PartyPoker.com Jocky Wilson Cup - England Whitewash Scotland
PHIL TAYLOR and James Wade led England to glory in the inaugural PartyPoker.com Jocky Wilson Cup with a whitewash of Scotland at the Braehead Arena in Glasgow on Saturday night.
The duo defeated Scottish pair Gary Anderson and Robert Thornton as well as silencing 3,000 Glaswegians to take the trophy - named in honour of Kirkcaldy^s legendary former World Champion - home south of the border.
Wade came from 4-0 down to defeat Anderson 6-4 in the opening singles game, before Taylor whitewashed Thornton 6-0 to double the lead.
Englandthen secured the match-winning two points to lead 4-0 with a 6-2 win in the 1001 doubles match, ensuring that they could not be defeated.
Wade put England further in front with a 6-4 win over Thornton in an entertaining clash - which included a 160 finish from the left-hander - before world number one Taylor wrapped up the victory by seeing off Anderson by the same scoreline.
"I^m really pleased and proud to have won," said Taylor. "Jocky^s a legend so to win the first event staged in his name is fantastic.
"Robert came back brilliantly from losing 6-0 and Gary was superb, but James showed his quality. It was great fun."
Wade, the world number three, added: "It was brilliant. The crowd did nothing but boo me but I quite enjoyed it!
"I was lucky to come back from 4-0 down against Gary but we went from strength to strength after that and did the job."
Anderson conceded: "I missed four darts to go 5-0 up against James and I just fell apart after that, and it^s disappointing.
"The support was fantastic, absolutely brilliant but it was a different kind of pressure for me trying to win for Scotland and for Jocky, and it was probably the hardest event of my career."
Thornton added: "Both myself and Gary missed too many doubles but it was a really enjoyable experience. You^re never a loser with support like this and hopefully we can give them plenty to cheer in the future."
PartyPoker.com Jocky Wilson Cup
Gary Anderson 4-6 James Wade
Robert Thornton 0-6 Phil Taylor
Anderson & Thornton 2-6 Taylor & Wade
Robert Thornton 4-6 James Wade
Gary Anderson 4-6 Phil Taylor
Match Score: Scotland 0-6 England
Match One - James Wade 6-4 Gary Anderson
JAMES WADE made a stunning comeback to defeat Gary Anderson 6-4 in the opening game of the PartyPoker.com Jocky Wilson Cup.
Anderson seemed set to coast to victory when he stormed into a 4-0 lead in front of the Scottish crowd at the Braehead Arena, only to miss three darts to lead at the break before seeing Wade reel off six successive legs.
Double five gave Anderson the opening leg, and he hit the game^s first 180 in taking the second with a 14-darter against the throw.
He landed another 180 and a 96 finish in taking the third leg, before taking out 118 for a 4-0 cushion.
However, a total of four misses at double 16, eight and four in the fifth leg allowed Wade in to take out 85 on the bullseye to get off the mark.
Wade returned from the break to take out double ten for a second leg, and repeated the finish to pull back to 4-3.
A missed double top from Anderson allowed Wade in on double 12 to level, before misses at the bull and double 16 and eight enabled the Englishman to move in front on double top.
He then posted double ten in the next to seal a sixth successive leg and victory.
"I was really lucky," admitted Wade. "For the first four legs I couldn^t hit anything but I turned up and played in the second half of the game.
"If Gary had gone 5-0 up that may have been it but I managed to take my chances."
Match Two - Phil Taylor 6-0 Robert Thornton
PHIL TAYLOR put England 2-0 up in the Jocky Wilson Cup with a whitewash of Robert Thornton in Match Two.
Taylor showed the local Scottish hero no mercy in following the example of James Wade from the opening game with a fine display.
Double eight gave him the first leg, and he broke throw on double two after Thornton missed darts at double top and ten to level.
A 78 finish saw Taylor go three legs clear, before he landed a 180 and double eight to break throw once again, after the Scot was off-target with two attempts at double 18.
Taylor opened the fifth with scores of 180 and 140 before taking the leg on double 16.
Both missed darts at double top in the next for ton-plus checkouts, and Taylor returned to land double ten for the win.
"Robert didn^t perform like he can and maybe the crowd got to him more than me," said Taylor. "I^m enjoying it and obviously the crowd are too.
"The pressure now is on England to complete the job."
Match Three - Phil Taylor & James Wade 6-2 Gary Anderson & Robert Thornton
ENGLAND secured victory in the inaugural PartyPoker.com Jocky Wilson Cup with a 6-2 win in the Doubles contest at the Braehead Arena.
The first 1001 contest in PDC history saw the two teams face off in a pairs contest, with Scotland drawing first blood when an Anderson 180 set up a 59 finish for Thornton - who hit single 19, double one and double 19.
Wade hit a 180 and double top as England took the second leg, before they broke throw in the third, Wade hitting another 180 before taking out a two-dart 88 finish to punish a missed double 18 from Thornton.
Wade missed two darts to win the fourt, but a wayward attempt at double top from Thornton allowed Taylor to put England 3-1 up on double five.
Scotland landed back-to-back 180s in the fifth leg, with Taylor landed his first maximum of the clash before Wade^s double ten put England three legs clear.
Thornton hit successive maximums after the break, and then landed double six to earn Scotland a second leg - only to then miss double top for a 116 finish in the next leg before Wade, who had traded 180s with the Scot during the leg, posted double 16 for an impressive 24-dart finish.
Taylor landed another maximum in leg eight, and returned to the oche to land double 18 which put England 4-0 up overall with two points from the Doubles game to ensure overall victory in the Jocky Wilson Cup.
"It^s brilliant but the match isn^t over yet and it would be great to win the final two games too," said Wade. "Gary and Robert will be playing for pride and I^m sure they^ll do a job in the last two games.
"The atmosphere is brilliant - the crowd are booing me but I quite like it!"
Match Four - James Wade 6-4 Robert Thornton
JAMES WADE continued England^s unbeaten streak at the PartyPoker.com Jocky Wilson Cup with a 6-4 win over Robert Thornton.
The Scot had been whitewashed by Phil Taylor in his opening Singles game, but led against Wade after finishing 95 on double five.
Wade set up a double 12 finish in levelling with a superb 168 score, and he stepped in to lead 2-1 in the third after Thornton was off-target with double 18 for a 156 checkout.
Wade hit a 177 in the fourth, but Thornton took out 106 on double 16 to square the game with a break of throw, only for the left-hander to pile home an 11-darter, including six perfect darts, in the fifth.
Three misses at double 12 from Wade allowed Thornton to pull level once more on tops, but the English ace regained the lead with a 180 and a fine 90 finish of bullseye and double top.
That was bettered with a sensational 160 checkout from Wade as he moved 5-3 up, with Thornton taking a fourth leg of the game with a 121 bullseye finish.
The Scot also opened the next with a 180, but Wade landed a maximum of his own and then posted double 14 to wrap up the win.
Match Five - Phil Taylor 6-4 Gary Anderson
PHIL TAYLOR completed an England whitewash at the PartyPoker.com Jocky Wilson Cup by defeating Gary Anderson 6-4.
Taylor twice hit back from behind in preventing Scotland ending the tournament with a victory, producing a ten-darter amongst a fine display.
Anderson took out double four for the opening leg, after Taylor missed the bull for a 135 checkout, but was left waiting on 54 following a 180 in the second as a 96 finish from the Englishman levelled.
Taylor landed a 180 in the third, but double top from Anderson levelled before Taylor took out 68 in two darts to again square the contest, after a missed bullseye from the Scot.
The first break of throw came in the next, as Taylor posted the night^s best leg with a ten-darter, following up scores of 180, 125 and 180 with double eight.
He also won the sixth and missed the bullseye for a 161 finish in the next, as double top from Anderson gave him a third leg.
Taylor hit scores of 140, 140 and 171 in th next, taking out a 13-darter to move a leg away from the win at 5-3.
A missed double 13 allowed Anderson to step in on double 16 to keep the game alive, and he traded 180s with Taylor in the next before the world number one sealed victory on double.