Michael Smith wins final night in Sheffield to reach Premier League play-offs

His first match in Sheffield against Nathan Aspinall was vital, with the winner of that taking the fourth spot and qualifying for the final round at the O2 in London next week.

So he did before going on to win the entire evening. 

Final

Smith 6-3 Humphries

Smith started the match moderately, but so did his opponent Humphries.

Smith was given six innings to throw out and did so. Humphries threw 180 in the second leg and distanced himself from Smith. He eventually had to go to double 1 and threw that out: 1-1.

Smith missed four darts on the double in the third leg, but Humphries missed two darts for the break. Smith missed three darts again and so Humphries grabbed the break via double 9: 2-1.

Humphries also opened with a 180 and eventually left 170 and that went out: the big fish for the 3-1. Smith threw his first 180 in the fifth leg, leaving 140 and throwing that out: 3-2.

Smith turns it over again

In the sixth leg, Smith threw 180 again and equalised. 96 went out via double 9 to grab the rebreak: 3-3. Smith made it 4-3 by throwing out 38, three legs in a row for Smith.

Humphries threw his third 180 in the seventh leg and Smith followed with his third. Smith had chances for the break from 36 and grabbed it with his first dart as well: 5-3. Smith had a match dart on 170 but missed the bullseye. Humphries also missed that one and so Smith was allowed to throw for the match and did so via double 10: 6-3.

Semi-finals

Humphries 6-3 Van Gerwen

Humphries threw 180 in the first leg and threw out 81 to make it 1-0. He made it 2-0 as Van Gerwen missed a dart on double 18 from 116 and 66 did go out.

It was also 3-0 as Humphries threw out 142. So it became a big lead for the Englishman at lightning speed. Van Gerwen got on the scoreboard as he too threw out 66: 3-1.

Humphries made it 4-1 as 94 went out in two darts. Van Gerwen made no mistake in his leg and threw in double 18 to make it 4-2.

Humphries has enough of a break

It was the fifth clever finish Humphries threw in the seventh leg, as 88 also went in via double 7: 5-2. Humphries and Van Gerwen both threw 180 in the eighth leg, Humphries even twice. 90 went out for Van Gerwen to make it 5-3. Also in the tenth leg, the Englishman threw 180 and so he could move towards victory. Via double 16 it became 6-3.

Littler 5-6 Smith

No fewer than three 180s were thrown in the first leg. Two of them were from Littler and he also grabbed the break by throwing out 58. Littler cashed in on the break as 64 went out for the 2-0. Littler had two chances at double 10 for a second break, but missed.

Littler did get three more chances, but blew it again. Smith had 6 left and again failed to throw out.

Littler did throw double 5 and led 3-0. Smith had a chance for the break in the fourth leg and took it on double 18. Smith threw 180 in the fifth leg and so did Littler. Smith failed to throw out 56 and so Littler took the break by throwing out 65: 4-1.

Smith comes back

Smith stayed in the match as he threw out 156 for the break: 4-2.

Smith threw out 120 in the following leg and cashed in on the break. He continued to throw well and had Littler all over the place. Smith left 56 while Littler was on 275. Double 10 made it 4-4. 

Smith made it 5-4 with double 8 after many misses. Littler threw his fifth 180 in the tenth leg. Smith was allowed to start. Littler still threw 180, but Smith finished the match via double 10.

Quarter-finals

Littler 6-4 Wright

Wright started with a poor 36 score and lost the initiative in his leg. Littler had a chance for the break on 71, but he missed tops.

Wright threw out 87 via bullseye and, despite a poor start, made it 1-0. Littler again missed three darts on the double and failed to finish 40. He was allowed to come back for it and via double 10 it was 1-1. 

Wright left 80 in the third leg and threw tops twice to make it 2-1. Littler threw the first 180 in the fourth leg, leaving double 10.

That went out, 2-2. Littler grabbed the break in a very special way. He had 120 left and threw tops three times: 3-2.

One break enough

In the sixth leg, Littler almost threw out 141, but double 12 went wrong. He was allowed to come back for that double 12 and this time he hit it: 4-2. Wright threw his first 180 in the seventh leg and Littler followed with his second. Wright followed with his second. Three 180s in a row. He left 49 and threw that out: 4-3 in 11 darts.

Wright had a chance to break on 116, but he missed tops. Littler then threw out 25 to make it 5-3. Wright did not give up as 88 went out via double 7: 5-4. 

Littler threw 180 in the tenth leg and eventually won the match by throwing out tops: 6-4.

Aspinall 3 - 6 Smith

Smith started the match well as he was out in five innings. His fourteenth dart hit double 2. Aspinall threw the first maximum score in the second leg. He left 101 but missed double 16. He came back for it as Smith failed to throw out 121. Via double 8 it became 1-1.

Smith continued to have the advantage of starting in the odd legs.

He threw out 64 to make it 2-1. Also in the fourth leg, no arrow came to the break. Smith did not yield and so Aspinall threw the 2-2 via double 8. Aspinall threw his second 180 in the fifth leg and stepped up the pressure, but he threw well himself. He got the chance for the 3-2 via 56 and threw that out in two arrows.

Also in the sixth leg, whoever started it won. Aspinall hit double 5 for 3-3.

High finishes decide the match

In the seventh leg, Smith threw the first barrel-plus finish. 136 went out for the 4-3. The final blow seemed to come a leg later. Smith very cleverly threw out 132 via twice bullseye and double 16. Smith finished it off via double 12 and advances to the final night.

Humphries 6-4 Price

Humphries missed twice double 14 on 88 and as a result, Price grabbed the break. 59 went out in two darts. In the second leg he also threw the first 180, ramming his second after it as well. 101 then also went out and so he was out in 12 darts: 2-0. Humphries threw the first maximum score in the third leg. Humphries threw out tops to make it 2-1.

In the fourth leg, he threw 180 and Price followed. Price made it 3-1 by throwing out 81. Humphries threw a good fifth leg and eventually threw out 62 in 11 darts: 3-2. Humphries had chances for the rebreak, but failed to throw out 25. Price had 93 left, but did not throw that out either.

Humphries only failed to capitalise, but Price also missed again. Humphries had to go to double 1 and hit it: 3-3. So the break came after all.

Price gives it away

The Englishman took the lead as he threw out tops in the seventh leg. Price equalised by hitting double 12. Price had two chances at the break from 96, but missed double 18 and 9 and Humphries took advantage: 5-4. Humphries threw out the match to win 6-4.

Cross 4-6 Van Gerwen

Cross won the first leg by throwing out 36 via double 9. That was just as well, as Van Gerwen was waiting on double 5 and had already missed a chance at the break. Van Gerwen threw the first 180 of the match in the second leg. He pressed on in the leg and was out after only 11 arrows: 1-1.

In the third leg, Cross threw out 86 in two darts to make it 2-1. Cross also grabbed the break in the fourth leg. 68 went out via double 4: 3-1. Cross cashed in on the break as he also threw out 104. Van Gerwen was waiting on 24, but so did not get a chance for the rebreak.

Van Gerwen fought back, throwing out 86 in two darts to make it 4-2.

Van Gerwen makes comeback

In the seventh leg, Cross threw 180, but Van Gerwen was first on a finish. He got an arrow on bullseye at 130 but missed wide. Cross got one arrow for tops and missed. Van Gerwen took advantage and took the rebreak via double 16. Van Gerwen cashed in on the break as 89 also went out in two darts.

Van Gerwen was pitching almost 13 points better on average than Cross. In the ninth leg, Van Gerwen threw his second 180. Van Gerwen had two chances at 46 for the break but failed to throw it. Cross had 56 left, but he too missed two darts.

Van Gerwen threw out double 8 and grabbed the break: 5-4. Cross had a chance to make 5-5 on 77, but missed. Van Gerwen threw out 55 and won 6-4.