SkyBet World Grand Prix - Night Four Reports

REPORTS and reaction from the final four second round matches at the 2006 SkyBet World Grand Prix on Thursday night.

RONNIE BAXTER 0-3 JAMES WADE

JAMES WADE remains on course for a second successive major final after romping to a whitewash win over Ronnie Baxter.

Wade reached his first televised final in July at the World Matchplay, and another impressive display of finishing increased his chances of another big day on Sunday.

The 23-year-old from Aldershot dropped just four legs in the game, and hit two ton-plus finishes to progress to the last eight.

After a sluggish start, Wade edged the first set with a 101 finish in the deciding leg for a 12-darter, and found his rhythm quickly after the break.

Baxter failed to get a shot at a double in the first two legs of the second set before a 14-dart leg got him off the mark.

Wade sealed the set with a Shanghai 120 finish for a 15-darter before Baxter opened set three with a 119 checkout, ending on the bull.

But when he missed the bullseye for a 170 checkout in the next leg, Wade cleaned up with double five before taking two more to wrap up the win.

"Ronnie didn't really turn up for the game so fortunately it was a lot easier than it should have been," he said.

"I'm happy to be through and I'll take that but I know I have to improve by ten points on my average to reach the final.

"I won't go much further if I don't - I'm not even close to my World Matchplay form but the double start makes a difference."

Baxter said: "James played extremely well and pressured me all the time.

"I could have taken the first set and he played well - when I let him in. I had three darts to take the first leg at double top and then hit it first dart at the start of the next!

"He slackened off towards the end but my trebles evaded me in the latter part. If I'd hit the 170 then it could have been a different story, but that didn't happen.

"James has done well this year, reaching the final of the World Matchplay in Blackpool and his confidence is high.

"I can only keep going and look forward to the World Championship now."

Ronnie Baxter	0-3 (2-3, 1-3, 1-3)	James Wade
19	100+	20
5	140+	5
2	180	3
26.85	Ave1	28.61
80.56	Ave3	85.83
119	High Finish	120

ROLAND SCHOLTEN 3-1 STEVE BEATON

DUTCHMAN Roland Scholten showed his class with a gritty display to come from a set down to defeat Steve Beaton 3-1.

Scholten defied the pain of a neck problem with a composed display, with Beaton edging the opening set and having chances to go 2-1 up in the match.

But some clinical finishing from the 2001 finalist pushed him into the last eight.

Beaton took the game's opening two legs before Scholten hit back to send the first set into a decider.

It was Beaton who was away first in the fifth leg, and an 80 finish put him 1-0 up in the match.

With the scores locked at 1-1 in the second set, Beaton crucially missed four darts to move in front - three at double eight - to allow Scholten to take out 100.

The Dutchman then punished Beaton again to take the set in the fourth leg.

Beaton took out double 16 twice to move 2-0 up in the third set, and was just off target on the same bed for a 95 checkout which would have left Scholten in further pain.

But the number seven seed pounced to take the leg and the next two to put himself 2-1 up, and was clinical in the next set to take three successive legs and seal the win.

"I didn't feel comfortable from the first leg onwards," said Scholten. "I've not been right for two days and have been to the chiropractor.

"It started on Wednesday when I woke up at 5am with the problem. I've had hot and cold treatment and done some exercises but I've not had much sleep for the last two nights.

"I could feel it when I was on stage but I don't want to use it as an excuse because if you do that you have doubts - and I don't want that.

"In the first set I started to blame myself for missing doubles and giving him the head start.

"You start doubting yourself and thinking, and there were only a few occasions when I was happy with how I started.

"I'm pleased that I've won. Steve battled all the way through and never gave up."

Scholten faces Phil Taylor in Friday's quarter-finals, and is looking to improve his performance against the defending champion.

"That's another day," he added. "I know I have been ahead of Phil before, I can't say I've ever beaten him but we're all human.

"I've never looked on him like he's unbeatable - he will be beaten and that day might be tomorrow."

Beaton admitted: "I was quite happy with how I played but I didn't take my chances. If I'd hit all my doubles I'd have had him.

"It was his lucky night, that's the way I see it but fair play to him for winning.

"Roland thrives on hitting you hard when you miss and I knew when he took the third leg in that third set I had to fight.

"I'm annoyed. I'd rather have been hammered 3-0 by him than this, and I have to go away thinking I should have beaten him 3-0.

"I honestly thought I had him after the first set and it's my own fault for losing the match."

Roland Scholten	3-1 (2-3, 3-1, 3-2, 3-0)	Steve Beaton
24	100+	29
13	140+	7
1	180	-
28.38	Ave1	27.32
85.14	Ave3	81.97
100	High Finish	80

PHIL TAYLOR 3-1 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD

PHIL TAYLOR resisted a fightback from Raymond van Barneveld to defeat the Dutchman 3-1 and remain on course for a seventh SkyBet World Grand Prix title.

Taylor looked on course for an easy win when he won the first two sets in sensational style in front of a full house at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin.

Van Barneveld showed his class by winning the third set, and took the fourth to a decider with three 180s and a superb 120 finish.

But Taylor held his nerve and wrapped up the win with a 70 finish to set up a quarter-final clash with another Dutchman - Roland Scholten - on Friday.

"It was a tough game," said Taylor. "He's a great player and he battled to hang in there.

"He's brilliant and he's always trying to better himself. It's a pleasurez to play games like that against him.

"I've got Roland now, he is playing well and it will be another tough game."

Van Barneveld had won the two previous encounters between the pair, and said: "You know if you get him in the second round it's a hard game, especially in the double start format.

"He's the best player in the world and it was a very good game. In the last leg he got off with double 20 and I didn't and that proved crucial."

Phil Taylor	3-1 (3-2, 3-0, 1-3, 3-2)	Raymond van Barneveld
20	100+	21
14	140+	12
3	180	4
30.92	Ave1	31.41
92.76	Ave3	94.23
70 x2	High Finish	120

DENNIS PRIESTLEY 3-2 ADRIAN LEWIS

DENNIS PRIESTLEY held off a brave challenge from Adrian Lewis to book his spot in the quarter-finals of the SkyBet World Grand Prix - and secure his spot in the 2007 Holsten Premier League.

Priestley has been one of the form players of 2006, and continued that with an impressive display against Lewis.

He won six of the first seven legs to take a two-set lead in the match, hitting two 13-dart legs and pouncing on Lewis' misses.

He landed a third maximum in the opening leg of the third set, but Lewis suddenly found his rhythm and hit back to take the next three legs to pull back a set.

Lewis lifted another gear and landed two maximums and an 33 finish to take the fourth set in a decider and heighten Priestley's nerves.

However, a superb 144 finish for a 12-dart leg edged Priestley in front, before he broke Lewis' throw in the second leg and then took out 117 for the match.

"I'm absolutely delighted," said 55-year-old Priestley. "Adrian's a really good player. For a young lad he doesn't give in and that's a great sign from an up-and-coming player.

"It promises to be another cracking game against James Wade, although the format's a bit longer and my stamina isn't what it used to be."

Priestley's victory confirmed his place among the top six players who will qualify by right for the £265,000 Holsten Premier League Darts next year.

"I had a taste of it when I went to Doncaster this year to see what all the fuss was about and it was really interesting," he said. "The crowds were big and they enjoyed it.

"I said at the turn of the year that I was going to get stuck in. There's so much money that's been brought into the game that I might as well try and see off my career with some of it in my bank account!"

Lewis had also lost to Priestley in a UK Open Regional Final last weekend, and said: "Dennis played absolutely brilliantly.

"I was 2-0 down and I knew I couldn't give in. I got one set back and nicked another but in the last set I couldn't quite get the treble 20s.

"If I'd taken the first set it could have been a different game but that's darts.

"I'm going to get straight back on the practice board and start preparing for the World Championship. My last hope of getting a Premier League place is doing well in the World Championship and I'll be dangerous there."