Coral Sydney Darts Masters Day Two

BRILLIANT BARNEY KO'S VAN GERWEN IN SYDNEY THRILLER

SENSATIONAL Raymond van Barneveld knocked world number number one Michael van Gerwen out of the Coral Sydney Darts Masters in Friday's quarter-finals, as Phil Taylor, Peter Wright and Adrian Lewis joined him in the semi-finals at the Qantas Credit Union Arena.

Van Barneveld produced arguably his best performance of 2015 with a polished display to overcome van Gerwen 8-4, averaging 101.82, hitting six 180s and a 177 to see off his Dutch rival.

Van Gerwen had been aiming to win his fifth PDC World Series of Darts title, but never recovered from seeing van Barneveld storm into an early 4-0 lead.

Van Barneveld's 14-dart opening leg, sealed on double 18, was bettered with a 13-darter in the second after he landed his first 180, before he took out a superb 108 checkout and then lifted his average to 110 in taking leg four on double 12.

Van Gerwen produced a 180 in a 12-darter to get off the mark, before the pair traded maximums in the next as van Barneveld edged into a 5-1 cushion.

Tops saw the world number one reply again, but van Barneveld produced a timely 177 in the next before landing a final-dart double three, and he then punished a miss at double 16 from van Gerwen to hit tops for a 7-2 lead.

One missed match dart in the tenth allowed van Gerwen in on double seven, and double eight saw the 26-year-old pull back to 7-4 - but a 180 from van Barneveld pulled him clear in the next before double ten completed a memorable triumph.

"It was a great game and I'm really pleased with this win," said van Barneveld. "Michael's a fantastic player and he's so hard to beat, but I felt good and I've got the belief in my set-up.

"He's so good and he didn't play badly but I was punishing his mistakes and that's what he normally does against me.

"My doubles went in great and it's good for me to beat the world number one, and you have to play well to do that."

Van Barneveld will now meet two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis in the semi-finals, after the Stoke ace edged out Gary Anderson 8-7 in a thrilling deciding leg.

Anderson had taken an 8-7 win when the pair met at the same stage in last week's Perth Darts Masters and threatened another comeback after twice trailing by two legs to Lewis.

However, the world number five followed up Thursday's narrow 6-5 win over Simon Whitlock with another superb deciding leg as he moved into the last four in Sydney for the second time in three years.

Lewis' two 180s as he took the opening leg were followed by a brace of maximums as the pair shared the first six legs to remain locked at three-all.

Lewis then defied another 180 from Anderson to win the seventh on double eight before taking out 101 to capitalise in the next and move 5-3 up.

Two misses from Lewis proved costly as Anderson hit back on double nine, but a brilliant 11-dart finish, which featured another 180 from the Stoke star, saw him regain his edge at 6-4.

Anderson fired in two more maximums as he levelled, before missing three darts to lead in an edgy 13th leg, with double four moving Lewis 7-6 up.

Double ten saw Anderson force a decider and the pair both hit 180s in their bid to claim victory, but Lewis was first to the finish and took out double eight for a semi-final spot - despite the Scot averaging 105 and hitting seven maximums.

"Gary's the current World Champion and the number two in the world, so I'm proud to go up there and beat him tonight," said Lewis. "You've got to play well to beat him and I took my chances tonight.

"He came back superbly and it was going through my mind that history was going to repeat itself after Perth last week, but luckily enough I got through.

"Raymond seems like he's in the mood and he beat Michael tonight, so it's going to be a great game. I've hit a few nine-darters against him in the past so hopefully we'll see another on Saturday, but winning is the most important thing.

"It would be massive to get into my first World Series final and I've got a great chance of doing that, but after Ray's performance tonight I'll have to play really well."

Phil Taylor's bid to complete a Sydney Darts Masters hat-trick continued in convincing fashion as he progressed to the last four with an 8-2 thumping of Stephen Bunting.

Taylor has taken victory in the past two years since the inception of the PDC's World Series of Darts event, but swept aside Bunting in a repeat of last year's final.

Taylor's 101.67 average improved on his first round win over Clinton Bridge, while he finished 47 percent of his chances at a double in a clinical display.

Bunting shared the game's opening four legs, landing a 180 in leg two and finishing 84 to take the fourth.

Taylor, though, won leg five with a 121 checkout before winning what proved to be a key sixth, with the pair trading 180s before Bunting's two missed doubles were punished by double 14 from the 16-time World Champion.

The 55-year-old then pulled clear by winning the next four legs without reply to move through to the semis, where he faces Peter Wright to kick off Saturday's finals night in Sydney.

"I'm pleased to be through and I want to kick on now for the semi-finals and final," said Taylor.

"People have been talking about me being undefeated in Australia for the last couple of years but I don't take any notice of that - I'll turn up tomorrow and try my best but I've got the winning line in sight and I want to claim that trophy again.

"Peter's a good player and he's a loveable character, so I'm looking forward to playing him. We last played in Japan in the final and it went all the way, and he's been finishing well here this week too so I know what I'm up against."

Taylor added: "Stephen's a former World Champion and he's a great player, but he might have been trying too hard there and it didn't go for him.

"He looked brilliant in the practice room but it didn't happen for him on stage, and I don't know if he's feeling a bit of pressure but he's a better player than that."

Wright, meanwhile, booked his place in the last four in typically colourful style with a gritty 8-6 win over James Wade.

Scottish ace Wright, decked out in a psychadelic costume for the contest, had never defeated Wade in a televised game previously, and lost out 8-2 to the left-hander in last week's Perth Darts Masters at the same stage.

But a clinical performance saw him finish eight doubles from 12 attempts, including a 120 checkout and an 11-dart leg, as he continued his bid to win a first PDC World Series of Darts title.

Wade had hit back from 2-0 down to lead, and followed an earlier 141 finish by matching Wright's 120 checkout as he took a 6-5 lead, but he would miss five darts at doubles across the next three legs as the world number four swept to victory.

Wright opened the game by landing double 16 for an immediate break of throw and hit the same bed to claim the second leg with a superb 11-darter, after the pair traded 180s.

Wade then took out a spectacular 141 checkout to get off the mark, and though Wright edged 3-1 up - maintaining a flawless record on double 16 - the Perth Darts Masters runner-up finished double ten and a pair of double fives to suddenly edge ahead at 4-3.

Wright levelled before Wade sneaked back ahead, with the pair then trading 120 checkouts before the Scot took out double 19 to win the 12th, after both had missed the bull for ton-plus finishes.

Wright landed another 180 before punishing three more misses from Wade in the next leg to move back ahead at 7-6, before a miss from the left-hander at double 16 to force a decider allowed his rival to seal the win on tops.

"I didn't turn up against James in Perth - it was like I was throwing someone else's arm - but I've worked hard on the practice board this week to put that right," admitted Wright.

"I still I could have lost this match. James missed a couple of crucial doubles in the final few legs and let me off, and I took advantage.

"I'm feeling good going into the semis. I had a break at the end of July and I was probably a bit rusty in Perth, but it's coming back for me and I think I can go close to the title on Sunday.

"I think I know what it takes to win this and in Japan I learned from the experience of reaching the final against Phil Taylor."

The PDC World Series of Darts event will conclude on Saturday August 22 with the semi-finals and final at the Qantas Credit Union Arena.

Tickets can still be purchased through ticketek.com.au, by calling 132 849, or in person at the Qantas Credit Union Arena box office from 6pm on Saturday.

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Coral Sydney Darts Masters
Television Coverage (Live unless stated)
Fox Sports - Australia
Sky Sport - New Zealand
ITV4 - UK (delayed, coverage from 8pm BST)
Fox Asia
RTL7 – Netherlands (delayed, highlights from 11.30pm Dutch time)
OSN - Middle East & North Africa
Setanta - Ireland
PPTV - China
www.LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers outside of UK, Ireland & Netherlands.

Live Scores
Follow live scores throughout the Coral Sydney Darts Masters at the PDC Live Scores Website, http://live.dartsdata.com .

Broadcast Times
Coral Sydney Darts Masters
Friday August 21
8pm-11.30pm local time
Live on Fox Sports 3 from 8pm Sydney Time
ITV4 Delayed Coverage from 8pm-11.30pm UK time
RTL7 highlights from 11pm Dutch time

2015 Coral Sydney Darts Masters
Friday August 21
Quarter-Finals
James Wade 6-8 Peter Wright
Phil Taylor 8-2 Stephen Bunting
Michael van Gerwen 4-8 Raymond van Barneveld
Adrian Lewis 8-7 Gary Anderson
Best of 15 legs

Saturday August 22 (8pm)
Semi-Finals
Phil Taylor v Peter Wright
Raymond van Barneveld v Adrian Lewis
Best of 19 legs

Final
Taylor/Wright v van Barneveld/Lewis
Best of 21 legs

Match Stats