By Blake Bint
GERWYN Price fed off the home crowd to come out as night two winner of the 2023 Cazoo Premier League at Cardiff International Arena.
After suffering a first round defeat in Belfast on night one, the ‘Iceman’ got one up on Nathan Aspinall in the final, taking it 6-3 with a 97.32 average.
A sold-out night in Cardiff had the crowd fully backing the Welshman after his World Cup teammate, Jonny Clayton, had exited the event in the first round for the second successive week.
A 97 finish from Price in the second leg to break throw and subsequently take an early 2-0 lead set him on his way to five points and a place in the top two alongside Chris Dobey.
“It’s only once a year I get that [crowd] and I appreciate every moment, I just wish I had played a bit better,” Price said.
“Every leg I’m battling. I’m trying too hard at the moment because I’m not playing well but it was a brilliant night.”
Aspinall looked destined to get the five points with averages of 105 in both his opener against Peter Wright and his semi-final against Michael Smith to get him through to the final before he was denied at the hands of the Welsh crowd.
The crowd have enjoyed that one…Gerwyn Price takes the second night royalties in his home venue against Nathan Aspinall. #PLDarts pic.twitter.com/zn9LWehAel
— Blake Bint (@BlakeBintSport) February 9, 2023
Price survived two match darts against last week’s finalist, Michael van Gerwen, who averaged 110, in his semi-final, following a comeback from the Dutchman when 5-3 down to draw back to 5-5.
World champion Smith picked up his first points of the 2023 Premier League with a win over Clayton, averaging in excess of 100 despite the crowd going against him.
Van Gerwen continued his healthy record against Dimitri van den Bergh in his opening game, winning 6-4.
Price wasn’t at his best in overcoming Chris Dobey, winning 6-5.
Wright remains pointless after losing out to Aspinall in the second game of the night, the victim of a quite astonishing performance from the ‘Asp’.
2023 Cazoo Premier League
Night Two
(Quarter Finals)
Michael Smith 6–3 Jonny Clayton
Nathan Aspinall 6–3 Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price 6–5 Chris Dobey
Michael van Gerwen 6–4 Dimitri van den Bergh
(Semi-Finals)
Nathan Aspinall 6–4 Michael Smith
Gerwyn Price 6–5 Michael van Gerwen
Final
Gerwyn Price 6-3 Nathan Aspinall