AFTER Raymond van Barneveld’s nine-dart finish in 2006, the BIC has almost become the spiritual home of the Premier League.

Although the sheer popularity of the tournament may have outgrown the venue, the PDC and Sky Sports keep coming back to the seaside year after year.

And you can’t blame them.

TV commentator Nigel Pearson labelled the BIC the “perfect venue for Premier League darts” and everyone at last night’s exhibition of arrows would surely agree.

Footballers Marc Pugh, Wes Fogden and Scott Malone turned out in force, while Poole Speedway’s Turbo Twins Darcy Ward and Chris Holder joined team boss Neil Middleditch, appropriately, as a trio of Pirates complete with blacked-out teeth.

They loved it. Everybody loved it.

While Barneveld and Simon Whitlock opened the night in fine fashion, the Aussie cruising to an 8-4 win over an out-of-sorts ‘Barney’, the main event was saved for Phillip Taylor and Adrian Lewis.

The duo did not disappoint.

Walking out to a raucous reception, the Stoke throwers had the crowd gripped from start to finish – even those who, by now, were starting to feel the effects of a big evening.

For every blow Taylor administered, Lewis hit back with one of his own. It was spellbinding, with Lewis ending Taylor’s unbeaten run in the tournament.

Simply being able to watch the two best players in the world when so close to the action was a dream for the 4,000 fans rammed inside the BIC.

And the crowd’s role in a superb night of sport should help ensure this event returns to the south coast next year.

It simply has to.