RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 8 - 4 DENNIS PRIESTLEY
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD showed some brilliant form to defeat Dennis Priestley 8-4 and put himself back into second place in the Holsten Premier League Darts.
The pair produced a sensational contest in Blackburn, both averaging over 100 and also coming close to hitting nine-darters in one amazing leg.
They shared 11 maximums during the match, with seven coming from van Barneveld in the final nine legs after he failed to hit any in the opening three.
Priestley took the first leg before van Barneveld levelled in the next and then took out 116 against the throw - with the Yorkshireman sat on 40 - in the third.
The fourth saw both open with back-to-back 180s to leave them looking at nine-dart finishes - although van Barneveld missed an eighth perfect dart at treble 19 and Priestley was then off target on dart seven.
The Dutchman left 32, which he finished in two darts for an 11-darter to move 3-1 up, before the next two were traded in 13 and 12 darts respectively to leave van Barneveld two legs up at the break.
He came back out with a brace of brilliant 11-darters to go 6-2 up before Priestley hit two 180s in taking the next in 14 darts.
Van Barneveld won the tenth leg in 14 darts, with Priestley sat on 24, to ensure at least a point before Priestley won leg 11 to stay in the hunt for a draw.
But the Dutchman landed yet another maximum among three ton-plus scores to wrap up the win and avenge his disappointing defeat to Priestley in Blackpool a month ago.
"A month ago I couldn't hit a treble against Dennis but I've been exercising, on the Atkins diet and I've invested in myself," he said.
"After I took the third leg I relaxed and hit trebles all the way. It would have been nice to hit the nine-darter but I'm just pleased to get the win."
