Exeter hosted the fourth week of breathtaking darts as the world's best eight players took to the oche once again, with two previous World Championship finals taking place. Up first was pointless James Wade against Kevin Painter who has won two out of his three first Premier League matches. Wade outscored Painter in the opening three legs but it took until the third leg for The Machine to hit a 118 check-out to lead 2-1. Painter kept himself in touch will an 81-checkout on the bull to make it 3-2 in Wade's favour, but Wade hit a 117 check-out to make it 4-2 at the break. The Artist was given a great chance to level the match but neither player could take out 60, but Painter followed that up with a 118-checkout of his own to make it 5-4. But Wade wasn't to be outdone and he secured his second 117-checkout to maintain his two leg lead. Wade was able to assure himself of his first point in the league before Painter forced a deciding leg. Wade was able to hold his throw to ensure he earned his first win of the tournament.
The second match of the evening saw Raymond Van Barneveld take on Andy Hamilton. The Dutchman hasn't won a game so far this tournament but would perhaps take some solace from the fact he has beat Hamilton in the 14 previous occasions these to have met. However it was The Hammer who secured the first break of throw in the third leg. Hamilton made sure he took a 4-2 lead going into the break with the pair having a 100% record on the doubles. That break of throw was looking like it would be enough until Barney levelled at 6-6 despite missing the game's first two darts at the double. Barneveld then took the lead for the first time since the opening to guarantee himself a point. Hamilton then lost his nerve and missed four darts at the double to allow the Dutchman his first win on the tournament.
The penultimate match was a rematch of the 2010 World Final between Phil Taylor and Simon Whitlock. The 2010 World Champion kicked the night off with a break of throw. Whitlock managed to hold throw on the second time of asking to make it 2-1 in Taylor's favour. The pair continued to hold throw with Taylor taking a 4-2 lead going into the break. Whitlock kept in touch until he missed double-16 after hitting two bulls for a 132 check-out, Taylor stepped up to take a 7-4 lead and The Power subsequently ended the match with setting a new three dart average of 117.35 on his way to the 8-4 scoreline.
This was followed by the 2011 World Final as Adrian Lewis faced Gary Anderson. It was also the reigning World Champion against the reigning Premier League Champion and it was the Scot who secured the first break of throw to lead 2-0. This soon transpired into a 5-0 lead after Lewis missed five darts at the double to put a leg on the score. The World Champion finally pulled a leg back as the players headed into the break at 5-1. Lewis missed a further four darts at the double in the eighth leg as Anderson again cashed in to make it 7-1 and the Scot was assured of a point. He then held his throw to make it 8-1 and three wins in a row, just has the easy task of facing Phil Taylor next week. Lewis is still awaiting his first win of the league and faces Whitlock next week.
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