RAYMOND  stormed back to form with the highest average so far in the 2010 Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts in seeing off Terry Jenkins 8-4 at the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester. Our man had slipped to second bottom in the Premier League table following three successive defeats, but claimed a much-needed victory against 2007 runner-up Jenkins.

Raymond raced into a 4-0 lead and also led 7-1 before Jenkins took three successive legs to threaten a comeback, which was killed off by the five-time World Champion, whose end average of 106.92 is the highest of the event so far.

He began the game in superb fashion, breaking Jenkins' throw in the opening leg before hitting a 180 in a 14-darter to double his lead. He then posted legs of 13 and 11 darts to move 4-0 up before Jenkins hit a maximum of his own in a 13-dart finis to get off the mark. However, he could do little in the next three legs to prevent van Barneveld - who had allowed a 2-0 lead to slip in an 8-2 loss to Phil Taylor last week - to move 7-1 ahead.

Jenkins took out double 11 to stay in the game, before a bullseye finish and a 14-darter gave him three in a row in pulling back to 7-4. However, Ray was quick to seal victory, rounding off a clinical display with three 140s and an 81 finish for an 11-darter. 

"I'm really pleased with that performance and the average," said Raymond. "Tonight the darts went in like they can do and I was really focused. Hopefully I can keep this going every week because I felt comfortable on stage but know there is more in my. I've changed to using 23 gram darts instead of 25 gram darts and I'm already noticing an improvement."