Players Championship 2, last 32: Michael van Gerwen pushed all the way

The world number one was pushed all the way, but eventually came out the 6-5 winner. Van Gerwen averaged 105.8, striking three maximums and a 170 finish across 11 legs. In a high-class encounter, only one leg was won in more than 15 darts. Both players hit a 180 in the deciding leg, but Mighty Mike reached a double first, and nailed double 14 with Searle waiting on 76. Luke Woodhouse, who completed a 6-3 victory over Jan Dekker, is van Gerwen's next opponent.
Adrian Lewis joined the Dutchman in the last 16, hitting four 180s in a 6-3 win over Nathan Aspinall. Jackpot could yet meet van Gerwen in the quarter-finals. Gary Anderson posted a 109 average as he saw off Darren Webster, winning 6-4 in Barnsley. Webster rattled off three legs on the spin to lead 3-2. But Anderson replied with three consecutive 15-darters, and an 11-darter rounded off the victory. A 103.8 average, featuring checkouts of 140 and 132, saw Ricky Evans come from 4-1 down to beat Luke Humphries 6-4.
Daryl Gurney was the biggest scalp of the last 32. The Grand Prix champion bombed out spectacularly, losing 6-0 against Simon Stevenson. Keegan Brown was also whitewashed. He failed to replicate the form that saw him beat Rob Cross, and was thrashed by Rob Thornton. The Thorn meets former World Cup partner Anderson in the last 16. And the impressive Richie Burnett beat Premier League leader Simon Whitlock 6-2.
Click here for the full Players Championship calendar and the prize fund breakdown.

Michael van Gerwen 6 | 5 Ryan Searle
Luke Woodhouse 6 | 3 Jan Dekker
Adrian Lewis 6 | 3 Nathan Aspinall
Richie Burnett 6 | 2 Simon Whitlock
Simon Stevenson 6 | 0 Daryl Gurney
Kirk Shepherd 6 | 4 Mervyn King
Ricky Evans 6 | 4 Luke Humphries
Ryan Joyce 6 | 5 Jermaine Wattimena
Steve West 6 | 3 Dawson Murschell
Ryan Meikle 6 | 4 Tytus Kanik
Kim Huybrechts 6 | 4 James Wilson
Ian White 6 | 3 Chris Quantock
Danny Noppert 6 | 4 Jarred Cole
Corey Cadby 6 | 3 Davy Van Baelen
Robert Thornton 6 | 0 Keegan Brown
Gary Anderson 6 | 4 Darren Webster

Michael van Gerwen - | - Luke Woodhouse
Adrian Lewis - | - Richie Burnett
Simon Stevenson - | - Kirk Shepherd
Ricky Evans - | - Ryan Joyce
Steve West - | - Ryan Meikle
Kim Huybrechts - | - Ian White
Danny Noppert - | - Corey Cadby
Robert Thornton - | - Gary Anderson