Van Barneveld and Van Gerwen set up Players Championship Finals clash

Raymond van Barneveld produced a vintage display on his return to the Players Championship Finals to set up a Second Round show-down with Michael van Gerwen in Minehead.

A rejuvenated Van Barneveld displayed the form which led him to a Players Championship title in February as he swept aside fellow Dutchman Maik Kuivenhoven 6-1 on the opening day of the season’s penultimate major.

The five-time World Champion averaged 104 on the Main Stage as he eased into Saturday’s Last 32 – where he will face another fellow countryman in MVG.

“Michael and I always have amazing games,” said Van Barneveld. “But Michael is world number three and I’m number 74 so I have nothing to lose, I’m looking forward to it.

“Of course I will be trying to win, and it’s a short format so let’s see how it goes.

“I was very happy with my game tonight. There’s nothing better than playing well in front of a big crowd.”

Van Gerwen overcame young debutant Kevin Doets 6-3 with a 97 average and 75 percent on the outer ring as he kicked off the defence of his title in comfortable fashion.

“I know Raymond is a good player, I’m going to have to put the pressure on him,” said Van Gerwen.

“But there’s no reason why I can’t do that. I feel ready for this game and I’m looking forward to putting on a good performance for the fans and for myself.

“I didn’t play my best tonight but never felt in any danger.”

An early upset on the Main Stage at the Butlins Minehead Resort saw world number 55 Andy Boulton knock out sixth seed Joe Cullen in a last-leg decider.

Cullen had produced a spectacular 170 checkout to send the contest all the way, but only for Boulton to break back and clinch victory with a 100.8 average.

Adrian Lewis returned to winning ways on the televised stage as he overcame another fellow Players Championship Finals runner-up Kim Huybrechts 6-3 with the aid of two ton-plus finishes.

Lewis will now face Peter Wright in Round Two after the recent Grand Slam finalist dispatched Irish youngster Keane Barry 6-4 in a high quality encounter which saw both players average 99.

Ryan Searle held his nerve to edge out Simon Whitlock in a last-leg shoot-out, while Martin Schindler pulled off an impressive scalp of Ian White on Stage Two.

Lats year’s beaten finalist Mervyn King went down 6-4 to Lithuanian ace Darius Labanauskas, while Dimitri van den Bergh returned to winning ways after missing the recent Grand Slam as he saw off Latvia’s Madars Razma 6-3.

The evening session saw former finalist Gary Anderson pull off a remarkable comeback from 4-0 down to snatch a 6-5 victory over Stephen Bunting.

World number one Gerwyn Price recovered from a slow start as he reeled off five consecutive legs to defeat Jason Lowe 6-3 and kick-start his quest for back-to-back major titles in the space of seven days.

Jonny Clayton came through a pedestrian contest to defeat Alan Tabern 6-4 in a match which saw both players miss 18 darts at doubles.

Ipswich left-hander Ryan Meikle produced a stunning 116 checkout in the deciding leg to edge out Dirk van Duijvenbode with a sensational 108.7 average to the Dutchman’s 105.

Players Championship event winner Callan Rydz thrashed an out of sorts Mensur Suljovic 6-1 on Stage Two, while William O’Connor defied a staggering ten maximums from Chris Dobey by taking out 64 to prevail in a deciding leg.

Ritchie Edhouse claimed an impressive 6-4 scalp of 2016 finalist Dave Chisnall, as Luke Humphries took out 109 to seal a 6-4 win over Jason Heaver, having trailed 3-1.

European Champion Rob Cross will face world number ten Nathan Aspinall on Saturday, with both of whom enjoying comfortable wins over Jermaine Wattimena and Jeff Smith respectively.

The Second round ties will be played across two stages in the afternoon session on Day Two, with the winners returning for the Last 16 in the evening.

WATCH THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS STREAMED LIVE HERE (18+)

Players Championship Finals 2021 Day One Results

Friday November 26

First Round

Afternoon Session

Main Stage
Ryan Searle 6-5 Simon Whitlock
Krzysztof Ratajski 6-1 Ron Meulenkamp
Michael Smith 6-3 William Borland
Joe Cullen 5-6 Andy Boulton
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-3 Madars Razma
James Wade 6-1 Ricky Evans
Nathan Aspinall 6-2 Jeff Smith
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Kim Huybrechts

Stage Two
Scott Mitchell 6-5 Martijn Kleermaker
Ryan Joyce 6-4 Luke Woodhouse
Martin Schindler 6-3 Ian White
Mervyn King 4-6 Darius Labanauskas
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Chas Barstow
Ross Smith 6-2 Rusty-Jake Rodriguez
Danny Noppert 6-2 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Gabriel Clemens 6-5 Steve Beaton

Evening Session

Main Stage
Stephen Bunting 5-6 Gary Anderson
Raymond van Barneveld 6-1 Maik Kuivenhoven
Rob Cross 6-2 Jermaine Wattimena
Jose de Sousa 6-4 Devon Petersen
Gerwyn Price 6-3 Jason Lowe
Michael van Gerwen 6-3 Kevin Doets
Peter Wright 6-4 Keane Barry
Jonny Clayton 6-4 Alan Tabern

Stage Two
Vincent van der Voort 6-4 Jelle Klaasen
Daryl Gurney 6-3 Alan Soutar
Damon Heta 6-2 Steve Lennon
Callan Rydz 6-1 Mensur Suljovic
Dirk van Duijvenbode 5-6 Ryan Meikle
Luke Humphries 6-4 Jason Heaver
Chris Dobey 5-6 William O’Connor
Dave Chisnall 4-6 Ritchie Edhouse