Champ League Darts Group One
Posted on September 16th, 2009
JAMES WADE defeated Phil Taylor 6-4 to win Group One of the Championship League Darts – despite the reigning champion hitting a nine-darter on the 2009 event’s opening day.
World number two Wade booked his place in the Winners Group of the internet-televised tournament in style at Crondon Park GC in Essex, claiming two wins in a highly profitable day.
Wade missed out on a place in last year’s Winners Group but followed up victory over Taylor in the eight-player league phase on Tuesday with a high-quality win in the final.
Two 121 finishes on the bullseye helped Wade into an early 3-1 lead against Taylor, who cut the gap to 4-3 before the left-hander hit two 180s in setting up a potential nine-darter.
Although he missed out on that feat, he took leg eight to lead 5-3 and eventually sealed a 6-4 victory with a fifth maximum of the final and a 100 checkout.
He had earlier overcome Taylor 6-5 in the league phase and topped the table after the round-robin stage, before edging out Mervyn King 6-5 in the semi-finals.
With prize money of £50 per leg on offer in the league phase and £100 per leg in the play-offs, Wade pocketed £3,250 as well as a place in October’s Winners Group.
“I’m delighted to get through,” said Wade. “I was disappointed last year when I lost out in two groups and missed the Winners Group so it’s a relief to qualify this time.
“Just winning the group today was tough because of the quality of players, but to then win the semi-finals and final too is brilliant.”
Taylor had been unbeaten in last year’s event – winning Group One and the Winners Group – but a defeat to Wade was later followed by a 6-4 loss to King in the group stage.
He did, though, hit a perfect nine-dart finish during a 6-1 win over John Part, his seventh in a televised competition during his illustrious career.
The World Champion finished second in the table, and then defeated Adrian Lewis 6-3 in the semis in pocketing £2,950 for his day’s work – although he will be amongst the eight competitors in Wednesday’s Group Two.
Lewis and King will join Taylor back at Crondon Park on Wednesday, alongside Colin Lloyd and Alan Tabern, who finished fifth and sixth respectively in Group One.
Canadian star John Part and Ronnie Baxter were eliminated on day one, having only picked up one win apiece in their seven league games.
Two-time World Champion Dennis Priestley comes into the event for Group Two, alongside two of the 2009 Group Winners, Andy Hamilton and Mark Walsh.
Championship League Darts Group Two will begin at 11am on Wednesday, and is shown exclusively live on the internet through a series of ten bookmakers’ websites.
Board One Board Two
Match One Phil Taylor 5-6 James Wade Colin Lloyd 6-2 Alan Tabern
Match Two Ronnie Baxter 3-6 Adrian Lewis John Part 5-6 Mervyn King
Match One Alan Tabern 5-6 Phil Taylor Adrian Lewis 4-6 John Part
Match Two Mervyn King 6-1 Ronnie Baxter James Wade 6-4 Colin Lloyd
Match One Alan Tabern 6-4 John Part Phil Taylor 6-3 Adrian Lewis
Match Two Mervyn King 6-2 Colin Lloyd James Wade 6-4 Ronnie Baxter
Match One John Part 1-6 Phil Taylor
Phil Taylor *nine-darter Alan Tabern 2-6 Adrian Lewis
Match Two James Wade 6-2 Mervyn King Colin Lloyd 6-1 Ronnie Baxter
Match One Colin Lloyd 6-4 John Part Ronnie Baxter 1-6 Phil Taylor
Match Two Adrian Lewis 6-5 James Wade Mervyn King 6-2 Alan Tabern
Match One Ronnie Baxter 5-6 Alan Tabern James Wade 6-1 John Part
Match Two Adrian Lewis 6-5 Colin Lloyd Phil Taylor 4-6 Mervyn King
Match One Colin Lloyd 3-6 Phil Taylor John Part 1-6 Ronnie Baxter
Match Two Mervyn King 2-6 Adrian Lewis Alan Tabern 5-6 James Wade
Semi-Final 1
James Wade 6-5 Mervyn King Semi-Final 2
Phil Taylor 6-3 Adrian Lewis
Final
James Wade 6-4 Phil Taylor
Group One Pl W L Won Lost £Won Pts
James Wade 7 6 1 41 27 £2050 12
Phil Taylor 7 5 2 39 25 £1950 10
Adrian Lewis 7 5 2 37 29 £1850 10
Mervyn King 7 5 2 34 26 £1700 10
Colin Lloyd 7 3 4 32 31 £1600 6
Alan Tabern 7 2 5 28 39 £1400 4
Ronnie Baxter 7 1 6 21 37 £1050 2
John Part 7 1 6 22 40 £1100 2
Prize Money League Play-Offs Total
James Wade £2050 £1200 £3250
Phil Taylor £1950 £1000 £2950
Mervyn King £1700 £500 £2200
Adrian Lewis £1850 £300 £2150
Colin Lloyd £1600 £1600
Alan Tabern £1400 £1400
John Part £1100 £1100
Ronnie Baxter £1050 £1050
GROUP TWO FIXTURES
11am Weds Board One Board Two
Match One Phil Taylor v Mervyn King Mark Walsh v Andy Hamilton
Match Two Alan Tabern v Dennis Priestley Adrian Lewis v Colin Lloyd
Match One Andy Hamilton v Phil Taylor Dennis Priestley v Adrian Lewis
Match Two Colin Lloyd v Alan Tabern Mervyn King v Mark Walsh
Match One Andy Hamilton v Adrian Lewis Phil Taylor v Dennis Priestley
Match Two Colin Lloyd v Mark Walsh Mervyn King v Alan Tabern
Match One Adrian Lewis v Phil Taylor Andy Hamilton v Dennis Priestley
Match Two Mervyn King v Colin Lloyd Mark Walsh v Alan Tabern
Match One Mark Walsh v Adrian Lewis Alan Tabern v Phil Taylor
Match Two Dennis Priestley v Mervyn King Colin Lloyd v Andy Hamilton
Match One Alan Tabern v Andy Hamilton Mervyn King v Adrian Lewis
Match Two Dennis Priestley v Mark Walsh Phil Taylor v Colin Lloyd
Match One Mark Walsh v Phil Taylor Adrian Lewis v Alan Tabern
Match Two Colin Lloyd v Dennis Priestley Andy Hamilton v Mervyn King
7.15pm Semi-Final 1 Semi-Final 2
8.00pm Final
Filed under Championship League Darts, PDC |
