William Hill World Championship Day 12

KLAASEN CUTS POWER ON ELECTRIC NIGHT AT ALLY PALLY

PHIL TAYLOR made a shock exit from the William Hill World Darts Championship after losing a dramatic tie-break against Jelle Klaasen, as Peter Wright and Alan Norris also progressed to the quarter-finals on evening of exceptional action at Alexandra Palace on Wednesday.

Legendary 16-time World Champion Taylor was knocked out of the tournament 24 hours after world number one Michael van Gerwen had suffered the same fate, as Klaasen produced a great escape in the final set.

The 2006 Lakeside Champion stunned number three seed Taylor, who missed a match dart before Klaasen overturned a two-leg deficit in the seventh set by winning four legs in a row and sealing a sensational victory with a brilliant 11-darter.

"This feeling is special and I'm over the moon," said Klaasen, who hit 15 180s and averaged 102.5 as he reached the last eight at Ally Pally for the first time in six years.

"I almost gave it away but I didn't give in and always thought I could win. Phil missed one match dart and I kept fighting and took my chance when it came.

"I know I can do even better than this and still have work to do so it is not time to celebrate yet, but I am very happy."

Taylor's hopes of lifting an unprecedented 17th World Championship trophy were dashed for at least another year and he is keen to see the back of 2015, which has left him in the unfamiliar position of not holding a single major ranking title.

"I'm gutted because I had chances but I have to admit that he played better than me," said Taylor, who also averaged over 100 in the excellent encounter.

"I've just got to leave this year behind now and look forward to next year, push on and see if I can put things right. I've got nothing but praise for Jelle. He can be a World Champion again."

Wright also came through a seven-set thriller as he defeated Dave Chisnall in a tie-break in another epic contest which saw both players miss darts for victory before the 2014 finalist sealed his spot in the last eight against Adrian Lewis.

After a sharing six sublime sets, the pair continued to produce unbelievable quality in the decider, which saw Chisnall produce finishes of 143, 80, 78 and 130 and Wright take out 100, 68, 127 and 64 with the colourful world number four eventually prevailing 6-4.

"I'm feeling over the moon," said number four seed Wright following the incredible battle, in which both players averaged over 102.

"I always find it hard to beat Chizzy. He is a fantastic player but I managed to do it. What a game of darts.

"I've got no idea how I held my nerve under pressure but if I could bottle it I would sell it. I'm ready for another great game against Adrian. It always is a good battle when we meet."

Norris continued to compile the script for a fairytale Ally Pally debut as he saw off Mark Webster in five sets to reach the last eight, hitting nine 180s in the process.

"It's not a bad couple of week's work," joked Norris, a former Lakeside Championship finalist who joined the PDC circuit last January by winning a Tour Card at Qualifying School.

"Some of the press have written me off but I'm happy to have achieved what I have and I'm happy to keep being written off. I could go even further yet."

There will be no play on December 31, with the quarter-finals being held on New Year's Day across two sessions, the semi-finals on January 2 and the final on January 3.

The order of play for the quarter-finals sees the bottom half of the draw in action in the afternoon session on January 1 with Klaasen and Norris doing battle before defending champion Gary Anderson meets James Wade.

The evening session will start with five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld against former World Youth Champion Michael Smith and conclude with Wright's clash with 2011 and 2012 winner Lewis.

Latest William Hill Outright Winner Odds
9/4 Gary Anderson
4/1 Adrian Lewis
6/1 Peter Wright
8/1 Raymond van Barneveld
9/1 Jelle Klaasen
10/1 James Wade
11/1 Michael Smith
28/1 Alan Norris
Odds correct at time of writing and subject to fluctuation. For the latest odds, see www.williamhill.com.

William Hill World Darts Championship

Third Round
Wednesday December 30
Peter Wright 4-3 Dave Chisnall
Alan Norris 4-1 Mark Webster
Phil Taylor 3-4 Jelle Klaasen
Best of seven sets

Quarter-Finals Draw Bracket
Raymond van Barneveld v Michael Smith
Adrian Lewis v Peter Wright
Gary Anderson v James Wade
Alan Norris v Jelle Klaasen

Friday January 1 2016
Afternoon Session (1pm)
Alan Norris v Jelle Klaasen
Gary Anderson v James Wade

Evening Session (7.30pm)
Raymond van Barneveld v Michael Smith
Adrian Lewis v Peter Wright

Quarter-Finals - best of nine sets

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MATCH INFORMATION
Peter Wright 4-3 Dave Chisnall
SET ONE: 2-3
Wright broke Chisnall's throw in the opening leg by scoring his first 180 and landing a 90 finish but his opponent responded with a brilliant 121 checkout. The pair then both hit 180s as the next two legs were shared before Chisnall took out 68 to take the first set.

SET TWO: 3-0
An 88 finish saw Wright take the lead before he bedded double eight and double 19 to level the match.

SET THREE: 0-3
The pair exchanged 180s before Chisnall pegged double eight. He then landed double ten after hitting his third 180 before defying Wright's fourth maximum with a superb 160 finish.

SET FOUR: 3-1
Wright hit two more maximums and Chisnall hit one but the world number four took out 45 to move ahead. Chisnall levelled but Wright finished 88 and 20 to square up the match.

SET FIVE: 1-3
Chisnall took the first two legs before an eighth 180 helped Wright pull a leg back but Chisnall bedded tops to wrestle back the match lead.

SET SIX: 3-2
Chisnall hit two 180s and took out 76 to break. Wright crucially broke straight back with a 116 finish before taking out 84 to move ahead. The pair exchanged maximums but Chisnall moved within a leg of victory thanks to a 112 finish. Wright held his nerve to take out 68, forcing a deciding set.

SET SEVEN: 6-4
Chisnall took out 143 and Wright responded with a 100 finish. The pair then broke each other's throw with an 80 finish for Chisnall before Wright took out 68 to force a tie-break, where a margin of two legs was required for victory. Chisnall drew first blood with a 78 finish but missed a dart at double eight for victory in the following leg. Wright levelled and then took out a fabulous 127 to break but he then missed a dart at the bull for glory and Chisnall incredibly pulled off a 130 finish to save the game. 2014 finalist Wright broke again by cleaning up 64 and, after his opponent missed tops for a 125 finish, he landed double six to seal a sensational win.

Match Stats

Alan Norris 4-1 Mark Webster
SET ONE: 3-2
Norris broke in the opening leg but Webster responded brilliantly by taking out 130 on the bull. He then took out 74 to edge ahead but Norris hit 180s in each of the next two legs as he took the first set against the throw.

SET TWO: 3-2
Webster hit two maximums in the first leg as he broke with a fabulous 12-darter. The next three legs also went against the throw though before Norris held to double his lead in the match.

SET THREE: 0-3
Webster halved the deficit by bedding double ten in each of the three legs.

SET FOUR: 3-1
Norris hammered home his seventh 180 and then nailed tops before Webster pinned double ten again. Norris won the next two legs though as he moved within a set of a last eight place.

SET FIVE: 3-1
Webster took out 76 to go ahead but that was to be the last leg he would win as Norris wrapped up the victory with three straight legs, upping his 180 to count to nine in the process.

Match Stats

Phil Taylor 3-4 Jelle Klaasen
SET ONE: 2-3
The first two legs were shared before Taylor broke with a 76 finish. They both hit 180s in the following leg, which saw Klaasen break back on double three. He then hit two 180s and watched as Taylor missed a dart at the bull for the set and landed tops to move ahead.

SET TWO: 3-0
Taylor took Klaasen apart in the second set, hitting his second 180 before landing double eight and double top twice to level the match.

SET THREE: 1-3
Klaasen took out 70 and then 89 to break but Taylor replied in kind with a 70 finish of his own. The world number three then missed three darts to level the set and Klaasen punished him with a clinical kill of 68 to regain the lead.

SET FOUR: 3-2
Klaasen broke immediately with a ten-darter but Taylor took out 64 to level. The Dutchman finished 92 to leave himself throwing for the set but missed four darts at doubles and Taylor pegged double four and double 12 to restore match parity.

SET FIVE: 0-3
It was Klaasen's turn to dominate as he hit a 180 and took out 100 before landing doubles nine and six to seal the set.

SET SIX: 3-2
Klaasen broke on double two but Taylor took out 87 to break back in 12 darts. He then hit two 180s to move in front but Klaasen replied with his tenth maximum and pegged double seven to level. The Dutch ace then missed a dart at double 18 when trying to complete a 147 combination to win the match and could only watch as Taylor levelled the tie by landing the bed Klaasen had failed to find.

SET SEVEN: 2-4
Taylor looked to have taken control when he fired in his fifth 180 and took out a wonderful 126 finish on the bull to break. He then held despite another maximum from Klaasen. The 16-time World Champion missed a match dart in the following leg and Klaasen stepped in to take out the 64 combination that Taylor had missed. The Dutchman then broke by pegging double 18 to force a tie-break, with a margin of two clear legs needed for victory, in which he took out 100 before breaking to win the match with a sensational 11-darter for a fourth consecutive leg, having hit a 180 in each.

Match Stats