Don’t write off the Power!
February 9th, 2012 by StarBetsThe 2012 Premier League kicks off tonight in Manchester with the clash of the titans and in a new weekly column John O’Dowd steps up to the oche with the best bets to arrow your cash on.
It’s Phil Taylor v Adrian Lewis and England’s World Cup winning duo last weekend certainly won’t be best mates this evening.
Taylor has a point to prove. Dumped out of the World Championship by Dave Chisnall, he had to watch on as his former protege, Lewis, went on to successfully defend his world crown.
Both men were erratic in Hamburg last weekend and, while Lewis is a wonderful price at 15/8, I just have an inkling that the Power will set out his stall for the season in swashbuckling fashion, maybe by as wide a margin as 8-4 (11/2).
The action begins with wild card entry Andy Hamilton making his debut in the competition against a Premier League veteran in James Wade. This won’t be a classic!
Hamilton struggled for form throughout most of 2011 but he has a grit and tenacity that is hard to overcome. He proved that several times on his way to the final at Alexandra Palace, especially in his 6-5 semi-final victory over Simon Whitlock.
Wade is always one of the most consistent players on television and, while it won’t be easy for him to erase the memory of his world semi-final collapse to Lewis when 5-1 up, he can start his campaign with a victory tonight (8-5 or 8-6 at 13/2 and 11/2).
Like Hamilton, Simon Whitlock had a fairytale run at the world championship, considering he hadn’t thrown a dart for the previous two months because of a broken ankle! Indeed, the pony-tailed Aussie should really have beaten Hamilton to reach the final but threw away a 5-3 advantage to lose a cracker.
Whitlock, with Paul Nicholson, guided Australia to the World Cup Final last week, and was left gutted by their sudden death defeat to Taylor and Lewis. However, he enjoyed a 4-2 singles victory over tonight’s opponent, Raymond van Barneveld, in the semi-final. ‘Barney’ reached rock bottom with an early exit in the worlds to the unheralded James Richardson and was decidedly fortunate to keep his Premier League spot. That might focus his mind to begin with a 7-7 draw tonight (9/2).
Defending Premier League champion, Gary Anderson, is a warm favourite for his opening match against another newcomer, Kevin ‘The Artist’ Painter. However, this is a contest that definitely smells of an upset.
Anderson is the Ronnie O’Sullivan of darts and has the natural talent to be the best player in the world. However, he was woeful in losing to Whitlock in the world quarter-final and didn’t exactly shine with Scotland at the World Cup.
Painter is a confidence player and this is the stage that he has always wanted. He won’t want to waste this opportunity and he can shock the ‘Flying Scotsman’ at 11/4 with a possible 8-6 result (12/1).
MY BANKER: Phil Taylor to win (4/5).
MY BLUFFER: Kevin Painter to win (11/4).
MY DREAMER: Raymond van Barneveld and Andy Hamilton to win (11/1).
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