The semi-finals on the final night of the 2024
Premier League Darts campaign in Sheffield are locked in. Joining the duo of Luke Littler and Michael Smith who had already secured victories in the earlier quarter-finals,
Luke Humphries and
Michael van Gerwen have now joined them.
Humphries took the nightly win last Thursday night in Leeds, and although Littler's victory over Peter Wright earlier in the night had already denied 'Cool Hand Luke' the chance to bag himself top spot in the league table, the world champion kept his hopes alive of another night win with a 6-4 quarter-final victory over
Gerwyn Price.
Based on the averages, Price has been one of the most in-form players in world darts in 2024, although the Welshman has yet to be rewarded with the results. Sadly for Price that lack of reward continued in Sheffield as despite moving clear into a 2-0 lead early, Humphries pegged back to level. As the players traded blows in the legs that followed, with the scores tied at four apiece, it was Humphries who forced the advantage with a 16-darter. Following that up with a 17-dart-leg in the following, the Englishman took victory and moved through to the semi-finals with a 6-4 win, averaging 93.83 in the process.
In the semi-finals, Humphries will face off against Michael van Gerwen. Although both
Rob Cross and Michael van Gerwen had nothing to play for in this one other than pride, the level was still strong early on, the Dutchman notably taking leg 2 in just 11 darts. Despite van Gerwen averaging around the 110 mark however, it was Cross who managed to get himself into the ascendancy, powering into a 4-1 lead with a 104 checkout.
As van Gerwen continued to perform at a high level however, Cross dropped off ever so slightly and was punished with the reigning Premier League Darts champion powering back to level terms with a trifecta of 14-dart legs. As both players missed darts at double in the ninth leg, it was again van Gerwen who got the last laugh for a fourth straight leg and a 5-4 lead. After Cross had again missed a dart at double in leg 10, van Gerwen nailed tops for a 55 checkout and the 6-4 win, averaging 105.7.