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PREMIER LEAGUE DARTS FINALS 2006 10 weeks of league play, the transfer of Raymond van Barneveld to the PDC and it all going down to the last match of the league in Reading to see who would qualify for the finals arguably made this year's Premier League meetings much more successful than last year's. Without doubt Barneveld was the magic ingredient this year in the league. A 9 dart game (the only player other than Taylor to hit one in a PDC event), a draw with Taylor and then the width of a wire to almost get another draw against Taylor that wasn't to be. This year there was to be no place in the finals for Wayne Mardle (who left it too late in the day to find his form), Peter Manley (who just couldn't find the consistency) and Ronnie Baxter (again who took a while to peg his first positive results). So onto the Plymouth Pavilions for Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld, Roland Scholten and Colin Lloyd. * Raymond van Barneveld was expected to win reasonably comfortably against Roland Scholten to set up a final against Phil Taylor. However, Roland Scholten did not read the script. Perhaps Barneveld had overextended himself playing a series of exhibition tournaments in Holland over the two preceding days had impact. Also perhaps the disruption caused by a 20 minute delay after the first leg hurt Barneveld more than Scholten. Whattever the reason and excuses, Scholten also played the game of his life to demolish Barneveld 11-3. A 124 checkout made it 3-0 and a 141 checkout made it 5-0. Barneveld never looked like getting back into the match as Scholten took out a 100 to go 6-2 up and then a 140 to make it 7-2. By the time he was ahead 10-3 he was averaging 106 to Barney's 91. In contrast Phil Taylor once again hammered Colin Lloyd. Taylor was 5-0 up by the first interval and it was already effectively game over. He streamed on to 8-1 averaging 104 to Lloyd's 97, before wrapping up the match 11-3 with a 111 checkout. Could Scholten match his feat of the semi-final against Taylor. Well, for a while he hung on before 'business as usual' took place. Taylor led 3-1 and Scholten crucially broke Taylor's throw to go into the first break 3-2 down. The Dutchman followed up with a spectacular 156 checkout to go 3-3 and then the next two legs went with throw to make it 4-4. Taylor broke Scholten's throw and went on to win an impressive 7 legs in a row, making it just about game over. A 142 finish from Taylor made it 13-5, with 'The Power' averaging around 101. Scholten made it 14-6 with a 136 finish, but Taylor quickly wrapped it up 16-6. So throughout two seasons of league play and two grand finals, Phil Taylor remains unbeaten in the Premier League.
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