Make it Mardle at 6-5

Wayne Mardle should be backed at the general odds of 6-5 to beat Peter Manley in their bottom-of-the-table, Whyte & Mackay Premier League clash in Birmingham on Thursday evening.

Mardle, a favourite with the darts followers, and Manley fill the final two places in the standings after the opening eight rounds but retain hopes of making the play-offs in a bunched league that sees only four points between top and bottom.

And, whilst nothing separated the pair in a 7-7 stalemate in week two, Mardle arguably arrives in the better form this time, latterly picking up his second successive victory when beating Raymond Van Barneveld 8-5 in Brighton last Thursday.

Mardle’s downfall has often been in hitting his doubles but finishes of 121 and 112 against the Dutchman will have helped boost his confidence.

Manley arrives off successive defeats, losing by the same 8-5 scoreline to James Wade and John Part the past two weeks.

Phil Taylor, who extended his imperious form when landing the PartyPoker.net Players Championship in Germany on Sunday, his fourth tournament win of the month, is a best-priced 4-11 with Blue Square to beat Adrian Lewis, and an eminently fair evens with Ladbrokes to cover a 3.5 leg handicap.

Other matches see Van Barneveld play Part, and Wade take on Terry Jenkins.