Excitement set to continue in week two of the Premier League

Raymond van Barneveld

Two draws, two comebacks and wins for two debutants. Overall it wasn’t a bad opening night of this year’s Premier League.

Andy Hamilton and Kevin Painter stunned James Wade and reigning Premier League champion Gary Anderson by picking up debut wins in the competition. Raymond van Barneveld and Simon Whitlock played out a 7-7 draw in one of the best games of the event, while Phil Taylor came from 5-0 down to rescue a point against Adrian Lewis.

All that happened in one night. There is still another 14 weeks to go, so time to fasten your seatbelts.

Week two of the Premier League comes to Aberdeen, and the match of the night is the one that sees two-time and reigning world champion Lewis facing five-time champion of the world Van Barneveld.

Both players will feel they should have won their games last week. In the case of Barney, the Dutchman threw some of his best darts for a while but had to battle back to win the last two legs against Whitlock.

Lewis has an even bigger case, as he was 5-0 and 6-1 in front against Taylor and just needed two more legs to pick up the win. Instead, he was on the end of a Power surge which saw Taylor win six of the last seven legs and take a share of the spoils.

With the Scottish faithful not having a particular liking for the English, the support will be behind Barney as they treat him like one of their own, and it is the reason why Van Barneveld was given a wildcard for this year’s competition. Without him, it wouldn’t quite be the same.

Lewis and Van Barneveld have had contrasting fortunes, summed up at the Alexandra Palace during the world championship. Lewis retained his crown, while Barney was beaten by unknown James Richardson in the first round.

The Premier League so far has seen Lewis pick up from where he left off, and has seen a completely different Barney as it is an event he always plays well at having reached the semis five times in six appearances.

No one would have given world finalist Hamilton a chance against Wade, but the Hammer thoroughly deserved his victory and has shown he will be no pushover in the Premier League.

Painter believed he should have been in the inaugural Premier League in 2005 after losing to Taylor in a sudden-death leg in the world final of 2004, but seven years on and he is making the most of his time.

Anderson had a night to forget as the Scot missed double after double after double, and after being 5-1 in front Painter limped over the finishing line 8-6 to fend off a late Anderson charge.

The two debutants have tough matches in week two, as Painter and Taylor meet in a repeat of the 2004 world final, while Hamilton faces Anderson in his own backyard.

The final match of the night sees Whitlock up against Wade, and if the latter isn’t in the right frame of mind then Whitlock will blow him away.

The Australian was a losing World Cup finalist a couple of weeks’ ago and was sensational against Barney. On the other hand Wade just seemed to lose interest when he was behind against Hamilton last week, and if the current UK Open champion finds himself behind against Whitlock don’t expect to see a Taylor-esque comeback.

Draws were the story of week one, and will continue to be throughout this year’s Premier League, with another one coming in week two.

Predictions: Lewis and Barney to draw, Anderson to beat Hamilton, Taylor to beat Painter and Whitlock to beat Wade.

İsmail Vedat- Follow me on twitter

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