Smith smashes Sheffield for third consecutive Premier League night win

In the Cazoo Premier League’s Sheffield final on Thursday at the Utilita Arena, Michael Smith defeated Gerwyn Price 6-3 to earn his third straight nightly victory.

On the penultimate night of league phase competition, World Champion Smith defeated Michael van Gerwen, Jonny Clayton, and Price to win and maintain his chances of topping the final league table.

Price could have locked up first place with a win in the Night 15 finale, but St Helens star Smith’s victory in the Steel City reduced his lead at the top to just three points.

Smith started his campaign with a 6-4 victory over the defending champion Van Gerwen, defeating the Dutchman for a second consecutive week with a stunning 130 checkout on the bull.

The world’s top player kept up his momentum to defeat Clayton in a rematch of last Thursday’s Night 14 championship match, averaging nearly 108 and clinching the victory with an outstanding 11-darter in their semifinal meeting.

Smith then won the £10,000 winner’s bonus to cap off a fantastic night of play, extending his winning streak in the Premier League to nine games.

The 2018 runner-up started things off with consecutive 12-dart holds, and despite the fact that the first six legs all ended in throws, Price was unable to make any progress against the Smith throw.

The Welshman later paid a price for missing six darts at doubles to tie the score in leg eight, and Smith later sealed the victory with his third 12-dart hold of the match.

“Last year I only got one win on the final night, now it’s three on the spin,” reflected Smith, who has leapfrogged Van Gerwen into second spot.

“I put in as much practice as I can and as you’ve seen tonight, when the talent has an off-day, the hard work always pulls you through.

“I wasn’t at my best today, but it was just grit and determination that helped me to cross the line.

“It would be nice to finish top of the table for the prestige. I qualified for the Play-Offs last week, but I’ve still got a job to do.

“I’ve still got to put on a show for the fans and I still need to go to The O2 playing well and winning, and I’m glad to be doing that.”

Price, who won in Sheffield a year prior, kept the lead after advancing briskly to his eighth nightly final of 2023 with 6-2 victories over Nathan Aspinall and Chris Dobey.

He started the action on Thursday with a commanding 111 average against Aspinall, converting each of his six double attempts to severely dent the Stockport star’s Play-Off hopes.

After that, Price destroyed Dobey with yet another ton-topping average, scoring two tonnes or more and averaging over 105 to defeat the Bedlington star for the fifth time in a row.

With a valiant 6-4 victory over Dimitri Van den Bergh in the other quarterfinal match of the evening, Clayton moved two points ahead of Aspinall before their pivotal Night 16 match.

The 2021 champion defeated the tenacious Belgian with a stunning 170 checkout midway through the match and his sixth ton-plus average of the year.

Dobey, meanwhile, solidified sixth place in the standings with an impressive 6-4 victory over Peter Wright. Dobey scored six 180s and came back from 4-2 down to win four straight legs.

On Thursday, May 18, at Aberdeen’s P&J Live, the season’s final league night will take place. Clayton and Aspinall will face off in a straight shootout for fourth place.

With a victory, Clayton would ensure his Play-Off qualification, while Aspinall would have to advance to the Night 16 final to surpass his Welsh rival, who would qualify via nights won if the two finished level on points.

In another match, league leader Price takes on Wright in the quarterfinals with the knowledge that if he advances to next Thursday’s championship game, he will hold the league’s top spot for the first time in his Premier League career.

Van den Bergh will be the first opponent Smith faces in his quest for an unheard-of fourth straight nightly victory. Van Gerwen and Dobey will also compete at P&J Live for a spot in the semifinals.

 

2023 Cazoo Premier League

Night 15 – Thursday May 11

Utilita Arena, Sheffield

Quarter-Finals

Gerwyn Price 6-2 Nathan Aspinall

Chris Dobey 6-4 Peter Wright

Michael Smith 6-4 Michael van Gerwen

Jonny Clayton 6-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh

Semi-Finals

Gerwyn Price 6-2 Chris Dobey

Michael Smith 6-4 Jonny Clayton

Final

Michael Smith 6-3 Gerwyn Price