REPORTS, reaction and statistics from Sunday night's play at the Stan James World Matchplay, as the tournament got underway at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool.

WES NEWTON is hoping to cause Phil Taylor a shed-load of trouble when the pair meet in the Stan James World Matchplay on Monday.

PHIL TAYLOR'S run of success in the Bobby Bourn Memorial Players Championship continued with victory in Saturday's tournament at the Winter Gardens.

BOB ANDERSON, Denis Ovens, Andy Smith and Mark Walsh warmed up for the Stan James World Matchplay by coming through the PDPA Qualifiers for the World Darts Trophy on Friday night.

PHIL TAYLOR is bidding to prevent Raymond van Barneveld picking up a third successive major title at the Stan James World Matchplay next week.

THE PDC will stage two tournaments at the Emperors Palace Resort in Johannesburg this September.

MARK DUDBRIDGE will enter the Stan James World Matchplay on a high following a successful summer campaign so far.

ALAN BOLTON has won the New Zealand National Championship, to earn a place in the 2008 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

GARY MAWSON and Ray Carver lead the race for the two American spots in the 2008 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

BELGIAN Erik Clarys has given up hope of making a return to darts as a right-handed player, following an 11th operation on his badly broken elbow.