Daily Mirror GSOD Semi-Finals

REPORTS from the semi-finals of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts.

The £400,000 tournament continues at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall, as the semi-finals and final take place on Sunday across two sessions.

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Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts
Sunday November 21
Semi-Finals
Steve Beaton 9-16 Scott Waites
Wayne Jones 6-16 James Wade

Best of 31 legs

SCOTT WAITES 16-9 STEVE BEATON
SCOTT WAITES won through to a second successive Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts final, seeing off Steve Beaton 16-9 in their semi-final at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Waites, who was defeated by Phil Taylor in last year's decider, will now challenge for the £100,000 title on Sunday night after knocking out the reigning champion's conqueror.

Beaton had edged past Taylor 16-14 in the quarter-finals, but failed to reproduce the clinical finishing in the last four as his challenge came to an end.

Waites made his customary quick start to race out of the blocks with a pair of 14-dart finishes to establish a 2-0 lead, and missed three darts to take the third as Beaton hit back on double 16.

Waites, though, took the next two to move 4-1 up, only for Beaton to mirror Saturday's display by winning the next three to level, including an 11-darter to break throw.

The next four went with the throw before Beaton missed his chance to break in the 13th leg, seeing two darts at double ten go begging as Waites followed up a 170 score with double four.

Waites then broke in 13 darts and took out 75 with Beaton waiting on a double to move 9-6 up.

Although Beaton, the 1996 Lakeside Champion, took the next with a 70 finish, Waites produced a fine run to take the next four legs with a pair of 14-dart finishes and two 15-dart legs in taking command at 13-7, hitting a crucial bullseye finish for 94 in the process.

Beaton landed a 180 and a 68 finish to cut the gap to 13-8, only to then see five darts to win the next miss their intended target as double two gave Waites a 14th leg.

He then posted double 18 to move a leg away from victory, with a 99 finish from Beaton bettered by a 100 checkout as the Yorkshireman sealed his place in the decider.

"I'm as proud as punch to be in the final again," said Waites. "I came here intending to do better than I did last year and hopefully I can do that and take the trophy tonight."

Beaton admitted: "I was pretty drained after beating Phil last night and Scott was outstanding.

"His finishing was great and every time I missed doubles he hammered me. Every time I tried to get back at him he pulled away and he deserved to win."

Match Stats

Steve Beaton	9-16	Scott Waites
30	100+	30
13	140+	20
8	180	4
31.38	Ave1	32.58
94.14	Ave3	97.73
3	Legs Against Throw	6
99	High Finish	100

JAMES WADE 16-6 WAYNE JONES
JAMES WADE ended home hopes at the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, defeating Wayne Jones 16-6 to book his place against Scott Waites in Sunday night's final.

Wolverhampton's Jones had won through to the semis with some fine performances in front of his home crowd, but suffered a nightmare with his doubles as Wade made him pay.

The left-hander will now compete in a second successive televised final as he bids to follow up last month's Bodog.com World Grand Prix triumph with victory against Waites to take the £100,000 title.

Wade performed superbly from the start, denying Jones a dart at a double in the opening five legs and averaging 109 during the opening session.

Three of the legs were won on double ten, while he also took out 129 on the bull and double top with Jones waiting on a finish but never getting a look-in.

Jones produced a superb 13-dart finish to get off the mark in the sixth, but paid the price in the next when he opened with scores of 180, 140 and 165 to leave 16 after nine darts, only to then miss eight darts at a double before Wade capitalised on double ten.

He then took out back-to-back 13-dart finishes and a 106 finish to move 9-1 up at the second break.

The world number two briefly lost his range on the doubles when he missed two darts for the 11th leg, as Jones followed up an earlier maximum on double eight.

After Wade hit another 13-dart finish, Jones won three of the next four to reduce the gap to 11-5 and raise hopes of a comeback.

Wade, though, replied with a 14-dart leg and, after Jones posted double 16, punished two misses from the local hero at the same bed to move 13-6 up.

He then took out 95 and 80 to win the next two legs, before checking out 100 with two double tops to secure his place in the final.

"The first 11 legs of the game were key and I hit the right finishes at the right times," said Wade. "I'm delighted to be into the final but the job's not done yet - I have to go on and win it now."

Jones admitted: "I could have win six or seven legs that I lost but my finishing was poor and it's disappointing. The first ten legs were a great standard from both of us but I just couldn't hit my doubles.

"If I'd finished better then it could have been a lot closer. I've enjoyed a great week but unfortunately I didn't perform as I can in the semis."

Match Stats