The Wizard 7 – 7 Webby
The Australian threw away his chances of making the play-offs by only taking one point from his clash with bottom of the table Mark Webster.
The Aussie kicked off the contest with a score of 26 and this summed up how his evening was going to go as he went on to lose the opening leg against the throw. He came back in the second, needing only 12 darts to break back and then took the third including a maximum and was looking more like his usual high quality self.
The match was really hotting up as the next three went with throw, and it started to look like it might go the distance as Webby was finally looking like he was back in some form.
A maximum from Whitlock in the seventh leg wasn’t enough as he went on to miss five darts at doubles and the Welshman capitalised to break for the second time, but as at the start of the match the Aussie broke straight back, levelling up again.
Again it seemed like The Wizard might go on to push on for the win as he took the ninth leg with a 90 finish in two darts, but Webster won the next to even things up yet again and then managed to break again with a fabulous 128 checkout.
Yet again though Whitlock responded to being broken by breaking back with a 12-darter to keep his hopes of victory alive. They didn’t last long though as a Webster 180 led to the former World Champion’s fourth break of throw and secured himself the draw. The Wizard still wanted a point though as he kicked off the final leg with four sixties and took the score to 7-7.
It means the campaign is over for the Australian thanks to the results later in the evening and he will be severely disappointed to crash out before the play-offs. He’s been far too inconsistent in this year’s competition and could be on the end of another poor result next week against Taylor.
Everyone will be pleased for Webster who finally got his first point in nine weeks, and will be a lot happier thanks to this result.
Anderson 4 – 8 Barney
Second took on third as two of the most reliable performers this year faced off in what everyone expected to be a very high quality contest.
It started off like a train as everyone had hoped as both men peppered the treble twenty over the opening legs. The first four went with throw and contained five maximums with both men averaging well over a hundred.
The blistering pace seemed to ease off a little from then on though as the 180s dried up, but it didn’t affect the results as the two continued to hold throw and they went in level at the break.
The second half continued in similar fashion as the score moved on to four a piece and it was at this point that the tables turned. Anderson seemed to be in control of the ninth leg, but threw away at his advantage, messing up double five a couple of times to allow Barney to make the first break of the match. The Dutchman then hit his favourite double 18 to hold his own again and open up the first two leg lead of the match.
The worm had well and truly turned now as the Scot had just one go at the bullseye despite throwing first in the eleventh and Barney again capitalised and guaranteed himself a point.
The last leg was a formality by this stage and Barney duly took it and the match 8-4.
It was a strange performance from Anderson who looked on fire early on but fell away really badly in the second half of the match. It’s not crucial for him to win anymore as he has already qualified, but the last thing he wants to do is boost the confidence of his probable semi-final opponent which he will have done.
Barney is looking very strong and very fluent, and if it is indeed this match that will be repeated at Wembley, it should be a cracker.
The Bull 3 – 8 Jackpot
Adrian Lewis went into this one knowing that a win would set him up brilliantly for a play-off spot and he duly delivered the victory that was required.
He didn’t have it all his own way though as The Bull held throw in the first leg and then had three darts to take the second but fluffed his lines, and who knows what could have happened if Jenks had broken throw at that stage.
Lewis wasn’t anywhere near his best, but it was up to Jenkins to capitalise and he couldn’t quite do it, as the remaining legs before the interval continued to go with throw and they went in 3-3 at the break.
It was the break that seemed to turn things around though as Lewis flew out of the blocks in the second half with an 11-darter and the first break of throw of the match. Jenkins hit the first 180 of the match in the next though and really should have broken straight back, but Jackpot fought back and finished off 112 to open up a two leg lead.
It was clear the way the game was going in the ninth when Lewis made it three, three figure finishes in a row and the best one so far as he hit 144 all on 18s.
The World Champion then reeled off the last two legs to make it six in a row and win the match in style eight legs to three.
It really was the performance of a World Champ from Lewis. He really struggled at first but kept himself level and then found his second gear and absolutely blew his opponent away. He’s near enough there now and a clash with Phil Taylor in the semis should be an absolute epic, although he didn’t get one maximum in the contest which is very unlike the man from Stoke.
The Bull has competed well and continued to do so in this match, but it’s all over for him this year. I hope he has a good year on the circuit and can get himself back in the league next year, because he’s a great competitor.
The Machine – 8 The Power
It proved to be the end of James Wade’s valiant late surge for the play-offs in Bournemouth thanks to yet another brilliant performance from Phil Taylor.
Wade kicked off very well taking out 80 with two darts in the first leg, but it was The Power who really showed how to finish in style as he finished off 157 in the second to level things up.
Taylor took the lead for the first time in the third though as The Machine missed two darts to take the leg, which you can’t afford to do against Taylor and the world number one needed just one dart at tops to take it.
He then held throw in the fourth but the following leg was one of the best we’ve seen in the tournament.
A Taylor maximum was followed by a Wade maximum, Taylor returned to hit a second 180 and then Wade stepped up to finish off 98. It was incredible quality from the two men and kept Wade right in it, although The Power continued to frustrate his opponent needing just one at tops again to go 4-2 up before the interval.
It looked very ominous for Wade in the seventh leg as Taylor came out and started the leg with a maximum and went on to win the leg to open up a three leg lead, although The Machine was certainly not playing badly as he broke his old rival back and was averaging 107 as the two started the ninth leg.
It looked like the match could be right back on as Wade held throw for the third time to be back within one leg. He seemed to lose it in the tenth though as he was nowhere near Taylor as he took the score to 6-4 and then the Premier League champ hit a 180 and then finished off 86 to go to the hill.
It was all over on double 8, not only for the match, but for Wade’s hopes of qualification. On near enough any other night against any other player his average of 102.8 and checkout rate of 57% would have secured him victory, but not against Taylor, who averaged 109.3. If The Machine can continue the form he’s shown over the last month into the rest of the year’s tournaments though, he could well be claiming a seventh major.
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