Wright Vows to Stop "Letting off" MVG
Pumped-up Peter Wright has vowed to stop “letting off” Michael van Gerwen after an epic Unibet Premier League victory.
Wright, decked out in stripey red and white trousers and head paint, looked like a member of a Barbershop quartet and was certainly back in full voice in Cardiff on Thursday night.
Snakebite then revealed his epic 7-5 win over MVG will help him recover from the heartbreak of missing six darts to win the PL final against the Dutchman at the O2 last year.
Wright said: “I should have beaten Michael in the UK Open qualifier last weekend but I let him off same with Michael Smith. I was in control of the game and I let him off in the end.
“But that’s down to stupidity and getting used to losing weight, throwing darts slightly different and stuff like that. I’m going to get there.
“I’ve most definitely learned from last year. Every time I play Michael I always let him off. If you watch all the games me and Michael play, I let him off. He let me off tonight to be honest, it’s about time.
“Losing last year’s final makes me focus. Yes I can make and reach the finals of these majors especially the Premier League that’s one of the hardest, so it was great to get to the final two.
“I managed that last year and I should have won it. Think about the Premier League final missing doubles, no I’m not going to miss doubles.
“I’ll be on the practice board and be much stronger and I’ll make sure I play a lot better next time.
“I’ve been told by lots of people I should be using my diamond darts, get rid of the rest and yes I will, I didn’t play well there but I will do with these and you watch out.”
The new leaner, meaner Wright seems to have his swagger back and beat MVG with a remarkable strength of mind and arrows.
It was Snakebite’s first PL win over the Dutchman as he averaged a very solid 101 and pounced on nine missed doubles from an unusually wasteful van Gerwen.
MVG took the lead but Wright stormed back to go 3-1 in front only for MVG to nail the next two legs to level it up.
But the pièce de résistance from Wright was a crisp 96 kill with two doubles, 18 and tops, in response to MVG taking out the big fish 170. Snakebite then wrapped it up with a quality 13-darter to win 7-5.
He added: “I couldn’t believe the price yesterday I was 13-2. I know Michael’s not been playing very well, I should have beat him at the weekend in one of the floor tournaments.
“I was still playing rubbish there both of us did, to be honest. I apologise to the crowd for not playing well. It’s good to get two points.
“All I was thinking when he hit the last 180, I think I had previously hit two out of two on tops with one dart, and I thought just do the same, don’t even think about it.”
Gary Anderson almost quit the Premier League a week but beat the boos to beat Gerwyn Price. The Flying Scotsman produced a performance oozing with class to defeat the Welshman 7-3 in Cardiff. Majestic Ando was given a hostile reception but soon silenced the home support at Price with a succession of clinical finishes. The Scot was said to have contemplated pulling out of the league with back problems a week ago but said: “It’s getting there just a lack of practice now. I had a good three hours tonight on the board which made a difference. I’ve changed my darts and I think I’ll stick to these. “My back is improving. I got back last week on Friday morning and was supposed to go to Manchester but instead went to docs at home. “All Monday and Tuesday I was at the osteopath but I’m improving all the time. They said something about exercising, don’t know what that word means! “I’ve got to do a lot of stretching and daft moves. But now my biggest problem is just a lack of practice. “Some were OK tonight and some were right wild ones. Where I was looking they were not going. But I’m happy, it was better than last week.”
Michael Smith admits he’s fed up with being second best as he produced a fine win over Daryl Gurney. Bully Boy went joint top of the Premier League with a classy 7-4 win over Superchin in Cardiff. Smith admitted: “I’m happy with that one, last week I couldn’t celebrate beating Gary Anderson but tonight that was two points that meant a lot. “Last week it was a struggle but I’m over the moon with that one. “I’m fed up with being second best or last best I want to be the best. I’ve got two kids now and I’m getting married next year and I’ve got to keep winning to pay for the wedding. “I have to do as much as I can. I’m only young once so when I started getting old and it disappears, I’ve got to do everything I can while I’m young. “I missed three darts to go 4-1 up and I thought that might cost me and then missed two darts at tops but he missed three again. “I could have won it a lot easier but also could have lost it. To get over that winning line with 64 and last dart means I’m over the moon. “Last time I was here it took me five weeks to get a point and now I’m on four points after just two weeks. I’m top of the league at the moment! “I’ll take that, top four is the aim and the finals night is what I’m aiming for.” Smith came roaring out the traps to go 3-0 in front with a devastating hat-trick of finishing. He hit 70, 124 and 72 in succession to leave Gurney reeling. But Superchin kept his cool and dragged himself back into the match, pouncing on Smith’s three chances to in leg five to reduce the deficit to 3-2. It was then all level after Gurney hit double 10 and after swapping legs again Bully Boy hit tops to go 5-4 in front. Gurney’s hopes then appeared to nosedive as he blew three darts at double 16 while Smith sunk tops with his last dart to go 6-4 up. Then Smith produced another clinical finish with 64 and double four to wrap up his second successive win in the Premier League.
World Champion Rob Cross sank to his SIXTH successive loss with a 7-1 defeat at the hands of Simon Whitlock. The Wizard of Oz said: “I feel fantastic, it wasn’t a great game but I got the job done. “I think Rob’s got a bit of a hangover from winning the Worlds, he’s under a lot of pressure but I feel a bit bad for him but I’ve got to do my job! “He’s a class player, he’ll bounce back but luckily it’s not against me. “First job is to avoid elimination then make the play-offs. I’m looking forward to it.”
Gary Anderson almost quit the Premier League a week but beat the boos to beat Gerwyn Price. The Flying Scotsman produced a performance oozing with class to defeat the Welshman 7-3 in Cardiff. Majestic Ando was given a hostile reception but soon silenced the home support at Price with a succession of clinical finishes. The Scot was said to have contemplated pulling out of the league with back problems a week ago but said: “It’s getting there just a lack of practice now. I had a good three hours tonight on the board which made a difference. I’ve changed my darts and I think I’ll stick to these. “My back is improving. I got back last week on Friday morning and was supposed to go to Manchester but instead went to docs at home. “All Monday and Tuesday I was at the osteopath but I’m improving all the time. They said something about exercising, don’t know what that word means! “I’ve got to do a lot of stretching and daft moves. But now my biggest problem is just a lack of practice. “Some were OK tonight and some were right wild ones. Where I was looking they were not going. But I’m happy, it was better than last week.”
Michael Smith admits he’s fed up with being second best as he produced a fine win over Daryl Gurney. Bully Boy went joint top of the Premier League with a classy 7-4 win over Superchin in Cardiff. Smith admitted: “I’m happy with that one, last week I couldn’t celebrate beating Gary Anderson but tonight that was two points that meant a lot. “Last week it was a struggle but I’m over the moon with that one. “I’m fed up with being second best or last best I want to be the best. I’ve got two kids now and I’m getting married next year and I’ve got to keep winning to pay for the wedding. “I have to do as much as I can. I’m only young once so when I started getting old and it disappears, I’ve got to do everything I can while I’m young. “I missed three darts to go 4-1 up and I thought that might cost me and then missed two darts at tops but he missed three again. “I could have won it a lot easier but also could have lost it. To get over that winning line with 64 and last dart means I’m over the moon. “Last time I was here it took me five weeks to get a point and now I’m on four points after just two weeks. I’m top of the league at the moment! “I’ll take that, top four is the aim and the finals night is what I’m aiming for.” Smith came roaring out the traps to go 3-0 in front with a devastating hat-trick of finishing. He hit 70, 124 and 72 in succession to leave Gurney reeling. But Superchin kept his cool and dragged himself back into the match, pouncing on Smith’s three chances to in leg five to reduce the deficit to 3-2. It was then all level after Gurney hit double 10 and after swapping legs again Bully Boy hit tops to go 5-4 in front. Gurney’s hopes then appeared to nosedive as he blew three darts at double 16 while Smith sunk tops with his last dart to go 6-4 up. Then Smith produced another clinical finish with 64 and double four to wrap up his second successive win in the Premier League.
World Champion Rob Cross sank to his SIXTH successive loss with a 7-1 defeat at the hands of Simon Whitlock. The Wizard of Oz said: “I feel fantastic, it wasn’t a great game but I got the job done. “I think Rob’s got a bit of a hangover from winning the Worlds, he’s under a lot of pressure but I feel a bit bad for him but I’ve got to do my job! “He’s a class player, he’ll bounce back but luckily it’s not against me. “First job is to avoid elimination then make the play-offs. I’m looking forward to it.”