World No 1 Luke Humphries secured back-to-back night wins in the Premier League and leapfrogged Michael van Gerwen at the top of the table with a 6-3 victory over Nathan Aspinall in Nottingham.
The reigning world champion followed his success in Brighton last week with another in the Midlands on Night Seven as he moved onto 17 points for the season, two clear of Van Gerwen.
Van Gerwen has failed to add to his tally since triumphing on Night Four in Newcastle for a third overall win in a row, with the Dutchman now losing three matches on the trot after being beaten by an inspired Luke Littler in Nottingham, despite averaging nigh on 111.
Littler averaged 114 as he defeated Mighty Mike 6-2 in the quarter-finals and was a missed double 12 away from a second nine-darter in five days after hitting one against Rob Cross to win the Belgian Darts Open on Sunday en route to his maiden European Tour title.
Littler’s pursuit of a first night victory in the Premier League goes on, however, with the 17-year old beaten by Aspinall 6-3 in the semis.
Peter Wright, meanwhile, won his first match of the campaign, pipping Gerwyn Price 6-5 in a last-leg shootout before he was thumped 6-1 by the in-form Humphries.
Humphries: I would love to finish top of table
Humphries, who beat Michael Smith 6-4 in his opening match in a repeat of last week’s final in Brighton, said: “I would love to finish top of the table but top four is what I want.
“I am still learning, it is tough playing the best players week in, week out. It will be a long slog to finish top.
“Back-to-back weeks in the Premier League is really tough, so I am really proud to have done that and to be top of the league.”
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Littler sang along to Nathan Aspinall’s ‘Mr Brightside’ walk-on music!
“I had two great performances in the first two games, and Nathan was fantastic against Luke [Littler].
“Luke is such an amazing player – it gets to the point where you are thinking ‘play with two darts’ so Nathan did well to beat him.
“It was not the best final, maybe as we had both played really well we felt the pressure was off us and relaxed a little bit, tried too hard.”
‘Darts in best place it has ever been’
Humphries, who will now face eighth-placed Wright on Night Eight in Dublin next week, also said he thinks darts is in the “the best place it has ever been”, with himself, teenager Littler – the man he beat in January’s World Championship final – and more at the top of the game.
“Cool’ Hand added: “What me and Luke have done since the Worlds has been amazing for the sport. I think the sport is in the best place possible now, the best place it has ever been.
“Hopefully now the crowds can keep getting behind us and enjoying it, because it is going to be an exciting sport for the next nine months.”
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Humphries feels that darts is in the best place it has ever been
How Night Seven unfolded
The evening began with Wright snapping a six-match losing streak in this year’s Premier League by squeezing past Price as the Welshman missed three match darts.
Humphries overcame Smith in the second quarter-final before Littler stormed past Van Gerwen in a cracking contest, with the teenager sinking eight 180s.
Aspinall edged Cross in a decider to round out the quarter-finals before ending Littler’s evening prematurely once Humphries had breezed past Wright.
Humphries led 2-0 and 4-1 in the final but was pegged back by Aspinall only to break again for a 5-3 advantage before clinching victory on double 12.
Premier League Darts continues on Thursday, March 21, in Dublin. Watch live on Sky Sports Action and Main Event from 7pm. Stream darts and more sports without a contract through NOW.
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