Simon Whitlock qualified for the McCoy’s Premier League Playoffs with fourteen points, despite suffering defeat at the hands of Andy Hamilton at Birmingham’s NIA.

Photo: Lawerence Lustig/PDC

‘The Wizard’ was rewarded for a good season when other results meant he officially qualified with a week to spare.

Whitlock had picked up six victories and two draws before Thursday’s setback against ‘The Hammer’, and fourteen points proved to be enough to seal a semi-final spot.

The Australian ace drew his first match against Raymond van Barneveld in Manchester, before an 8-4 triumph over James Wade in Aberdeen put him top of the table.

Back to back defeats against Kevin Painter and Phil Taylor knocked him off the league’s summit, but the ‘Beard to be feared’ bounced back by beating World Champion Adrian Lewis 8-4 in Brighton on night five.

‘The Wizard’ followed that win up with another success when he beat reigning Premier League champion Gary Anderson 8-6 in Glasgow.

He picked up another point when he drew with Hamilton in Dublin, and then put defeat against Wade in Cardiff behind him by claiming three consecutive victories.

Whitlock saw off Anderson, Painter and van Barneveld to reach the magic fourteen point mark, meaning defeats against Taylor and Hamilton had no bearing on him reaching the last four.

‘The Wizard’ faces Lewis on the final night of the league stage in Newcastle next Thursday, before joining Taylor and two others on finals night at London’s O2 Arena on May 17^th.

By Chris Murphy

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 7 – 7 Gary Anderson

Raymond van Barneveld took the race for the Play-Offs into the final week, after he earned a draw against reigning McCoy’s Premier League champion Gary Anderson in Birmingham.

Photo: Lawerence Lustig/PDC

Van Barneveld hit a stunning maximum checkout of 170 in a high quality encounter against the world number three, as he grabbed a share of the spoils at the NIA.

“Big finishes are great but at the end of the day they are only in one leg,” said van Barneveld, who also took out 120 in the match.

“I had a couple of them but I didn’t play well enough on Gary’s throw. Next week I will give my very best.

“People at the beginning of the Premier League thought I was finished but I feel I have proved them wrong whatever happens.”

‘Barney’ started in style, producing a brilliant 138 checkout against the throw to win the first leg.  He just missed the bull for a sensational 161 finish in leg two, allowing Anderson to level up on double top.

‘The Flying Scotsman’ held his throw to edge in front, before breaking despite van Barneveld hitting his first 180.

The Dutchman’s second maximum came in the fifth leg, as he broke back and reduced the deficit to one leg.

‘Barney’ squared up the match before the break, throwing five perfect darts at treble twenty before hitting double 14 to win leg six.

Van Barneveld grabbed a crucial break of throw in the seventh leg, before increasing his lead to 5-3 with a roof-raising 170 checkout.

Anderson took out 60 and 70 in the next two legs to restore parity, before a neat 64 checkout gave the Scotsman a 6-5 lead.

‘Barney’ hit a brilliant 120 finish to level up before Anderson held his throw to deny The Dutchman a victory.

The five-time World Champion secured a draw though, taking out 60 to keep his Play-Off hopes alive.

By Chris Murphy