Новости Unicorn

And Unicorn's 13-times World Champion is in the mood to put PDC new boy Raymond Van Barneveld in his place.

I feel something special in the air, Taylor revealed. ¡°He came over to the PDC for a new challenge but new challenges are what I thrive on!

More than 3,000 darts fans will pack the Bournemouth International Centre as ®The Power takes on Barneveld for the first time since the Dutchman made the leap from the British Darts Organisation.

Taylor said: It is going to be a fantastic occasion and an incredible atmosphere. Both of us are unbeaten in the Premier League, so something will have to give. I desperately want to keep my Premier League title and it would not sit right with me to win it, having lost in the group stage along the way.

Since 1990, the pair have met 11 times in various tournaments. Taylor has won nine times against Barney's two victories. Taylor's most memorable win came at Wembley in 1999, when he thrashed Barneveld 21 legs to 10 in the clash between the two World Champions.

®The Power tops the 2006 Holsten Premier League table with that 100 per cent winning record from his five matches. Barneveld has won his opening three games and will get to taste the atmosphere and get used to the stage on Thursday. The Dutchman doubles up and plays Team Unicorn's Peter Manley in the first match of the night. The showdown with Taylor is the last game of week five.

Taylor though, is full of praise for Barneveld and his gamble to switch to the Professional Darts Corporation. It is starting to pay for him and I have no doubt that he will make a big success of it. For a lot of players, money is their biggest enemy but Raymond doesn't have that problem. He has money in the bank and is secure, so he can just enjoy his darts.

He added: I hope all the pressure will be on him. I know I will raise my game but can he? The hype has been great. Everyone is talking about darts and I believe fans are coming down from the North East and the North West because they have to be there in person to see the match!

Taylor believes he may have to average 107 or 108 to see off the Barneveld threat. Over the years, I have faced some great players like Priestley, Part, Lloyd, Manley and Mason to name but a few. Barney is the latest big challenge and it means a lot to me.

I don't want to make it personal, he said. Raymond is the next player in front of me and I want to win. It's as simple as that.

Taylor has dominated darts for over a decade and he is clearly in no mood to let it all slip. I am 46 this year and my aim is to carry on until at least I'm 50. Beyond that, who knows? I still practice for at least two hours a day with Adrian Lewis and I still crave the thrill of winning.

He is also busy opening a specialist sports shop in the Hanley district of Stoke, selling sports memorabilia, trophies, darts and snooker accessories. That is due to open before the end of April.

For now though, his focus is firmly fixed on Raymond Van Barneveld and getting the job done, as two tungsten gladiators fight it out for more than just bragging rights.

Also on Thursday, Team Unicorn's Colin Lloyd faces Wayne Mardle and Roland Scholten plays Ronnie Baxter. Lloyd is searching for only his second win of the Premier League against ®Hawaii 501 who has lost all five games so far.

You will be able to read an in-depth report, plus reaction from the players on the Unicorn website.

By Stuart Pyke