Cash Converters Players Championship - Saturday Evening Round-Up

KING CAUSES POWER CUT IN DONCASTER AS PAINTER BRUSHES ASIDE ANDERSON

MERVYN KING caused a sensation at the Cash Converters Players Championship by knocking out reigning champion Phil Taylor 8-5 in the second round on Saturday evening.

The 45-year-old from Norfolk claimed only his second televised victory over Taylor with a fine display to end the world number one^s hopes of a third Players Championship title in four stagings of the event.

King established an early 3-1 lead and managed to maintain his advantage to seal a place in Sunday^s quarter-finals, although he had missed nine match darts before finally hitting double five to inflict a first televised defeat since June for Taylor.

"It^s always an honour to play Phil and to beat him is special," said King. "I got the win and that^s all that matters, but I did get nervous at the end.

"Most of the match darts which missed were good darts at a double that didn^t go in, but it was a big relief to see the double five go in."

King now plays Kevin Painter in Sunday afternoon^s quarter-finals, as the pair clash in the first of three matches on the day which would give them their maiden PDC major titles.

Painter progressed to the last four of a televised event for the first time since July 2010 with a clinical 8-4 defeat of Gary Anderson, who was unable to repeat the form which saw him whitewash Michael van Gerwen 24 hours earlier.

World number six Mark Webster and St Helens^ rapidly emerging Dave Chisnall were Saturday evening^s other winners in contrasting matches.

Chisnall soared into his second PDC quarter-final with an 8-2 defeat of Co Stompe, but Webster was pushed all the way before defeating number one seed Justin Pipe 8-7.

Webster missed double 12 for a nine-dart finish during the contest, while Pipe saw six match darts go begging before the Welshman triumphed in the deciding leg.

The quarter-finals will commence with the clash between Grand Slam of Darts semi-finalist Mark Walsh and UK Open runner-up Wes Newton, before world number three James Wade faces newcomer Scott Rand - who won through to his first major quarter-final with a defeat of Raymond van Barneveld.

The £250,000 tournament will climax on Sunday evening, with the semi-finals followed by the final at the Doncaster Dome.

Tickets are still available for both sessions on Sunday, with extra tickets released for the evening session. Tickets can be booked in advance by calling the Doncaster Dome Box Office on 01302 370 777 or in person at the venue.

Cash Converters Players Championship
Saturday December 10
Second Round
Wes Newton 8-6 Peter Wright
Wayne Jones 3-8 Mark Walsh
Steve Brown 6-8 James Wade
Raymond van Barneveld 6-8 Scott Rand
Co Stompe 2-8 Dave Chisnall
Justin Pipe 7-8 Mark Webster
Phil Taylor 5-8 Mervyn King
Gary Anderson 4-8 Kevin Painter

Sunday December 11
Afternoon Session (1pm-5pm)
Quarter-Finals
Mark Walsh v Wes Newton
Scott Rand v James Wade
Kevin Painter v Mervyn King
Mark Webster v Dave Chisnall
Best of 17 legs

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Semi-Finals
7.05pm
8.15pm
Order to be decided by coin toss
Best of 19 legs

Final
9.45pm
Best of 25 legs

DAVE CHISNALL 8-2 CO STOMPE
DAVE CHISNALL powered past Co Stompe 8-2 to win through to the quarter-finals of the Cash Converters Players Championship.

The St Helens ace followed up Friday^s defeat of Alan Tabern with a strong display to see off Stompe, who hit only two of 15 darts at a double compared to his opponent^s 50 percent strike rate during the contest.

Chisnall made the early running, opening with a confident 15-darter which he won on double nine before finishing 90 on double ten to win the second as Stompe struggled with his doubles early on.

Chisnall opened the third with scores of 180 and 140 before posting double seven for a 3-0 lead, although he saw the chance to extend that slip away in the next, missing the single 11 for the bull on a 121 finish to allow Stompe in on double eight to open his account.

Finishes of double eight and 108 from Chisnall put him 5-1 up before Stompe powered in a brilliant 170 checkout to win his second leg.

He was also first to a double in the eighth, but a dart at double top missed into double one, and he saw three subsequent darts at double 19 miss their target as Chisnall took out tops to lead 6-2.

Stompe also hit a 180 but could only watch on as Chisnall landed the same bed to move a leg away from victory, which was sealed in the same manner when the Dutchman missed five darts to keep the game alive.

"I^m really happy with that," said Chisnall. "I^m in the zone and playing well and I think I can go further, so I^ll look forward to Sunday."

Stompe admitted: "I had one of those days where I couldn^t hit my doubles. The 170 was nice but it was worthless in the end for me because I couldn^t back it up!"

MARK WEBSTER 8-7 JUSTIN PIPE
MARK WEBSTER won a deciding leg thriller with Justin Pipe to move into the quarter-finals of the Cash Converters Players Championship following a tense battle at the Doncaster Dome.

The left-hander twice hit back from behind and also missed double 12 for a nine-dart finish before edging to victory in the 15th leg - after Pipe had missed six darts for the win.

The early exchanges saw Pipe take the opening leg following four missed darts at double top from Webster before the Welshman took out 80 to level and hit a maximum and double ten to lead 2-1.

Pipe opened the fourth with a 180 and levelled in 13 darts before tops edged Webster in front.

However, he missed the same bed to win the sixth as Pipe hit double ten to square the match before finishing 89 on the bull - with Webster waiting on a double - to lead 4-3.

He moved two legs clear in the next, hitting a 180 to set up a 61 finish which was secured on double 18, only for Webster to fight back by landing tops to come back to 5-4 and almost completing a magical nine-darter in leg ten.

He opened with back-to-back 180s and also hit treble 20 and treble 19 on the 141 finish, but missed double 12 by an inch in his bid to land a first televised perfect leg.

He did return to win the leg in 11 darts and square the game before regaining the lead on tops.

However, he burst his score on 91 in the 12th leg - hitting double 14 instead of double nine - as Pipe took out 101 to level before then making Webster pay for five misses as he moved 7-6 up.

Pipe, though, missed his first chance to seal victory in the next as he saw one dart at tops for a 117 finish miss its target, along with three subsequent darts as Webster posted double five to force a decider.

Pipe hit a 140 to leave 50 for victory, but missed two darts at double 16 to give Webster his chance, and he finished double ten to scramble into the last eight.

"That was a real scrap and it sets me up nicely for the latter stages on Sunday," said Webster. "Justin has done really well this year and he played well there, but I^m really pleased to go through."

He added: "I was nervous on the nine-darter and my arm started shaking when I was on the double 12, but it^s experience and hopefully I^ll put it away next time I get a chance!"

Pipe said: "The game was played in great spirits and, although it^s a shame to lose, Mark deserved the win. I^ve had a good year and this is another learning experience for me."

MERVYN KING 8-5 PHIL TAYLOR
MERVYN KING caused a sensation at the Cash Converters Players Championship by knocking out reigning champion Phil Taylor 8-5 in the second round on Saturday evening.

The 45-year-old from Norfolk claimed only his second televised victory over Taylor with a fine display to end the world number one^s hopes of a third Players Championship title in four stagings of the event.

King established an early 3-1 lead and managed to maintain his advantage to seal a place in Sunday^s quarter-finals, although he had missed nine match darts before finally hitting double five to inflict a first televised defeat since June for Taylor.

Taylor had taken the game^s opening leg in 14 darts, landing double eight, but that would prove to be the only time in the contest when he would lead.

King levelled on double top and punished misses from Taylor to win the next two on double eight and take a 3-1 advantage.

Taylor hit a 180 and double eight to win the fifth before King took out 81 for a 4-2 cushion, which was cut by double 16.

The world number one then hit another 180 but missed three darts to level the match as King took out 90 on double 15.

Taylor won the next with a 13-darter, landing a 180 and double 16, but King edged to the brink of victory by punishing further missed doubles from the reigning champion.

King was first to a finish in the 12th, but wired double 16 for a 110 finish and three further darts at double eight before Taylor won his fifth leg on double 16.

King, though, hit his second 180 of the game to edge clear in the next, leaving 40 after 12 darts but missing five more match darts before double five sealed his first televised win over Taylor since the 2009 Premier League Darts semi-finals.

"It^s always an honour to play Phil and to beat him is special," said King. "I got the win and that^s all that matters, but I did get nervous at the end.

"Most of the match darts which missed were good darts at a double that didn^t go in, but it was a big relief to see the double five go in."

KEVIN PAINTER 8-4 GARY ANDERSON
KEVIN PAINTER won through to his first major quarter-final since July 2010 with an 8-4 victory over Gary Anderson in the Cash Converters Players Championship on Saturday night.

Anderson had whitewashed Michael van Gerwen in a superb first round display 24 hours earlier, but was unable to find the heavy scoring which defeated the Dutchman and was punished for hitting only four from 20 attempts at a double.

Painter made an ideal start by hitting double top to win the opening leg and double 16 to win the second - following six missed doubles from Anderson.

The Scot hit back to level, taking out 121 on the bull in the third leg, but was unable to convert two chances to lead in the fifth, with Painter posting double eight to edge 3-2 up.

He also finished 86 for a 12-darter and double ten to take a 5-2 cushion, and after Anderson hit tops he finished 81 to move two legs away from the win.

Double five gave Anderson a fourth leg, but he was to be punished for a missed bullseye as Painter hit double two for a 7-4 lead and for four further misses as double six gave the Daventry ace victory.

"I played well and will give myself a pat on the back after that," said Painter. "My doubles went in nicely and it^s nice to have a win.

"I was waiting for Gary to kick in. He^s a class act and when he brings his A-game then only Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis can live with him, but it didn^t happen and I took my chances."

Anderson admitted: "I don^t know what went wrong tonight and it^s a strange game, but Kevin did a good job and hit his doubles, and he deserved to go through."