LEADING SEEDS Phil Taylor and Gary Anderson will meet in the semi-finals of the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts on Saturday afternoon.

The duo, seeded second and third for the tournament, progressed past John Part and Kevin Painter respectively to set up a mouth-watering last four encounter at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Taylor held off a John Part fightback to prevail 10-7 against the Canadian double World Champion, averaging almost 100 in a strong display.

Anderson, meanwhile, proved too strong in defeating Painter by the same scoreline, punishing missed doubles from the Englishman to progress to the semis.

The other semi-final will see Stoke's Andy Hamilton face ITV Wildcard Qualifier Kevin McDine.

The 22-year-old continued his dream run with a stunning 10-3 defeat of former World Champion Jelle Klaasen, hitting eight 180s in a superb display.

Hamilton edged out number eight seed Terry Jenkins 10-8 to seal his place in the last four.

Play begins at 2pm on Saturday at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall and will be screened live on ITV1, with the semi-finals being played over the best of 25 legs.

PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts
Quarter-Finals (seedings in brackets)
Kevin McDine 10-3 Jelle Klaasen (5)
Andy Hamilton 10-8 Terry Jenkins (8)
Phil Taylor (2) 10-7 John Part (7)
Gary Anderson (3) 10-7 Kevin Painter

Semi-Finals
Andy Hamilton v Kevin McDine
Phil Taylor (2) v Gary Anderson (3)
Best of 25 legs
2pm Start, Live On ITV1

KEVIN McDINE 10-3 JELLE KLAASEN

ITV WILDCARD QUALIFIER Kevin McDine continued his dream run at the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts with a stunning 10-3 defeat of Jelle Klaasen.

The 22-year-old knocked out number four seed James Wade on Wednesday, and booked his place in the semi-finals with another assured display.

He continued to show no nerves on the big stage to storm past the former World Champion with ease.

He was 4-0 up before Klaasen got off the mark, and landed eight maximums to average 99 for the match.

"It's unbelievable," said McDine. "It's not a surprise because I know I can play, but reaching the semi-finals is a surprise.

"I've always wanted to be a World Champion, since I picked up a dart as a three-year-old, and this is a dream run.

"I hit two 180s in the first leg and that was important but I was pretty relaxed throughout."

He kicked off the match with a 180 and added a further maximum on his way to the first leg, with a cool 70 finish doubling the lead.

McDine took out double top to move 3-0 up before a 99 finish, with Klaasen waiting on double 18, to move clear.

Klaasen got off the mark by winning back-to-back legs either side of the first break, only for McDine to raise his game once again.

A 70 finish on the bullseye was followed by him punishing four missed doubles from the Dutchman to move 6-2 up.

He kicked off leg nine with two maximums, and although a nine-darter went begging he took a five-leg cushion in 12 darts.

Klaasen won leg ten on double ten, but an effortless 104 checkout restored McDine's advantage and a 165 score left him a 16 finish to move 9-3 up.

Klaasen landed his first maximum of the game in the next leg, but misses on the bullseye and double eight allowed McDine to wrap up victory on double four.

"He was better than me tonight," admitted Klaasen. "I wasn't as consistent as I wanted to be and I missed a couple of darts and he checked out."

ANDY HAMILTON 10-8 TERRY JENKINS

ANDY HAMILTON powered into the semi-finals of the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Dart with a 10-8 win over Terry Jenkins

The Stoke star edged out the PDC world number four in a tight contest, taking four of the final five legs to set up a semi-final against ITV Wildcard Qualifier Kevin McDine.

The lead changed hands three times during an entertaining contest, with Hamilton only pulling clear with finishes of 114 and then double top to take the win.

"It was a tremendous game," said Hamilton. "It went back and forth all the time but I knew I had the game in me to beat Terry.

"I had to concentrate on my game and hit my doubles. I fought well and came out on top."

Hamilton opened the game with an 11-darter, including two 180s, and led 3-1 before Jenkins took out three straight legs - including a 110 finish - to lead 4-3.

Finishes of 70 and 137 saw Hamilton level at five-all, only for Jenkins to finish 98 on double 12 before sneaking the 13th leg to lead 7-6.

Hamilton levelled on double ten and then stepped in following Jenkins' missed double top to edge back in front.

Jenkins opened the 16th leg with a maximum before levelling once more on double 19, but a 114 checkout from Hamilton proved a hammer blow.

Jenkins responded with another maximum in the next, but Hamilton was first to the double and took out double top for the win.

Jenkins admitted: "I don't know why, but things just don't go right for me when I play Andy, I'm not myself.

"At the moment I can't beat him - I can't find my rhythm against him and it affects you.

"I had a couple of legs under control and made a hash of it to let him step in and take control of the game."

Hamilton faces 22-year-old ITV Wildcard Qualifier Kevin McDine in the semis on Saturday afternoon.

"It's just another game," he added. "He's playing brilliantly and it will be a good game but it's a different day.

"There will be a lot of pressure on the game and he's not going to beat me easily.

"If he beats me he's going to have to fight for it and throw good darts. I've got the experience now and I want to build on what I've done and get into that final."

PHIL TAYLOR 10-7 JOHN PART

PHIL TAYLOR held off John Part's fightback to book his place in the semi-finals of the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 10-7 victory.

Taylor looked on course to coast into the last four when he punished some sloppy finishing from Part to lead 9-4.

The Canadian double World Champion battled back with three successive legs to stay in the contest, as Taylor wasted four match darts.

But Taylor's heavy scoring eventually told, as he remained on course for an appearance in the inaugural final.

Taylor kicked off with five perfect darts to end the opening leg, landing a 180 following by a two-dart 64, and also won leg two on double 16.

Part replied with a 61 finish, and a 78 checkout on double top kept him in the game at 3-2 going into the first break.

Taylor followed up an 11-darter to move 4-2 up with three of the next four legs to take a 7-3 cushion.

Part took the next two, but two more from Taylor - as he punished further missed doubles from the Canadian - saw him move to the brink of victory.

Part paid for five missed doubles in the next as Taylor went 9-4 up, but scrambled home double 16 to remain in the game after the Englishman wasted two chances to seal the win.

Part won the 15th leg on double ten and then took advantage of two more misses in the next to take out double 16 and pull back to 9-7.

But an improbable comeback came to an end in the next, with Part missing double 19 for a 158 finish to allow Taylor to hit double top with his third dart to take the win.

"It was a difficult match," said Taylor. "When I got to nine I started to put myself under pressure and missed a few doubles.

"I nicked a few legs when he had chances, and he started to believe in himself and came back well - it was a funny game at times."

Part admitted he was second best on a frustrating night: "I felt good but I just couldn't find my range.

"I dug in but was disappointed with my scoring around the treble 20 and I only hit one 180. I kept pace on the 19s but Phil shut me down.

"He played well and responded well to my shots, and when I missed some doubles he was there to clean up, so I can't complain."

Taylor also sported a new shirt, reflecting England colours to show his patriotism following the national football team's defeat earlier in the week.

"England haven't done very well and I wanted to show my support," added Taylor. "John Anglesea and his wife drove from Bolton to deliver the new shirt and I'm grateful for that."

GARY ANDERSON 10-7 KEVIN PAINTER

GARY ANDERSON punished missed doubles from Kevin Painter to win a place in the semi-finals of the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts.

The Scot set up a last four clash with Phil Taylor on Saturday afternoon by avenging his group stage loss to Painter at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Painter paid for a string of missed doubles, fighting back from 5-2 down to lead 6-5 before his wayward finishing allowed Anderson to take the win.

Painter finished with just seven doubles from 37 attempts, compared to ten from 23 from Anderson.

Anderson stepped in to win the first two legs following misses from Painter, including a 113 checkout in the second.

Painter hit back to level, only for Anderson to take leg five with the Englishman sat on double top.

Anderson also landed an 11-darter in moving 5-2 up, only for Painter to take the next two legs and then punish misses from Anderson to move 6-4 up.

However, Painter paid for misses at double 16 in the next two as Anderson regained the lead, and the Scot then took out a 61 finish in two darts to leave Painter frustratingly sat on a double in the next in moving 8-6 up.

Anderson then won the next despite a maximum from Painter to progress to a leg from victory.

Painter stepped in following three missed darts for the match from Anderson to stay alive in the 16th leg, and landed a 180 on his way to leaving a finish in the next.

But Anderson landed a 104 checkout on double top to move into the semis and earn a date with number two seed Taylor.