Mardle a fan of Premier League Darts 'mini-tournaments': "This format is going to work and hopefully it's got legs"

Wayne Mardle is a fan of the new Premier League Darts format alleviating initial worries about the mini-tournaments featuring the same eight players.

"Coming into the Premier League with the change of format, you kind of think I hope it works, for the viewers, the players and I think it does. Like I said the unpredictability due to the short format, I think we saw it there as well because at 4-4, Jonny (Clayton) was averaging 88 and Joe (Cullen) was averaging 97 but the level is still too close to call," said Mardle to Sky Sports Darts.

"He did it both ways did Jonny, he did it against someone playing unbelievably well like Van Gerwen and he kind of matched him dart for dart and had to grind it out as well. Testament to Jonny and his belief and where he is with his darts right now. I think this format is going to work and hopefully it's got legs."

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No favourite so far

But for Mardle, he doesn't see a favourite so far with Jonny Clayton leading the pack but he expects that to change around over the course of the season.

"We were saying coming into this that Van Gerwen had a bit to prove, maybe to himself and confidence wise and I think that's been dealt with. Joe Cullen getting off the mark, that's been dealt with. Michael Smith hasn't, he needs to register that first win before it manifests itself into a problem."

"Last week we were saying Jonny Clayton was the man to beat, this week we were saying Peter Wright. Well it's Jonny Clayton again, it's what he did under pressure against MVG, grinds it out and how Wright played how he underperformed. It's difficult to call, it really is."