Phil Taylor eases to Raymond van Barneveld win
Last updated on .From the section Darts
Phil Taylor continued his unbeaten start to the Premier League with victory over Raymond van Barneveld.
Taylor beat Van Barneveld 8-4 at the Odyssey Arena on Thursday but praised the Dutchman's performance.
He said: "Raymond's getting back to his best and he still inspires me, I love seeing him play well and it was a really enjoyable game."
The world number one is a point clear at the top from reigning champion Gary Anderson and newcomer Kevin Painter.
In front of an 8,000 sell-out crowd Taylor produced a vintage performance to see off his arch rival in style, with his 112.91 average being the second highest in the tournament's history.
"I'm delighted with both the performance and the victory," said Taylor. "I think it's going to be the hardest Premier League ever."
Meanwhile, reigning world champion Adrian Lewis hit an 11-dart finish to grab a 7-7 draw with Andy Hamilton.
The Stoke duo played out a thriller in a repeat of January's World Championship final.
It was Lewis's third successive draw, while Hamilton, a newcomer to the Premier League, picked up his third point of the series.
"It was a great game," said Lewis. "Andy battled well and hit the right shots at the right time to put me under pressure."
