SINGHA Beer Grand Slam - Thursday

CLINICAL TAYLOR PUNISHES WRIGHT IN SINGHA BEER GRAND SLAM OF DARTS

PHIL TAYLOR continued his bid to win a sixth SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts title with a superb 10-4 comeback defeat of Peter Wright at the Wolves Civic, as Michael Smith, Mervyn King and Stephen Bunting joined him in the quarter-finals.

Taylor, the reigning champion in the £400,000 event, was at his clinical best to see off the World Championship finalist and set up a tasty quarter-final against emerging star Smith on Saturday.

Wright had led 2-1 and 3-2 after taking out a brilliant 129 finish which featured two double 18s, only for missed doubles later in the game to prove costly as Taylor took eight of the next nine legs on his way through to the last eight.

Taylor's run included two 11-dart legs and seven perfect darts of a possible nine-darter at one stage, and he ended with a 101.70 average and ten doubles from 18 attempts.

Wright had out-scored the 16-time World Champion, including hitting four 180s to Taylor's three, but 11 missed doubles from 15 attempts in the game cost the world number four as he exited the Wolves Civic stage in defeat.

Taylor now takes on former World Youth Champion Smith in Saturday's quarter-finals after the youngster enhanced his growing reputation with a 10-5 comeback win over Christian Kist.

"Peter put me under a lot of pressure and he's hard to beat, so I was nervous," admitted Taylor. "The 129 was absolutely brilliant, but after that he started to miss and it let me in.

"It was a difficult game and I'm glad I'm through, but it won't be any easier in the quarter-finals.

"Michael's a great player and he played well tonight, and he's impressed me with the maturity he's shown. It should be a cracker and we're both up for it."

Smith had trailed 3-0 early on as former Lakeside Champion Kist finished 76 in the opening leg and then punished misses from the St Helens ace to take the next two legs.

Smith hit back to level, taking out a 99 finish with two double tops in the process, and though Kist took a slender 4-3 cushion, another three-leg burst - including a bullseye checkout on 90 - saw the 24-year-old surge clear at 6-4.

Kist took out 68 to reply, but a 121 finish from Smith denied him the chance to level before the St Helens ace raced through the next three legs to win through to his first televised major quarter-final.

Smith ended the game with ten doubles from 19 attempts - including his six misses in the opening three legs - and averaged just under 100 in an impressive performance.

"I didn't think I played that well and I didn't start well, but it's a great result for me," said Smith. "I struggled in the first three legs but I dug deep and got back into the game.

"I could have been 4-1 up but was 3-2 down because I missed a couple of easy checkouts, but I still got the win and that's all that matters.

"In the group stage if you have five bad legs then you're out of the match, but the longer distance is better for me. It's brilliant to be in the quarter-finals, but if I play as well as I can then I believe I can go even further."

Smith's mentor Gary Anderson missed out on the chance to join him in the last eight with a 10-4 defeat to Mervyn King, who punished 19 missed doubles from the Scot with a clinical display.

Although Anderson led 2-1 early on, King hit the front at 3-2 and pulled clear from three-all with five successive legs.

The run included checkouts of 78 and 116 after Anderson had missed doubles as well as three 180s as he moved five legs clear of the former Premier League champion.

Anderson landed a 177 and double five to pull back to 8-4, but missed further doubles - for ton-plus checkouts - in the next two legs as King secured his second Grand Slam of Darts quarter-final in eight years of the event.

"I'm very pleased with that and I'm feeling good," said King. "My scoring wasn't as good as normal but I've been finishing well this week, and that was the difference.

"I knew that Gary can sometimes miss a few doubles, and I practised really hard on finishing going into the game.

"If I start scoring like I want to, then who knows what can I happen. My averages haven't been great but they've been consistent and I'm doing enough to win matches at the moment and that's what happened again."

King now plays Stephen Bunting in the last eight after the reigning Lakeside Champion enjoyed a superb 10-8 win over James Wade in a clash which saw the pair share eight ton-plus checkouts.

After Bunting finished 95 and 92 to take the early lead, Wade powered in a 170 checkout and then levelled with a 108 combination.

Bunting finished 107 as he pushed out to 5-2 and added checkouts of 145 and 102 as he moved 7-4 up.

Wade reduced the gap to 8-7 at one stage, and after Bunting fired in a 114 finish the left-hander took out 164 to pull back to 9-8.

Bunting, though, landed his fifth 180 of the game to open the 18th leg, and denied Wade the chance to take the game into a decider by finishing double 16 for a 12-darter.

"James showed what a fantastic player he is so I'm glad to get the win in the end," said Bunting.

"There was some really good finishing, and James' 170 and 164 stand out but I had to take out the ton-plus finishes myself to get over the line there.

"You know when you're playing James on his own game that you've got to take those finishes out because he'll walk all over you, and it's a testament to him too because he dug in and took some great finishes out."

The quarter-finals begin on Friday with the two games from the top half of the draw, with former World Grand Prix finalist Dave Chisnall taking on World Youth Champion Keegan Brown before PDC World Champion Michael van Gerwen faces Belgium's Kim Huybrechts.

Saturday will then see King meet Bunting on the televised stage for the first time before Taylor takes on Smith.

The £400,000 event then concludes on Sunday with the semi-finals in the afternoon session and the final in the evening session.

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SINGHA BEER GRAND SLAM OF DARTS
Thursday November 13
Second Round
Michael Smith 10-5 Christian Kist
Mervyn King 10-4 Gary Anderson
Phil Taylor 10-4 Peter Wright
Stephen Bunting 10-8 James Wade
Best of 19 legs

MATCH INFORMATION
Michael Smith v Christian Kist
0-1 - Kist takes out 76 on double four to make a confident opening.
0-2 - Smith fires in a 180, but misses four doubles to allow Kist in for a break of throw by taking out 71 on tops.
0-3 - Smith misses a further dart at double top to allow Kist back in from an earlier miss to land double ten.
1-3 - Smith kicks off the leg with 180 and 120 - with a bounce-out denying him a second maximum - before hitting tops to get off the mark, despite Kist replying with a 180 of his own.
2-3 - Smith fires in a 180 before securing a break of throw by finishing 99 with single 19 and two double tops.
3-3 - Double 12 sees Smith level the game.
3-4 - Kist regains the lead by finishing double ten.
4-4 - Smith levels by taking out 90 on the bull.
5-4 - Smith lands another 180 as double three moves him ahead.
6-4 - Smith takes out 60 to punish four misses at double 16 from the Dutchman.
6-5 - The pair trade 180s before Kist finishes 68 on tops to hit back.
7-5 - Smith finishes a fine 121 checkout on tops to restore his two-leg lead.
8-5 - Smith lands a sixth 180 of the game, and when Kist misses the bull and two subsequent darts at tops to allow the St Helens man in on double 16.
9-5 - Tops for a 64 finish moves Smith a leg away from the win.
10-5 - Smith posts his seventh maximum and finishes 48 on tops to complete his comeback.

Match Stats

Michael Smith	10-5	Christian Kist
16	100+	17
9	140+	9
0	170+	0
7	180	2
99.97	Average	89.12
121	High Finish	76
4	Breaks of Throw	1
10/19	Finishing %	5/17

Mervyn King v Gary Anderson
1-0 - The pair trade 180s before Anderson misses three darts at double 12 and six, allowing King in on double 16 to break throw immediately.
1-1 - Anderson takes out 54 on tops to level with a break.
1-2 - Anderson opens with 180 and 140 before posting double four to move ahead.
2-2 - King lands a 180 and punishes Anderson's miss at double ten - for a 128 checkout - by hitting the same bed as he levels.
3-2 - Anderson misses two darts at double 15 to take out 90, and King capitalises on tops to move ahead.
3-3 - Anderson lands double eight with his third dart at the bed to level the game with another break of throw.
4-3 - A third successive leg goes against the darts, as King replies to Anderson's 180 with a maximum of his own before stepping in to punish two misses at double 19 from the Scot by taking out 78 in two darts.
5-3 - Anderson misses tops to take out 68 - he has now hit just three doubles from 16 attempts - to allow King in to finish 116 to move two legs up.
6-3 - King lands his fourth 180 before taking out 81 on double six for another break as he extends his lead to three legs.
7-3 - Double ten sees King move four legs clear of the Scot.
8-3 - King fires in a timely 180 to leave 40, and after Anderson misses the bull to take out 88 the Norfolk ace lands tops to continue his charge with a fifth successive leg.
8-4 - Anderson wins his first leg in six, capitalising on a miss from King at double eight by hitting double five, having also opened the leg with a 177 and 140.
9-4 - King lands his sixth 180 of the game before punishing another miss at tops from Anderson by taking out 95 on double eight.
10-4 - King is first to a finish, and though he initially misses three match darts, a miss from Anderson at double 18 for a 110 checkout allows King back on double ten to claim the win and a quarter-final spot.

Match Stats

Mervyn King	10-4	Gary Anderson
18	100+	18
6	140+	10
0	170+	1
6	180	3
94.12	Average	96.32
116	High Finish	54
6	Breaks of Throw	3
10/18	Checkout %	4/23

Phil Taylor v Peter Wright
1-0 - Wright misses the bull, and Taylor finishes 64 on double eight for a 14-darter to break throw immediately.
1-1 - Wright fires in a 180 to set up a 55 finish as he levels in 14 darts on tops.
1-2 - Wright lands another 180 before finishing a third-dart double ten to hit the front.
2-2 - Wright opens with a maximum, but Taylor finishes 95 on double five to level.
2-3 - Taylor misses one dart at double 16, and Wright finishes 129 with a superb combination of treble 19 and two double 18s.
3-3 - Taylor wires three darts at tops, but Wright misses with a trio of doubles as the reigning champion returns on double ten.
4-3 - Taylor moves back into the lead by scoring 140, 140 and 180 before taking out double 16 for an 11-darter.
5-3 - Wright misses the bull for a 130 finish, and Taylor takes out double 16 to move two legs clear.
5-4 - Wright initially misses two darts at tops, but returns to finish double ten.
6-4 - Wright kicks off the leg with a 180, but is left waiting on 24 when Taylor finishes 74 on tops to regain his cushion.
7-4 - Wright's miss at double 18 is punished as Taylor hits the same bed to open up a three-leg lead.
8-4 - Taylor opens with two 180s to set up a possible nine-darter, and adds a seventh treble 20 before wiring the treble 19 on the 141 combination, but he returns to land double 16 for another 11-darter.
9-4 - Double 16 moves Taylor a leg away from the win.
10-4 - Wright misses tops to keep his hopes alive, and Taylor finishes double 12 to complete a fine win - winning eight of the game's final nine legs as he sets up a quarter-final with Michael Smith.

Phil Taylor	10-4	Peter Wright
22	100+	26
9	140+	9
0	170+	0
3	180	4
101.70	Average	99.05
95	High Finish	129
4	Breaks of Throw	1
10/18 - 56%	Finishing %	4/15 - 27%

Stephen Bunting v James Wade
1-0 - Bunting finishes 95 to win the opening leg.
2-0 - The St Helens ace takes out 92 to double his lead.
2-1 - Wade fires in a 180 before taking out a sensational 170 finish to hit back.
2-2 - A 108 checkout sees Wade level as he lands double 14.
3-2 - Bunting lands a maximum before taking out 107 on double 14, with neither player having yet missed a dart at a double.
4-2 - Bunting opens with a 180, and though he initially misses double 16 with two darts, he returns to hit the bed to break throw.
5-2 - Tops sees Bunting move three legs clear of the Masters champion.
5-3 - Wade finishes 72 on double 12 to hit back.
6-3 - Bunting takes out 145 on tops to regain his cushion with another big checkout.
6-4 - The pair trade 180s before Wade checks out his third ton-plus finish of the game by landing tops for a 101 combination.
7-4 - Wade lands his third 180 of the game, but Bunting finishes 102 on double 16 to regain his lead.
7-5 - Bunting posts his fourth maximum, but Wade returns on double top to hit back.
8-5 - A third-dart double eight sees Bunting move two legs away from the quarter-finals.
8-6 - Tops sees Wade reply to his opponent once more.
8-7 - Wade breaks by again landing tops as he reduces the gap to one leg.
9-7 - Wade's revival is stopped in its tracks by a brilliant 114 finish from Bunting as tops sees the St Helens man move a leg away from victory.
9-8 - Wade keeps the game alive with a superb 164 finish as he lands his fourth ton-plus checkout of the contest.
10-8 - Bunting opens with his fifth 180, and finishes double 16 to complete a superb 12-dart leg as he secures his place in the quarter-finals with a memorable display.
Ton-Plus Finishes - Bunting 145, 114,107,102; Wade 170, 164, 108, 101.

Match Stats