Michael van Gerwen is the defending champion of the PDC Premier League Darts and still very much the man to beat; but he hasn’t had it all his own way this year. Three losses including back-to-back losses to Daryl Gurney and also James Wade have shown the World Number One isn’t as invincible as usual. He is usually a player for the big occasion though and he faces off against Gurney in the first semi-final tonight. Gurney has been one of the success stories of this year’s Premier League; with ‘Superchin’ bringing his form into the competition. Despite that though he only just squeezed through to the O2 with a victory over Michael Smith and results going his way; but he will hope against MVG that three times the charm and that he can produce a hat-trick of victories when it counts to set up a final place.
In the second semi-final, Rob Cross will face James Wade; in what is bound to be a thrilling encounter. Cross led the Premier League Darts till a final week slip-up where a poor performance was punished by Wade who secured his place; but also gave Van Gerwen the league phase win again. ’Voltage’ though has been brilliant throughout this season so far; he will be hoping to continue that starting with against Wade.
Wade though will have other ideas. An inclusion that some fans disagreed with at the outset, ‘The Machine’ has been one of the most in-form players in darts at the moment. An excellent eight months of so have seen him shoot back into the darting elite playing some of the best darts in his career and that shows in the Premier League.
He faces a tough test in Cross but one he overcame last week and with past experience and his recent title winning form, don’t count out the Machine.
Click here for more information about the Premier League Darts, including all the fixtures and the prize fund breakdown. Click here to follow the livescores during the play-offs of the PDC Premier League Darts 2019.
Michael van Gerwen v Daryl Gurney
Rob Cross v James Wade
Van Gerwen/Gurney v Cross/Wade