ST HELENS' Dave Chisnall, Michael Smith, Stephen Bunting and Alan Tabern featured in darts' first return to action since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Five days of PDC Summer Series action, which featured a 128 field on each occasion, took place in Milton Keynes.

Chisnall came closest to winning a title, finishing runner-up on day two at the Marshall Arena.

On day one, Chisnall went the furtheest of the St Helens throwers but exited in the quarter-finals 6-3 against Krzysztof Ratajski.

Michael van Gerwen defeated Peter Wright in a dramatic final to claim the £10,000 prize.

Round of 128: Stephen Bunting 6 Peter Jacques 4, Alan Tabern 6 Scott Mitchell 3, Michael Smith 6 Ryan Murray 5, Dave Chisnall 6 Jamie Lewis 1.

Last 64: Stephen Bunting 6 Steve West 3, Glen Durrant 6 Alan Tabern 0, Michael Smith 6 Mervyn King 5, Dave Chisnall 6 Devon Petersen 5.

Last 32: Stephen Bunting 6 Martijn Kleermaker 4, Eddie Lovely 6 Michael Smith 4, Dave Chisnall 6 Jonny Clayton 4.

Last 16: Danny Noppert 6 Stephen Bunting 3, Dave Chisnall 6 Ricky Evans 1.

Quarter-final: Krzysztof Ratajski 6 Dave Chisnall 3.

Chisnall seemed to throw victory away on day two when he lost 8-7 in the final to Ryan Joyce, who secured his first PDC ranking title with a gutsy comeback.

Newcastle's Joyce had looked set to settle for the £6,000 runner-up cheque after Chisnall opened up leads of 6-2 and 7-3, only to survive five missed match darts as he finished the stronger to take the title.

Joyce said: "At 7-3 down in the final I thought the game was gone. I was trying to enjoy the rest of the match and make the score more respectable, but Dave tightened up a bit, he missed his chances and I punished him."

Round of 128: James Wilson 6 Michael Smith 5, Alan Tabern 6 Mike De Decker 3, Martijn Kleermaker 6 Stephen Bunting 3, Dave Chisnall 6 Aaron Beeney 3.

Last 64: James Wilson 6 Alan Tabern 4, Dave Chisnall 6 Jamie Lewis 2.

Last 32: Dave Chisnall 6 Benito van de Pas 4.

Last 16: Dave Chisnall 6 Maik Kuivenhoven 4.

Quarter-final: Dave Chisnall 6 Martijn Kleermaker 2.

Semi-final: Dave Chisnall 7 Nathan Aspinall 5.

Final: Ryan Joyce 8 Dave Chisnall 7.

Bunting was back in the mix on day three.

His run ended in the quarter-finals 6-2 to Portugal's Jose De Sousa who went on to the final where he fell 8-3 to world number one van Gerwen.

Round of 128: Stephen Bunting 6 Jamie Hughes 4, Dave Chisnall 6 Arjan Konterman 3, Michael Smith 6 Mervyn King 3, Michael van Gerwen 6 Alan Tabern 2.

Last 64: Stephen Bunting 6 Harald Leitinger 1, Rowby-John Rodriguez 6 Dave Chisnall 5, Michael Smith 6 Scott Baker 4.

Last 32: Stephen Bunting 6 Joe Cullen 2, Jermaine Wattimena 6 Michael Smith 5.

Last 16: Stephen Bunting 6 Ryan Murray 3.

Quarter-final: Jose De Sousa 6 Stephen Bunting 2.

Michael Smith's best run came on day four before he was whitewashed in the quarter-finals by James Wade, who went on to win the title 8-2 against Rob Cross in the final.

Round of 128: Dave Chisnall 6 Ted Evetts 2, Michael Smith 6 Ryan Murray 1, Nathan Aspinall 6 Alan Tabern 5, Stephen Bunting 6 Peter Jacques 5.

Last 64: Max Hopp 6 Dave Chisnall 5, Michael Smith 6 Niels Zonneveld 4, Glen Durrant 6 Stephen Bunting 1.

Last 32: Michael Smith 6 Jermaine Wattimena 4.

Last 16: Michael Smith 6 Peter Wright 4.

Quarter-final: James Wade 6 Michael Smith 0.

None of the St Helens throwers got beyond the last 32 on the final day's play which was won by Peter Wright 8-2 over Gerwyn Price.

Round of 128: Darius Labanauskas 6 Stephen Bunting 5, Alan Tabern 6 Mike van Duivenbode 2, Boris Krcmar 6 Dave Chisnall 3, Michael Smith 6 Benito van de Pas 1.

Last 64: Alan Tabern 6 Karel Sedlacek 5, Michael Smith 6 Luke Woodhouse 5.

Last 32: James Wade 6 Alan Tabern 4, Scott Baker 6 Michael Smith 3.