stanjames.com World Matchplay Quarters

REPORTS from the quarter-finals of the stanjames.com World Matchplay.

The Winter Gardens saw the last eight face off over two sessions in best of 31 leg contests.

stanjames.com World Matchplay
Friday July 24
Afternoon Session
Quarter-Finals
Mervyn King 16-6 Vincent van der Voort
Terry Jenkins 16-12 Raymond van Barneveld

Evening Session (7pm start)
James Wade 10-16 Ronnie Baxter
Phil Taylor 16-3 Adrian Lewis

Click here for Quarter-Final Photo Gallery

MERVYN KING 16-6 VINCENT VAN DER VOORT

MERVYN KING powered into the stanjames.com World Matchplay semi-finals with a 16-6 thrashing of Vincent van der Voort.

The number five seed produced his best performance of the tournament to average over 100, hit eight 180s and check out over half his attempts at a double.

His superior scoring power devastated van der Voort's challenge, with the Dutchman winning the opening leg with a 94 finish after hitting a 180, only to find himself 5-1 down in the blink of an eye.

The duo traded maximums in the second leg before double 16 got King on the board, and a 106 checkout from the Englishman broke the throw and edged him in front.

King opened the fourth leg with another maximum, and hit double 16 to win the next two legs and create a 5-1 lead.

Double 16 from van der Voort saw him get a second leg, but King matched that finish in the next and took out a key 81 on double 13 - with his opponent waiting on 16 - to lead 7-2.

King landed another 180 and double top to take another leg, but was punished for a missed bull in the next as van der Voort took out double eight to win his third.

King fired in an 11-darter to restore his cushion, and finishes of double eight and double two extended the advantage to 11-3.

Van der Voort landed a maximum in taking the 15th, but King secured another three legs to put himself two away from the win.

He took his 15th leg with another maximum and a two-dart 88 finish, which was sandwiched between strong legs from van der Voort - who took out 131 in staying alive at 15-6.

King, though, was in no mood to delay victory further and took out double eight to secure the win.

"I've known Vincent for a long time and we're great mates," said King. "It's hard when you play a friend but you have to turn off and hate them when you're up there.

"I'm starting to feel more comfortable up on the stage. I felt really good and though I might play a little better I'm trying to eradicate a few loose darts.

"Overall I'm really happy with that win."

Match Stats

Mervyn King	16-6	Vincent van der Voort
23	100+	25
21	140+	15
8	180	5
33.65	Ave1	31.58
100.96	Ave3	94.75
106	High Finish	131
5	Legs Against Throw	0

TERRY JENKINS 16-12 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD

TERRY JENKINS sensationally held off Raymond van Barneveld's challenge at the stanjames.com World Matchplay with a 16-12 quarter-final win.

The 2007 runner-up remains on course to reach a seventh major final following a thrilling victory in one of his best-ever televised displays.

He crucially pulled clear from five-all to lead 12-7 and also 15-8 before van Barneveld battled back.

But the Dutchman had too much to do and fell to defeat in the last eight for the third successive year at the World Matchplay.

The opening stages saw the duo trading blows like prize fighters to hold their own throw - with Jenkins taking out finishes of 131, 121 and 100 to win his first three legs while van Barneveld posted a 14-darter and three 180s.

Jenkins took out a 13-darter in the ninth leg of the match, but was unable to break van Barneveld, who was equally accurate on the key double 18 and double 16 checkouts.

A 76 checkout saw Jenkins move 6-5 up, and he then took the game's first break with a 14-darter and matched that to lead 8-5.

Van Barneveld took the next on double eight, but Jenkins piled home a 180 to set up a double top finish in the next.

Van Barneveld responded with a 180 and a 73 checkout, but Jenkins took the next three legs - hitting two more maximums - to move 12-7 up..

A 12-darter from van Barneveld saw him hit back, only for Jenkins to win the next on tops before securing another key break of throw with a 13-darter.

Double eight pushed him a leg away from the win at 15-8, only for van Barneveld to show his fighting spirit to win four successive legs in 13, 12, 15 and 12 darts.

That spell included four 180s and a 126 checkout as Jenkins - fearing a repeat of Denis Ovens' second round comeback to rattle his nerves - missed two darts for the game.

However, he kicked off the 28th leg with a 180, and produced a 104 checkout to seal victory with a 12-darter.

"I was really up for that match and I'm over the moon to get through to the semis," said Jenkins.

"Everybody was expecting Barney to win but you can never underestimate me. I know what I can do on the practice board and I'm learning to take it onto stage.

"I find it easier to perform against Barney and Phil Taylor because they're the players I want to play against but I find it hard against players I'm supposed to beat.

"I knew if Barney dropped his head I had him on the ropes and I made that count.

"I'm learning all the time and I definitely know I've got a major in me. It's just the luck on the day, and if I strike form like I did against Raymond I can beat anybody."

Match Stats

Terry Jenkins	16-12	Raymond van Barneveld
36	100+	30
17	140+	21
9	180	9
32.52	Ave1	33.25
97.57	Ave3	99.76
131,121,104,100	High Finish	126
4	Legs Against Throw	2

RONNIE BAXTER 16-10 JAMES WADE

WORLD number two James Wade was dumped from the stanjames.com World Matchplay by a brilliant Ronnie Baxter display in Blackpool.

Wade has reached the final at the Winter Gardens for the past three years, winning in 2007, but was blitzed by the local-born favourite.

Baxter produced a clinical display to pull away from eight-all to win eight of the next ten legs for a 16-10 victory.

Wade made a fine start to win the opening two legs and secure a 2-0 lead, but was left waiting on a finish in the next after the duo traded 180s, with Baxter taking out double ten to break back.

A two-dart 78 finish saw Baxter level, and he produced a 14-darter to square matters again after Wade took the fifth leg in 13 darts.

Baxter then took the lead for the first time with a brilliant 132 checkout as Wade waited on 40, and he then punished a missed double top from the 2007 champion with double eight to lead 5-3.

The pair traded double top finishes before Baxter took out 102 to move three legs clear at 7-4 - but he hit two 180s in the next and failed to get a shot at a double as Wade followed up an earlier maximum with an 82 checkout.

He also hit 180s in the next two, and a sensational 153 finish saw him pull level once more.

Another pair of double top finishes took the scores to eight-all, but Wade began to feel the pressure as missed doubles in the next two legs allowed Baxter to edge in front.

They traded the next two before Wade produced a 13-darter to reduce the gap to one leg at 11-10 - but that would prove as close as he would get.

He hit an eight maximum of the game in the next leg, but missed three darts at a double as Baxter took out double top.

Four further misses in the next and one in the 24th leg allowed Baxter into a 14-10 lead, and he then landed a 177 and double top to move a leg away from victory.

Four successive visits to the oche for Wade without hitting a ton gave Baxter the advantage, and he landed double top to book a first Blackpool semi-final since 2005.

"James isn't number two in the world for nothing but it was my night," said Baxter. "It was all about hitting my doubles and I have a great chance now in this event.

"James missed a few doubles and that let me in. I'm enjoying myself and my form is coming back.

"I haven't done the business for a lot of years but I'm in the semis and have a great chance now.

"The tight matches I had in the early rounds teach you things and prepare you for if they happen again in the later stages."

Match Stats

James Wade	10-16	Ronnie Baxter
33	100+	35
19	140+	16
8	180	4
32.52	Ave1	32.24
97.57	Ave3	96.73
153	High Finish	132,102,100
4	Legs Against Throw	7

PHIL TAYLOR 16-3 ADRIAN LEWIS

PHIL TAYLOR dropped only three legs in a quarter-final hammering of Adrian Lewis to remain on course for a tenth stanjames.com World Matchplay title.

The sport's greatest ever player produced another master-class against his former protege, hitting 14 180s, five 11-dart finishes and recording an average of 109.42.

Lewis never stood a chance after going 5-0 down, and Taylor recorded a run of ten successive legs in claiming victory.

Taylor immediately broke Lewis in the game's opening leg with a 13-darter, and took out 65 in two darts and a 121 bullseye checkout to move 3-0 up.

He then opened the fourth with back-to-back 180s, and though a potential nine-darter went begging he took the leg in 11 darter, and a 110 finish sent him into the break 5-0 up.

Lewis had only had one dart at a double in the first session, but took advantage of three missed double 16s from Taylor to get off the mark on the bull - after the world number one had again opened with six perfect darts.

Taylor also missed five darts at double 16 and double eight in the next, with Lewis hitting double ten for a second leg.

Double 16 settled any nerves for Taylor before legs of 11 and 14 darts pushed him 8-2 up.

After Lewis traded maximums with Taylor in the next, seven missed doubles were punished as the reigning champion took out double two.

He then took legs of 11, 14, 14 and 14 darts to move 13-2 up and leave Lewis trailing despite three more maximums from the youngster.

Taylor took a 14th leg before landing two maximums in another 11-darter to ease to the brink of victory.

A showpiece 140 checkout from Lewis - who hit treble 20 and two double tops - was mere consolation for the youngster as Taylor landed a 14th 180 of the game in sealing the win in 11 darts.

His tally of 14 180s was his most ever in one game at the World Matchplay, and an end average of 109.42 was almost equal to his win over Kevin Painter in round two.

"I'm pleased to be in the semi-final and happy with my performance again," said Taylor. "My focus is to win this tournament and I'm on course for that.

"Adrian's a cracking player and though I'm over the moon to win I know he's a better player than that performance."

He now meets Mervyn King in the semi-finals on Saturday, with the world number five having defeated Taylor in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts semi-finals.

"It will be a real battle tomorrow and we'll go blow for blow," said Taylor. "I think there could be a nine-darter or maybe two."

Match Stats