The View From V2 Magazine June 2014 | Page 75

Runner-up to Simon Whitlock in a recent Players Championship event and a winner in Gibraltar, his first tournament win since 2011, it looks as though the Machine is once again functioning and hungry to add to his impressive haul of major titles.

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD

It's remarkable that Raymond van Barneveld has yet to add his name to the Blackpool honours board, however, fresh off his and Michael van Gerwen's convincing win at the World Cup of Darts and the veteran Dutchman finally breaking his duck in the Premier League, could 2014 be the year when Barney moves one step closer to darting immortality?

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN

Speaking of

his younger

Dutch counterpart,

MVG goes

into the event as many

people's favourite to

succeed, a tag that he's

increasingly become

accustomed to and coping

withadmirably. If he replicates the

destructive form he's consistently demonstrated over the past two years then surely the Matchplay title will be another feather in his growing cap of successes as he looks to get his hands on the trophy at the mere age of 25, an event that so many great players down the years have strived but failed to win.

ADRIAN LEWIS

Despite winning the UK Open in March, a poor Premier League campaign and an off the boil performance in the World Cup since has somewhat overshadowed Adrian Lewis' efforts in Minehead, but after coming so close last time out he will surely be firing on all cylinders and hoping to strike the Jackpot as he looks to go one better than last July.

There's plenty other contenders too in with a good chance of upsetting the odds and banking the 100,000 pounds winners prize.

Always a favoured venue of the Scottish fans, Gary Anderson, Robert Thornton and Peter Wright, should benefit from the forever faithful backing of their travelling support.

The disappointment of finishing bottom of the pile in the Premier League should act as a spur for Simon Whitlock, whilst a break from participating in the same event may ensure we see a rejuvenated Andy Hamilton as the man from Stoke looks to achieve the same hero-like status in the Potteries as Taylor and Lewis.

A