Wayne Mardle snubbed Luke Littler when naming the player who is ‘playing the best darts on the planet’ following Night Three of the Premier League Darts.
The Premier League Darts resumed on Thursday as the roadshow hit Glasgow for Night Three.
After winning Night One in Newcastle, Michael van Gerwen was forced to withdraw, handing world champion Littler a bye through to the semi-finals.
In the three quarter-finals, Gian van Veen beat Stephen Bunting 6-3, Luke Humphries dominated Josh Rock with a 6-2 victory and Jonny Clayton edged out his fellow countryman Gerwyn Price 6-3.
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Van Veen and Humphries met in the first semi-final in Scotland and produced a thrilling clash.
The Dutchman won the tie 6-5 to advance to the final, with Clayton dispatching Littler in stunning fashion.
‘The Ferret’ took no prisoners as he beat the defending world champion 6-1 before beating Van Veen in the final to record his first nightly win of the tournament.
Despite losing to Van Veen in the semi-finals, Sky Sports pundit Mardle heaped huge praise on Humphries, claiming he is ‘playing the best darts on the planet’.
"I still think Luke Humphries is playing the best darts on the planet right now, the most consistent darts on the planet," he said on Sky Sports.
"Yes he has trouble beating Littler, but who doesn't? If Luke Humphries plays to this level for another month he could sew up the playoffs already, he could win three weeks and I believe he is playing so well so often, I don't see it going wrong or him going off the boil."
Mardle added: "They'll all go through phases, Jonny is, Price we know, maybe Van Gerwen has had a phase, let's hope he's ok for next week. It's what you do in those good spells."
Mardle has come to his verdict of Humphries despite the world No.2 only fifth in the Premier League Darts table.
He has four points to his name after winning two matches ahead of resuming his campaign next Thursday in Belfast against Bunting.
Topics: Luke Littler, Luke Humphries, Darts
Nasir Jabbar