Taylor fed another dose of disappointment as Anderson defies flu to reprise triumph

WORLD champion Gary Anderson climbed off his sick bed to upset legend Phil Taylor again in Leeds last night.
The 2015 Betway Premier League Darts got underway at Leeds Arena last night (Picture: Steve Riding).The 2015 Betway Premier League Darts got underway at Leeds Arena last night (Picture: Steve Riding).
The 2015 Betway Premier League Darts got underway at Leeds Arena last night (Picture: Steve Riding).

Anderson kept his nerve to record a 7-5 victory over the 16-time world champion as the Betway Premier League kicked off at the First Direct Arena.

The Scotsman beat Taylor in a deciding set to win his first world title last month and the rematch was just as close.

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The tie went with throw until the final leg when Taylor missed a shot at double top to salvage a point and Anderson – who had already missed one match dart – stepped up to take out double four.

Anderson was struggling with flu and he said: “I thought if I got two legs off Phil I would’ve done well.

“I was expecting Phil to come out firing, but he didn’t and I pinched it.”

Performance of the night came from two-time world champion Adrian Lewis, who demolished Raymond van Barneveld 7-1, with a three-dart average of 113.80.

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In eight legs, Lewis threw five maximum 180 scores, eight of 140 or more and 10 of 100-plus.

Dave Chisnall defeated Peter Wright by a similar scoreline, Michael van Gerwen spoiled Kim Huybrechts’s Premier league debut with a 7-3 win and Stephen Bunting, in his first Premier League appearance, drew 6-6 with James Wade in the final match of the night.