MICHAEL VAN GERWEN and Phil Taylor turned on the style to reach the semi-finals of the TABtouch Perth Darts Masters with stunning wins over Paul Nicholson and Raymond van Barneveld on Saturday, as Simon Whitlock was knocked out at the Challenge Stadium.
World Champion van Gerwen threatened a world record average for much of his 8-3 win over Paul Nicholson - storming into a 7-0 lead before seeing off his opponent's brief fightback to end the game with a 118.21 average.
Whilst not quite a record for a major tournament, it was the highest average seen so far in the PDC's World Series of Darts format, and second only in a major event to Phil Taylor's 118.66 at the 2010 UK Open.
Van Gerwen opened the game in style with an 11-darter which featured a 180, and he added another 180 in the second as back-to-back 14-dart finishes moved him 3-0 up.
He then brought a sell-out crowd inside the Challenge Stadium to its feet with a sensational 170 checkout, hit 180s in legs of 13 and 12 darts before landing two maximums in an 11-dart finish to move himself seven legs clear of Nicholson.
The former Players Championship Finals winner hit back as he hit tops in the eighth leg, and he then posted 180s in the next two legs as checkouts of 111 and 136 pulled him back to 7-3.
Van Gerwen, though, responded with his eighth 180 of the game before taking out 90 on tops for an 11-darter as he sealed an 8-3 win and his place in the last four, as he seeks to follow up his wins in Dubai and Singapore with a third successive World Series of Darts title.
"I played really well, especially at the beginning," said van Gerwen. "My finishing and scoring was all there and everything came together, but then I missed a couple of doubles and Paul had some great finishes to hit back.
"It was a fantastic match and I think I'm back to my best. I really think I can win another World Series of Darts title here and that's what I'll be giving everything for tomorrow."
Phil Taylor - last year's Sydney Darts Masters champion - remains on course for a second title in Australia following his outstanding 8-4 win over Raymond van Barneveld.
Taylor, who was knocked out in Singapore last weekend by Dave Chisnall and edged past qualifier David Platt 6-4 in the first round, but was back to his relentless best against his great rival.
Taylor set the tone for the performance with a 180 on his first visit to the board before winning the opening leg in 12 darts, and though van Barneveld levelled by finishing 81 on the bull, he was unable to halt a three-leg burst from his opponent.
Taylor's two 14-dart finishes sandwiched a stunning ten-dart leg, as he hit two 180s and a seventh successive treble 20 before bouncing back from missing out on a possible nine-darter by returning to land double 16.
Van Barneveld punished three misses from Taylor - including one dart at the bull for a 170 finish - in the next as he replied on double 18, and though Taylor moved 5-2 up with another 14-dart leg, the Dutchman then finished 72 on double six to pull back to two legs behind.
Taylor then took out 126 on double six to lead 6-3, with van Barneveld hitting double ten to respond only to see the world number two follow a 107 checkout with scores of 180 and 177 in a 13-darter as he sealed an 8-4 win with an impressive 109.86 average.
"I love playing Barney and I knew I had to play well against him to get the win," said Taylor. "He's a special player and he inspires me, but I'll have to play well on Sunday too because it will be very tough."
Taylor will now get a chance to avenge last weekend's defeat to Chisnall when they meet in the semi-finals after the St Helens ace produced a remarkable comeback to win 8-6 against Simon Whitlock.
Australian star Whitlock, inspired by his home support, hit a 180 in a 12-darter to open the game and finished 127 on the bull to double his lead before posting double 18 for a 3-0 lead.
Chisnall defied another maximum from his opponent to get off the mark in leg four, but Whitlock finished 78 on double 12 and then hit double eight as he took a 5-1 cushion.
Whitlock then missed a dart at double 16 to finish a showpiece 132 in the next leg - hitting two bullseyes before wiring the double - as Chisnall hit back on double 18.
Chisnall then took out 88 on the bull, 120 and 85 on tops to stun the Challenge Stadium by levelling, before firing in a 180 and taking out 61 on double 16 to move 6-5 up.
Whitlock hit back to level on double 18, but Chisnall responded superbly by finishing 94 for an 11-darter before taking out double ten to complete a superb fightback.
Seven-time major champion James Wade won the night's tightest quarter-final as he edged out Peter Wright 8-7 in a see-saw game which saw the lead change hands five times.
Wright's opening 107 finish was cancelled out by checkouts of 81 an 90 - for an 11-dart leg - from Wade as he edged 2-1 up, only for the World Championship finalist to trade 180s with the left-hander as he levelled.
Wright then punished two misses at double 18 from Wade in the fifth as he regained the lead, only for Wade to finish double ten, double four and double two in a three-leg burst to put himself 5-3 up.
Wright hit tops to win the next two legs as he levelled, before he finished double four to move back in front at 6-5, and after Wade again hit back the Scot finished a 13-darter on double 18 to move to the brink of victory at 7-6.
Wade, though, opened the 14th leg with a 180 before finishing double 12 for a 13-darter as he sent the game into a sudden-death leg, which he won in 14 darts on double 18 to continue his fine run of form.
Wade's semi-final with van Gerwen will be a repeat of their clash at the same stage in a thriller in the Singapore Darts Masters last year, and will come on the decisive final night of the TABtouch Perth Darts Masters on Sunday.
Play at the Challenge Stadium will commence at 5pm local time (10am BST), with the semi-finals and final being played in one decisive session.
There is no live TV or streaming coverage of this event. Matches will be uploaded to www.LIVEPDC.TV in due course.
Match Information is below in our LIVE BLOG.
TABtouch Perth Darts Masters
Saturday August 23 (7pm)
Quarter-Finals
James Wade 8-7 Peter Wright
Dave Chisnall 8-6 Simon Whitlock
Phil Taylor 8-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Michael van Gerwen 8-3 Paul Nicholson
Best of 15 legs
Sunday August 24 (5pm local time)
Semi-Finals
Phil Taylor v Dave Chisnall
Michael van Gerwen v James Wade
Best of 19 legs
World Champion van Gerwen threatened a world record average for much of his 8-3 win over Paul Nicholson - storming into a 7-0 lead before seeing off his opponent's brief fightback to end the game with a 118.21 average.
Whilst not quite a record for a major tournament, it was the highest average seen so far in the PDC's World Series of Darts format, and second only in a major event to Phil Taylor's 118.66 at the 2010 UK Open.
Van Gerwen opened the game in style with an 11-darter which featured a 180, and he added another 180 in the second as back-to-back 14-dart finishes moved him 3-0 up.
He then brought a sell-out crowd inside the Challenge Stadium to its feet with a sensational 170 checkout, hit 180s in legs of 13 and 12 darts before landing two maximums in an 11-dart finish to move himself seven legs clear of Nicholson.
The former Players Championship Finals winner hit back as he hit tops in the eighth leg, and he then posted 180s in the next two legs as checkouts of 111 and 136 pulled him back to 7-3.
Van Gerwen, though, responded with his eighth 180 of the game before taking out 90 on tops for an 11-darter as he sealed an 8-3 win and his place in the last four, as he seeks to follow up his wins in Dubai and Singapore with a third successive World Series of Darts title.
"I played really well, especially at the beginning," said van Gerwen. "My finishing and scoring was all there and everything came together, but then I missed a couple of doubles and Paul had some great finishes to hit back.
"It was a fantastic match and I think I'm back to my best. I really think I can win another World Series of Darts title here and that's what I'll be giving everything for tomorrow."
Phil Taylor - last year's Sydney Darts Masters champion - remains on course for a second title in Australia following his outstanding 8-4 win over Raymond van Barneveld.
Taylor, who was knocked out in Singapore last weekend by Dave Chisnall and edged past qualifier David Platt 6-4 in the first round, but was back to his relentless best against his great rival.
Taylor set the tone for the performance with a 180 on his first visit to the board before winning the opening leg in 12 darts, and though van Barneveld levelled by finishing 81 on the bull, he was unable to halt a three-leg burst from his opponent.
Taylor's two 14-dart finishes sandwiched a stunning ten-dart leg, as he hit two 180s and a seventh successive treble 20 before bouncing back from missing out on a possible nine-darter by returning to land double 16.
Van Barneveld punished three misses from Taylor - including one dart at the bull for a 170 finish - in the next as he replied on double 18, and though Taylor moved 5-2 up with another 14-dart leg, the Dutchman then finished 72 on double six to pull back to two legs behind.
Taylor then took out 126 on double six to lead 6-3, with van Barneveld hitting double ten to respond only to see the world number two follow a 107 checkout with scores of 180 and 177 in a 13-darter as he sealed an 8-4 win with an impressive 109.86 average.
"I love playing Barney and I knew I had to play well against him to get the win," said Taylor. "He's a special player and he inspires me, but I'll have to play well on Sunday too because it will be very tough."
Taylor will now get a chance to avenge last weekend's defeat to Chisnall when they meet in the semi-finals after the St Helens ace produced a remarkable comeback to win 8-6 against Simon Whitlock.
Australian star Whitlock, inspired by his home support, hit a 180 in a 12-darter to open the game and finished 127 on the bull to double his lead before posting double 18 for a 3-0 lead.
Chisnall defied another maximum from his opponent to get off the mark in leg four, but Whitlock finished 78 on double 12 and then hit double eight as he took a 5-1 cushion.
Whitlock then missed a dart at double 16 to finish a showpiece 132 in the next leg - hitting two bullseyes before wiring the double - as Chisnall hit back on double 18.
Chisnall then took out 88 on the bull, 120 and 85 on tops to stun the Challenge Stadium by levelling, before firing in a 180 and taking out 61 on double 16 to move 6-5 up.
Whitlock hit back to level on double 18, but Chisnall responded superbly by finishing 94 for an 11-darter before taking out double ten to complete a superb fightback.
Seven-time major champion James Wade won the night's tightest quarter-final as he edged out Peter Wright 8-7 in a see-saw game which saw the lead change hands five times.
Wright's opening 107 finish was cancelled out by checkouts of 81 an 90 - for an 11-dart leg - from Wade as he edged 2-1 up, only for the World Championship finalist to trade 180s with the left-hander as he levelled.
Wright then punished two misses at double 18 from Wade in the fifth as he regained the lead, only for Wade to finish double ten, double four and double two in a three-leg burst to put himself 5-3 up.
Wright hit tops to win the next two legs as he levelled, before he finished double four to move back in front at 6-5, and after Wade again hit back the Scot finished a 13-darter on double 18 to move to the brink of victory at 7-6.
Wade, though, opened the 14th leg with a 180 before finishing double 12 for a 13-darter as he sent the game into a sudden-death leg, which he won in 14 darts on double 18 to continue his fine run of form.
Wade's semi-final with van Gerwen will be a repeat of their clash at the same stage in a thriller in the Singapore Darts Masters last year, and will come on the decisive final night of the TABtouch Perth Darts Masters on Sunday.
Play at the Challenge Stadium will commence at 5pm local time (10am BST), with the semi-finals and final being played in one decisive session.
There is no live TV or streaming coverage of this event. Matches will be uploaded to www.LIVEPDC.TV in due course.
Match Information is below in our LIVE BLOG.
TABtouch Perth Darts Masters
Saturday August 23 (7pm)
Quarter-Finals
James Wade 8-7 Peter Wright
Dave Chisnall 8-6 Simon Whitlock
Phil Taylor 8-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Michael van Gerwen 8-3 Paul Nicholson
Best of 15 legs
Sunday August 24 (5pm local time)
Semi-Finals
Phil Taylor v Dave Chisnall
Michael van Gerwen v James Wade
Best of 19 legs
Final
Van Gerwen/Wade v Taylor/Chisnall
Best of 21 legs
Quarter-Finals Match Stats
| 180s | Average | High Finish | 180s | Average | High Finish | |||
| 3 | 93.83 | 84 | James Wade | 8-7 | Peter Wright | 2 | 87.86 | 107 |
| 2 | 100.01 | 120 | Dave Chisnall | 8-6 | Simon Whitlock | 4 | 101.84 | 127 |
| 5 | 109.86 | 126 | Phil Taylor | 8-4 | Raymond van Barneveld | 0 | 93.42 | 81 |
| 8 | 118.21 | 170 | Michael van Gerwen | 8-3 | Paul Nicholson | 2 | 101.88 | 136 |
LIVE BLOG