So yet again, Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld will do battle in a ‘Major’ TV Final.
Taylor destroyed Simon Whitlock, while Barneveld took out James Wade with a dominant darting display. But Taylor’s 17-4 thrashing of the Australian was darts of the very highest quality.
Barney was simply brilliant against Wade – his two month sabbatical certainly doing the trick, because yet again, he looked relaxed, refreshed and clearly enjoying his darts again.
Wade struggled to hold his own throw and just couldn’t match Barneveld’s scoring or the Dutchman’s finishing for that matter!
The big question for Barney now….can he produce his very best against his old enemy in Sunday’s all Unicorn Final at the Winter Gardens?
If the Dutchman can bring his ‘A’ game to the Blackpool stage, he may have a chance but Taylor will still be odds-on with the bookies to claim that 11th Matchplay crown.
After losing the opening leg against Whitlock, Taylor produced an early ‘Power Surge’ winning the next seven, and there was no coming back from that for the Australian.
Taylor wasn’t at his best but he didn’t have to be.
A lot of the 2,000 sell-out crowd were expecting a close match, but Whitlock was far from his best and Taylor seemed intent on showing the Aussie who is the boss in the wide world of darts!
He destroyed Whitlock….an average of nearly 104 and seven 180s and now it’s a case of bring on Barney!
“It’s the final everyone wanted I think,” he said. “I have been impressed with Raymond this week and I am very excited about this match.”
Taylor won eight consecutive legs to wrap up the win and to rub Whitlock’s nose in it!
“It’s good to see Raymond getting back to his best but I really want this title again. I put this down as a great achievement for me to reach another final, when I am 50 next month. Now I want to win!” he added.
Wade was disappointed with his performance but he can still look back at a good tournament, as he gets ever closer to top form.
Barneveld was thrilled: “It means a lot to me to reach the final here in Blackpool. It is such a special place and a special event….but getting to the final isn’t enough for me. It is all about winning. It’s one PDC ‘Major’ that I haven’t won and I did say earlier in the year that I would win another big title in 2010, well maybe this is the time!”
The Dutchman’s last big tournament win came three years ago at the Las Vegas Desert Classic.
Wade actually started the better, edging 4-2 in front with finishes of 121 and 140, but Barney hit back superbly…..he won seven out of the next eight legs and it clearly affected Wade’s concentration.
In fact, when Wade won the 11th leg to only trail 6-5, it was the last time that he held his throw in the match!
Barney seized the initiative with the help of a couple on ton plus finishes himself….and although we saw seven consecutive legs won against the throw in the m idle of the match, Wade just couldn’t get close.
From 11-8 in front, the Dutchman put the pedal to the floor and he reeled off five legs on the spin to seal a commanding win.
An average just shy of 100, a 43 per cent check-out success rate and a confident victory, but he knows that he will have to perform better than that to challenge Taylor in the final.
If Barney starts well, he has a chance!
Semi-Final results:
James Wade 8-17 Raymond van Barneveld
Simon Whitlock v Phil Taylor
Losers - £25,000
Final – Sunday – best of 35 legs:
Raymond van Barneveld v Phil Taylor
By STUART PYKE in Blackpool
Photos courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC