Stan James World Matchplay Night 5
Posted on July 24th, 2009
JAMES WADE continued his stanjames.com World Matchplay love affair with a superb 13-7 win over Gary Anderson as he progressed to the quarter-finals at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.
The 2007 champion has reached the final in his three previous World Matchplay campaigns, and remains on course for another appearance after a high-quality win over Anderson.
Wade will now take on Ronnie Baxter in the quarter-finals on Friday, and believes he may already have overcome his biggest obstacle.
“This was the game I didn’t want to play and I’ve come through it,” said Wade.
“I’m delighted to win the game but I can play better and I’ll take the win and move on to the quarter-finals. I can relax now and enjoy the rest of the competition.”
Blackpool-born Baxter won his place in the last eight with a dramatic 16-14 win over Alan Tabern, who came from 3-0 and 8-4 down to twice lead before securing a tie break win.
World number three Raymond van Barneveld also won a tight battle to reach the quarter-finals, seeing off Mark Walsh 13-11.
However, he had to endure some nervous moments after allowing the in-form Englishman to hit back from 9-5 down to level.
Van Barneveld takes on Terry Jenkins in the quarters on Friday afternoon, with Mervyn King meeting Holland’s Vincent van der Voort.
Wade and Baxter will open the evening session before the final game sees nine-time champion Phil Taylor take on Adrian Lewis in an all-Stoke battle.
stanjames.com World Matchplay – Second Round
Thursday July 23
Afternoon Session
Mervyn King 13-8 Steve Beaton
Vincent van der Voort 13-6 Wayne Mardle
Terry Jenkins 14-12 Denis Ovens
Evening Session
Ronnie Baxter 16-14 Alan Tabern
Raymond van Barneveld 13-11 Mark Walsh
James Wade 13-7 Gary Anderson
RONNIE BAXTER 16-14 ALAN TABERN
RONNIE BAXTER edged Alan Tabern 16-14 in an epic to move into the stanjames.com World Matchplay quarter-finals.
The duo slugged out a 30-leg battle in front of a capacity crowd, with Tabern twice hitting back from behind to lead only to eventually fall in a tie break.
Baxter made a brilliant start to win the first three legs, punishing a string of misses from Tabern in the first, breaking on double ten in the second and hitting a 180 in the third.
Double eight got Tabern off the mark in leg four, and his comeback gained momentum as misses from Baxter in the next two allowed him to level and then go ahead with a 90 checkout.
Baxter hit a 177 on his way to levelling matters, and landed 180s and double top finishes in the next two to lead 6-4.
Another double top finish moved him three legs clear before a superb 108 checkout saw him take a fifth successive leg for an 8-4 cushion.
Tabern once more hit back, with a 107 finish stopping Baxter’s run then followed by checkouts of 68 and 83 as he won four legs in a row to level once more.
Baxter set up a two-dart 78 finish with a 180 to lead 9-8, but Tabern took out a 12-darter on 84 to level and 73 to edge in front.
Double 16 moved him 11-9 up, and after Baxter took out 78 to hit back the St Helens man powered home a 157 checkout to move a leg away from the win.
Baxter took out double nine to stay in the game and landed a 177 and double top to square the contest, before the pair shared the next four legs as the game went beyond the scheduled distance to 14-all.
Tabern landed a 180 in the 29th leg, but crucially missed three darts at double 16 to break before double ten edged Baxter 15-14 up.
And the 1998 runner-up then sealed the win with a two-dart 88 finish to edge a marathon contest.
“It was a great game to be involved in and it’s even better to come out of it a winner,” said Baxter.
“It was all about stamina and I showed that. I missed a few doubles but so did Alan to let me back in.
“His 157 was brilliant and he was always there on my heels.”
Baxter was born in Blackpool and enjoys plenty of support from the Winter Gardens crowd on his favourite stage.
“It holds a lot in my heart,” he added. “It’s my birthplace and I want to do well.
“It sends a shiver up my spine when I’m on that stage and performing well and long may it continue.”
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 13-11 MARK WALSH
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD continued to battle his darting demons as he progressed to the quarter-finals of the stanjames.com World Matchplay with a narrow 13-11 win over Mark Walsh.
The Dutchman set up a last eight clash with Terry Jenkins on Friday with the victory, but made hard work of the performance.
Van Barneveld led 9-5 but then showed the self-doubt which has plagued his summer in allowing Walsh to battle back and level – only to then regain his composure and seal the win.
Van Barneveld opened the game with a 180 in the first leg, but three misses at double 14 allowed Walsh to lead on double top.
The duo then shared the next three legs before van Barneveld took out 76 on double 18 to take the game’s first break of throw.
He then repeated that shot to move 4-2 up, only for Walsh to take out double top and then land two 180s in the eighth to level the contest.
A 104 checkout saw van Barneveld break throw once more, and finishes of double nine and double 14 helped him to move 7-4 up.
The lead was extended to four legs with another 76 checkout after the duo traded 180s, and the next two legs went with the throw to leave the Dutch star 9-5 up.
Double eight saw Walsh begin his fightback, and he then broke van Barneveld’s throw with a 13-darter before landing double ten to continue the revival.
A 110 finish from Walsh, following an earlier 180, saw him draw level as the Dutchman began to show signs of fragility.
Missed doubles from Walsh allowed him to stop the run on double top, and a 180 gave him the breathing space to miss two darts at double 16 before landing in the same bed to move 11-9 up.
Walsh landed a 180 and double ten to take the next, but a 32 finish of two double eights saw van Barneveld move a leg away from the win.
The pair traded maximums before Walsh took out 96 to keep his hopes alive, but some poor scoring in the next gave the Dutchman his chance, and he wrapped up victory on double nine.
“Mark’s been playing really well on the circuit but on stage it’s different and I managed to get ahead of him,” said van Barneveld.
“I always make it hard for myself. I couldn’t find the trebles all of a sudden and I let him get back to nine-all.
“I am happy with the win but I have to improve for the quarter-finals.”
JAMES WADE 13-7 GARY ANDERSON
JAMES WADE continued his stanjames.com World Matchplay love affair with a superb 13-7 win over Gary Anderson as he progressed to the quarter-finals at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.
The 2007 champion has reached the final in his three previous World Matchplay campaigns, and remains on course for another appearance after a high-quality win over Anderson.
It was his first win over the Scot, whose debut in Blackpool came to a gallant end in an exciting contest.
The pair traded ten maximums, but missed doubles proved costly for Anderson as Wade’s clinical accuracy set up a quarter-final with Ronnie Baxter.
Wade won the opening leg with a 100 finish, and defied maximums from Anderson to take the next three, with the Scot missing doubles in two.
Anderson hit a fourth 180 of the game and a 151 finish to get off the mark, but missed double 14 for a second leg as Wade punished him with a double 12 checkout set up by a 177 score.
Wade also landed 138 to leave tops to earn a sixth leg, which was sandwiched between finishes of double 18 and double top as Anderson pulled back to 6-3.
Anderson missed a chance on double six in the next as Wade landed a 62 finish on double ten, and though the Scot took out double 18 for a fourth leg further misses allowed the 2007 winner to pull clear with three successive legs.
Anderson then won two of the next three, defying a Wade maximum in the first, but at 11-6 another missed double top proved crucial.
Wade stepped up to hit the same bed and move a leg away from the win, although he then missed bullseye for victory in the next as Anderson scrambled home double ten.
Anderson also landed a 180 in the next leg, but Wade took out double 18 for a 13-darter which secured the win.
The 26-year-old acknowledged that he expected Anderson to prove stiff test for him, admitting: “This was the game I didn’t want to play and I’ve come through it.
“I was very nervous beforehand because it was being built up as a massive game but I think the greatest battle for both of us was to overcome that and play a game of darts.
“Gary didn’t produce his best but I hit enough vital shots to make sure he didn’t turn up and did what I do best with some good finishing.
“I’m delighted to win the game but I can play better and I’ll take the win and move on to the quarter-finals. I can relax now and enjoy the rest of the competition.”
Tags: Results, Review, World Matchplay
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