurney v Mensur Suljovic
Michael van Gerwen v Michael Smith
Gary Anderson v Simon Whitlock
Peter Wright v Raymond van Barneveld
Rob Cross v Gerwyn Price
Tickets via www.thessehydro.com and 0844 395 4000

Unibet Match Odds - Night Seven, Glasgow
33/20 Daryl Gurney
16/5 Draw
6/5 Mensur Suljovic

33/100 Michael van Gerwen
5/1 Draw
6/1 Michael Smith

11/25 Gary Anderson
4/1 Draw
5/1 Simon Whitlock

17/10 Peter Wright
16/5 Draw
6/5 Raymond van Barneveld

2/5 Rob Cross
4/1 Draw
11/2 Gerwyn Price

Odds courtesy www.unibet.co.uk and correct at time of writing. Subject to fluctuation.

[ssjsa]

PL day out started. Train into Glasgow. Wetherspoons for 12. Lunch at the best Chinese in Glasgow. On to the Hydro for great night of Darts. Don't think I will be posting averages tonight.

[Mgt]

PL day out started. Train into Glasgow. Wetherspoons for 12. Lunch at the best Chinese in Glasgow. On to the Hydro for great night of Darts. Don't think I will be posting averages tonight.

Have fun tonight! And try to keep the chucking of coins at the players to a bare minimum

[BlueSpark]

Off out for a chinky.
Will catch up on the darts later.

[Mgt]

Mensur letting himself down a bit with his doubles in that match. Was rooting for him but alas.

[Dreamboy501]

Mensur's in trouble at this point....

[Mgt]

MvG took some time to get going, but still steamrollered Smith in the end as expected. Let's see what Anderson can do in front of his home crowd.

[WizardofozFan]

And again just not good enough for Whitlock, whose recent record against Gary is abysmal. Timing off as usual, has to stop the 55, 57 scores!

[WizardofozFan]

And again just not good enough for Whitlock, whose recent record against Gary is abysmal. Timing off as usual, has to stop the 55, 57 scores!

[WizardofozFan]

Great chance there needing 227, hits T20, follows it with a single 1 and single 20. Should be down to at least 127 but finds himself on 146. Just cannot afford to do that against this calibre of player.

Whitlock likely to play Jan Dekker in round 2 of the ET this weekend, awful draw for him and can only see one result with such performances.

[Mgt]

Wright's confidence looks completely shattered. Hope he gets back on track once his physical problems are gone, painful seeing him like this.

[BlueSpark]

Wright's confidence looks completely shattered. Hope he gets back on track once his physical problems are gone, painful seeing him like this.

Not painful at all for me.
I am delighted. 7-1 for the third week on the bounce ffs

[WizardofozFan]

Sad to see poor Peter struggling like this, clearly with an ailment and bad shoulder. Has had a brilliant 4 years, no-one can take that away from him. Feels like he needs a few months off and return at the Matchplay in July.

But fear ye not, he has Whitlock next week so will probably hit everything and punish Simon's poor timing for a win and put the Aussie in danger....

[Mgt]

Can't see past a Cross demonstration here. Hope Price takes it to put some pressure on the others at the bottom of the table though.

[Mgt]

Wright's confidence looks completely shattered. Hope he gets back on track once his physical problems are gone, painful seeing him like this.

Not painful at all for me.
I am delighted. 7-1 for the third week on the bounce ffs

Nothing wrong with Wright as far as I'm concerned. How he dresses is up to him and there is no arguing with what he demonstrated on the board the last couple of years.

With the dominance of heavy scoring rythm players I quite like Wright's more deliberate approach and clinical finishing when he's in form.

[BlueSpark]

Wright's confidence looks completely shattered. Hope he gets back on track once his physical problems are gone, painful seeing him like this.

Not painful at all for me.
I am delighted. 7-1 for the third week on the bounce ffs

Nothing wrong with Wright as far as I'm concerned. How he dresses is up to him and there is no arguing with what he demonstrated on the board the last couple of years.

With the dominance of heavy scoring rythm players I quite like Wright's more deliberate approach and clinical finishing when he's in form.

I like him more than say, Pipe, Dolan or Price.
Only just though.

[Mgt]

Wright's confidence looks completely shattered. Hope he gets back on track once his physical problems are gone, painful seeing him like this.

Not painful at all for me.
I am delighted. 7-1 for the third week on the bounce ffs

Nothing wrong with Wright as far as I'm concerned. How he dresses is up to him and there is no arguing with what he demonstrated on the board the last couple of years.

With the dominance of heavy scoring rythm players I quite like Wright's more deliberate approach and clinical finishing when he's in form.

I like him more than say, Pipe, Dolan or Price.
Only just though.

Of those three I only dislike Pipe, and that's only since cough gate.

Only players I can think of I really find annoying are Taylor and occasionally Adrian Lewis.