Premier League Darts 2016 Results: Scores, Standings from Leeds, Latest Schedule
Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor were comprehensively beaten on the first night of Premier League Darts 2016, as James Wade and Raymond van Barneveld both prevailed at Leeds on Thursday.
Wade took advantage of Van Gerwen's poor form at the First Direct Arena, as thousands of fans witnessed him beat the Dutchman 7-4.
Taylor was also off the pace as he faced Van Barneveld in a battle of legends, and it was Barney who impressively swept to victory, winning 7-2.
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There were also ruthless victories for Dave Chisnall and Adrian Lewis, who flew past Robert Thornton and Michael Smith, respectively, in their contests. Chisnall whitewashed Thorton 7-0, and Lewis claimed victory 7-1.
Smith was forced to play twice due to illness denying an appearance from world champion Gary Anderson, and he lost his first match of the night 7-2 to Peter Wright.
Here are the full results from Night 1 and the latest schedule for the competition:
| Peter Wright | 7-2 | Michael Smith |
| Michael van Gerwen | 4-7 | James Wade |
| Phil Taylor | 2-7 | Raymond van Barneveld |
| Robert Thornton | 0-7 | Dave Chisnall |
| Adrian Lewis | 7-1 | Michael Smith |
| February 11 | Night 2 | Newcastle |
| February 18 | Night 3 | Dublin |
| February 25 | Night 4 | Aberdeen |
| March 3 | Night 5 | Exeter |
| March 10 | Night 6 | Nottingham |
| March 17 | Night 7 | Glasgow |
| March 24 | Night 8 | Liverpool |
| March 31 | Judgement Night | Cardiff |
| April 7 | Night 10 | Sheffield |
| April 14 | Night 11 | Belfast |
| April 21 | Night 12 | Bournemouth |
| April 28 | Night 13 | Birmingham |
| May 5 | Night 14 | Manchester |
| May 12 | Night 15 | Rotterdam |
| May 19 | Play-Offs | London |
Sky Sports Darts shared the early league positions:
All stats courtesy of PDC.tv
Wade Produces To Shock Van Gerwen
Wade did not have to be at his best on Thursday night as he put former Premier League Darts winner Van Gerwen to the sword.
The Machine was smooth in his delivery as Mighty Mike fought against himself, and the Englishman eased over the finish line.
Van Gerwen started in typical fashion, throwing fast darts as he raced to a 3-0 lead. Both players hit 180 maximums early, but the Dutchman's average was superior.
However, the match took an unlikely turn in the fourth leg as Mighty Mike collapsed. Wade brought the score back to 3-3 as Van Gerwen missed easy doubles, putting pressure on himself to stay in control.
Wade continued to find maximums as he took the lead in the contest, and the frustration was clear on his opponent's face. The Englishman closed out the match with finishes of 121 and 81 to take the result 7-4, with Van Gerwen well beaten on the night.
The Dutchman's average of 98.3 was better than Wade's 97.4, but Van Gerwen simply could not find the doubles he usually hits with his eyes closed, landing just a 24 per cent checkout success rate.
Wade spoke after the match and explained how he beat the world No. 1, per PDC:
Van Gerwen's compatriot and practice partner Van Barneveld was in excellent form against Taylor in their battle, and he breezed past the Stoke genius with ease.
Van Barneveld took four of the first five legs to attain a 4-1 lead, and the Power appeared well beaten before the end. Taylor closed out a 113 finish to please his watching fans, but Barney looked dangerous each time he was on a finishing score.
The Power landed a maximum to threaten a mini revival, holding the score at 6-2, but Barney finished the ninth leg with a double-16 as Taylor missed two chances to check out.
Van Barneveld's average of 103.6 comfortably trampled Taylor's 92.3, and the Power might struggle to make an impression in 2016.
The PDC highlighted Barney's impressive win:
In the night's other matches, Chisnall cruised to a 7-0 whitewash against Robert Thornton, who appeared shellshocked by the nature of the defeat.
It was one of the quickest contests of the night to conclude, as Thornton watched the St Helens powerhouse nail the trebles.
Chisnall posted an average of 101.2 on his way to one of the easiest wins of his career in Premier League Darts.
It was a tough night for debutant Smith, who featured twice after Gary Anderson withdrew due to illness.
The former world youth champion was defeated twice, losing 7-2 to Wright and crushed by Lewis 7-1.
Chisnall and Lewis were both in top form on Tuesday night, but both of their opponents failed to apply any discernible pressure.
It might be a grim competition for Taylor, who could not keep up with Barney's usual standards, and he will struggle against the field if he continues to play badly.
The entry of Anderson will spice matters up in the following weeks, and the Scotsman will feel he can add another Premier League crown to his trophy cabinet.
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