Stan James World Match Play - Tue Eve

PHIL TAYLOR produced one of the greatest ever televised displays to romp into the quarter-finals of the Stan James World Matchplay with a 13-5 victory over Colin Osborne.

Taylor

Although his average dipped as Osborne hit back, hitting a ten-darter in pulling back to 12-5, Taylor eventually wrapped up the win with a 50 percent checkout ratio and a 109.45 average - the third highest in World Matchplay history.

"I was just aiming to get the win and that^s fantastic," said Taylor. "You don^t always think about your average but it^s great to be playing so well.

Taylor

McDine had knocked out Adrian Lewis on his World Matchplay debut and landed seven 180s in a mature performance to reach the last eight.

Earlier on Tuesday, defending champion James Wade began his challenge to retain the title with a 10-4 romp against Wayne Jones.

Wade^s average peaked at 109 in taking a 6-0 lead, and he landed a 157 checkout in moving into the second round, where he meets Ronnie Baxter on Wednesday.

The second round matches will also feature the mouth-watering meeting between 2003 World Matchplay finalist Wayne Mardle and Dutch wonderkid Michael van Gerwen, and World Champion John Part against in-form left-hander Alan Tabern.

Stan James World Matchplay - Tuesday

First Round (continued)

Ronnie Baxter 10-4 Andy Smith

Alan Tabern 10-8 Vincent van der Voort

Andy Hamilton 12-14 Michael van Gerwen

Peter Manley 10-4 Denis Ovens

James Wade 10-4 Wayne Jones

Second Round

Phil Taylor 13-5 Colin Osborne

Kevin McDine 13-9 Mark Walsh

Wednesday 23 July

1pm Start

Terry Jenkins v Dennis Priestley

John Part v Alan Tabern

Michael van Gerwen v Wayne Mardle

7pm Start

Matt Clark v Peter Manley

Raymond van Barneveld v Tony Eccles

James Wade v Ronnie Baxter

JAMES WADE 10-4 WAYNE JONES

JAMES WADE made a strong start to the defence of his Stan James World Matchplay title with a 10-4 win over Wayne Jones in Blackpool last night.

Wade powered into a 6-0 lead against the qualifier from Wolverhampton, and included a 157 finish in booking his place in the second round.

Wade made a sensational start, breaking Jones^ throw in 13 darts to open the game, hitting double ten in the second leg and then double eight for a 14-darter to move 3-0 up, with a 170 score from Jones leaving him sat on 16 without getting a shot at the double.

Wade hit two 180s in a ten-darter to extend the lead to 4-0, and landed five perfect darts in the next leg, a 12-darter, to lift his average to 109.

Jones missed his chance to get off the mark in the next as Wade made the scoreline 6-0, before double nine saw the Wolverhampton man - who was suffering from food poisoning ahead of the game - get his first chalk on the board.

Jones also took out 116 in getting a second leg, and two in a row saw him pull back to 8-4 as Wade began to miss doubles.

But a superb 157 checkout from the reigning champion saw him move a leg away from the win, and double eight put the youngster into round two.

"I played well for the first five or six legs but then I got lazy," said Wade.

"I have to change that if I^m to become the number one but there was pressure on me as defending champion and people are expecting more of me now.

"It^s been a long wait while everyone else has played in the first round and I was nervous, but it^s out of the way now and I can relax and enjoy the second round now."

SECOND ROUND

PHIL TAYLOR 13-5 COLIN OSBORNE

PHIL TAYLOR produced one of the greatest ever televised displays to romp into the quarter-finals of the Stan James World Matchplay with a 13-5 victory over Colin Osborne.

Taylor

Although his average dipped as Osborne hit back, hitting a ten-darter in pulling back to 12-5, Taylor eventually wrapped up the win with a 50 percent checkout ratio and a 109.45 average - the third highest in World Matchplay history.

"I was just aiming to get the win and that^s fantastic," said Taylor. "You don^t always think about your average but it^s great to be playing so well.

"Colin has a lot of bottle and showed that by keeping fighting right to the end."

Osborne missed two darts to win the game^s opening leg, with Taylor opening with double six before leaving his opponent trailing with a devastating burst.

He landed maximums in three successive legs in going 7-0 up, took out double 18 in the eighth and then landed double 16 in the ninth after Osborne left himself on 40 after 12 darts.

Double nine put Taylor 10-0 up before a 110 finish got Osborne off the mark.

Finishes of double 16 and double eight took Taylor a leg away from the win, before Osborne produced some brilliant darts of his own to hit back.

He followed up legs of 14 and 15 darts with a sensational ten-darter, which included back-to-back 180s, in pulling back to 12-5, before Taylor eventually sealed victory on double ten.

"I missed two darts to win the first leg and you can^t afford to do that against Phil," said Osborne. "Even at 5-0, 6-0 or 7-0 I still felt that I wasn^t playing as well as I could and I kept plugging away.

"I was never going to give up and from 12-1 down I didn^t waste any darts and made the scoreline respectable - but I needed a 110 finish just to get a leg on the board!"

KEVIN McDINE 13-9 MARK WALSH

KEVIN McDINE continued his emergence as a darting star with a 13-9 win over Mark Walsh to reach the quarter-finals of the Stan James World Matchplay.

The 23-year-old made his Winter Gardens debut with a win over Adrian Lewis on Monday, and backed up that victory with a solid display to see off Walsh.

McDine now meets Phil Taylor on the televised stage for a first time in Thursday^s quarter-finals, in what will be the biggest test of his 18-month career as a professional.

"I^m tired after this win but I^ve got a day off to recuperate," admitted McDine. "This was a harder game than playing against Adrian, Mark pushed me all the way.

"My scoring was great but I^m not happy with my finishing and I^ll be working on that because I^ll have to average something special to beat Phil."

McDine certainly showed flashes of his brilliant best in taking a 6-1 lead in the game, including a 120 finish in pulling clear of Walsh.

Walsh had landed two 180s in a 12-darter to get himself off the mark, and took four legs out of five, including a 12-darter and two 14-darters, to pull back to 7-5.

Legs of 12, 14 and 16 darts saw McDine edge away again, before Walsh battled to stay in the contest once more.

He landed a 13-darter and a 14-darter in punishing another lapse from McDine to take four out of five legs in reducing the arrears to 11-9.

But a strong reply from McDine saw him take out 89 on double 16, and he landed a 174 in setting up the same double for victory.