Betfair World Matchplay - Night Five

MICHAEL VAN GERWEN hit a sensational nine-dart finish in the Betfair World Matchplay on Wednesday night as he won a quarter-final place alongside World Champion Adrian Lewis, 2007 winner James Wade and two-time finalist Terry Jenkins.

Van Gerwen, the 23-year-old Dutch prodigy, became only the fourth player in the tournament's history - alongside Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld and John Part - to achieve the perfect leg when he hit 180, 180 and finished 141 on double 12 in the ninth leg of his clash with Steve Beaton.

He will pick up a £5,000 bonus for the nine-darter, although he remains in the hunt to claim the £100,000 first prize after going on to win a heavy-scoring contest in style with a 13-9 triumph.

Van Gerwen hit six ton-plus finishes in the game - accompanying the 141 with checkouts of 128, 120, a pair of 116 finishes and a 108 - as well as hitting seven 180s to finish with an end average of 104.36.

"The nine-darter was amazing," said van Gerwen. "It means so much for me and I'm very happy - I exploded into the game after the nine-darter.

"It was a very good game and Steve played well too. To win the game with a 104 average and a nine-darter is brilliant."

Van Gerwen now faces former champion James Wade in a tasty quarter-final tie on Friday night, with the world number three securing his place in the last eight for a seventh successive year by seeing off Mark Walsh 13-4.

Wade was rarely troubled as he romped into a 10-1 lead, and although Walsh rallied briefly the left-hander proved too strong to secure passage into the latter stages once again.

World Champion Lewis, the number two seed, followed up his first round whitewash of Robert Thornton by winning the first seven legs of his second round clash with Andy Smith in a fine start.

Smith won six of the next eight to threaten a comeback, but a 149 checkout from Lewis - to follow earlier finishes of 138 and 116 - helped avert any threat as he progressed to play Terry Jenkins.

Jenkins, the runner-up in Blackpool in 2007 and 2009, won a see-saw battle with Raymond van Barneveld 13-10 to book his clash with the world number two on Friday.

The Ledbury thrower trailed twice to the Dutchman but came from 8-6 down to finish the stronger, winning seven of the game's final nine legs to knock out the five-time World Champion.

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Betfair World Matchplay
Second Round
Wednesday July 25
Michael van Gerwen 13-9 Steve Beaton - nine-darter from Michael van Gerwen - Michael van Gerwen Video
James Wade 13-4 Mark Walsh - James Wade Video
Raymond van Barneveld 10-13 Terry Jenkins - Terry Jenkins Video
Adrian Lewis 13-7 Andy Smith - Adrian Lewis Video

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MATCH INFORMATION
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN 13-9 STEVE BEATON
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN hit a sensational nine-dart finish in the Betfair World Matchplay on Wednesday night as he won a quarter-final place with a thrilling 13-9 defeat of Steve Beaton in Blackpool.

The 23-year-old Dutchman became only the fourth player in the tournament's history - alongside Phil Taylor, Raymond van Barneveld and John Part - to achieve the perfect leg when he hit 180, 180 and finished 141 on double 12 in the ninth leg of the contest.

He will pick up a £5,000 bonus for the nine-darter, although he remains in the hunt to claim the £100,000 first prize after going on to win a heavy-scoring contest in style.

Van Gerwen hit six ton-plus finishes in the game - accompanying the 141 with checkouts of 128, 120, a pair of 116 finishes and a 108 - as well as hitting seven 180s to finish with an end average of 104.36.

"The nine-darter was amazing," said van Gerwen. "It means so much for me and I'm very happy - I exploded into the game after the nine-darter.

"It was a very good game and Steve played well too. To win the game with a 104 average and a nine-darter is brilliant."

Both stars played their part in a high-quality opening, with the Dutchman hitting his first maximum in the opening leg to set up double 12 before Beaton levelled on double four.

Neither player was able to break in the early exchanges, with van Gerwen finishing 108 and 116 and Beaton taking out double 12 and double 16 to share the opening six legs before breaking for the first time in the seventh by landing the bull for a 90 finish.

The pair traded maximums in the eighth before van Gerwen took out 128 to level, before bettering that with his stunning nine-darter to regain the lead, following back-to-back 180s by finishing 141 with treble 20, treble 19 and double 12 to bring the capacity Winter Gardens crowd to its feet.

Beaton levelled on double ten before van Gerwen took out 116 to lead 6-5, but a double top finish from the English star to level would be his last leg in five as the Dutchman pulled clear by winning four in a row.

He added a 180 and double nine for the first and added finishes of double 14, double 16 and double ten to move clear at 10-6.

Beaton hit two 180s in winning the 17th leg, with a 177 from van Gerwen leaving him 32 only for his opponent to take out double 16, and the former World Champion added a 174 in cutting the arrears to two legs.

Both players hit 180s in the next as van Gerwen finished 120 to lead 11-8, with Beaton adding another maximum and tops to win his ninth leg and remain in touch.

However, Beaton posted his ninth 180 of the game in the next - but van Gerwen crucially was first to a double and landed double eight to move a leg away from the win.

Beaton continued to fight with a 174, but van Gerwen replied with his seventh maximum and stepped in after a missed bullseye from his opponent to hit tops to complete a brilliant win.

Van Gerwen had emerged as a precocious teenage talent and won the World Masters title in 2006 before moving onto the PDC circuit, where he is now producing his best form on a regular basis.

"I'm very happy to be playing well again after so long where I didn't turn up," he said. "I'll carry on practising and I'm playing again in two days so I've got to make sure I play well again.

"I'm so proud of myself and for everyone who's made this happen. I put a lot of pressure on myself and that makes it difficult, but I'm happy I'm playing well now."

Click here for a video interview with Michael van Gerwen

Leg-By-Leg
1-0 - van Gerwen opens with a 140 and also posts a 180 to leave 24, finishing double 12 with his third dart to take the opener.
1-1 - Beaton initially misses three darts to level before returning to finish double four to get off the mark.
2-1 - Beaton lands his first 180 of the game, but van Gerwen finishes 108 on double 16 to take the leg.
2-2 - Beaton lands double 12 with his third dart to square the game.
3-2 - van Gerwen fires in a 116 checkout to follow his earlier 108 in edging back in front.
3-3 - Beaton opens with a 180 and lands double 16 for an 81 finish.
3-4 - Beaton takes the game's first break of throw by taking out 90 on the bull.
4-4 - Both players open with 180s and are left on 128 - with Beaton unable to complete the finish and van Gerwen taking out the combination on double ten.
5-4 - van Gerwen opens with another 180 and adds another maximum - BEFORE FINISHING A NINE-DARTER WITH 141!
5-5 - Beaton finishes double ten to square the contest.
6-5 - Beaton hits a 180 but fails to leave a double and van Gerwen hits his fifth ton-plus checkout of the game by taking out 116 on tops.
6-6 - van Gerwen misses tops and Beaton hits the same bed to level again.
7-6 - van Gerwen hits his fifth maximum of the game, and checks out double nine to edge back in front.
8-6 - Beaton misses two darts at double 18, and van Gerwen breaks on double 19 to put two legs between the pair for the first time.
9-6 - van Gerwen wins his fourth leg out of five, with Beaton unable to check out 170 to allow him back in on double 16.
10-6 - Double ten from the Dutchman moves him three legs away from the win.
10-7 - Beaton hits two 180s to leave 41 after nine darts, with van Gerwen hitting a 177 to leave 32 only to see the former World Champion land double 16 to break throw.
10-8 - The high standard continues, with Beaton hitting a 174 to leave 128 only to miss the bull - but van Gerwen misses double ten for a 140 checkout to allow him back in on double eight.
11-8 - Beaton opens with a 180, but van Gerwen lands a maximum of his own before taking out 120 - his sixth ton-plus checkout - to edge towards the win.
11-9 - Beaton hits his eighth 180 and takes out tops to reduce the gap to two legs.
12-9 - Beaton lands yet another maximum, but is unable to pressure the Dutchman, who misses double eight for a 133 finish and three further darts at the bed before returning to hit the finish at the fifth time of asking to move a leg away from the win.
13-9 - Beaton opens with a 174 and van Gerwen posts a 180 - his seventh - before securing a sensational victory on tops, after Beaton misses the bull to take out 90 and stay alive.

Match Stats

Michael van Gerwen	13-9	Steve Beaton
32	100+	30
16	140+	9
7	180	9
34.79	Ave1	33.63
104.36	Ave3	100.88
141,128,120, 116x2,108	High Finish	90
4	Breaks of Throw	2
13/29 - 45%	Finishing %	9/22 - 39%

JAMES WADE 13-4 MARK WALSH
JAMES WADE marched into the quarter-finals of the Betfair World Matchplay for the seventh successive year, defeating Mark Walsh 13-4 at the Winter Gardens on Wednesday night.

Wade followed up his first round win over Richie Burnett on Sunday night with another high-quality performance to remain in the hunt for a second title in the £400,000 event.

The left-hander won ten of the game's first 11 legs, including eight in a row, to pull clear of the former UK Open finalist, and although Walsh staged a brief rally it was not enough to threaten a fightback.

Wade made a fine start by hitting 180s in the game's first two legs, which he took courtesy of double two and double 14, and he could also have won the third only to miss double 12 for a 141 checkout, as Walsh got himself off the mark by taking out 121 on the bull.

Wade added another 180 and double ten in moving 3-1 up with an 80 finish, which he bettered with a classy 158 checkout to win his fourth leg.

He landed a 171 and double top to lead 5-1, finished tops again in the next before taking out 140 and 87, on the bull, to lead 8-1.

The lead was swiftly extended with a brace of double top finishes before Walsh posted double 16 to take out 62 and win his second leg of the game.

Wade opened the next with 180 and a 140 before hitting double ten, but Walsh took out 74 on tops to stay in the contest at 11-3.

Wade added double ten again to move a leg away from the win, and although Walsh hit tops to keep the match alive his respite was short-lived as the number three seed powered in his fifth 180 and finished double ten for a 13-darter to complete the win.

"I did all the damage early on and did a job on Mark," said Wade. "Towards the end I couldn't get my darts up and I dropped off a little, which maybe cost me having a ton-plus average.

"I think every player enjoys a ding-dong and I didn't get that tonight, but I've done my practice and I'm deserving to win at the moment.

"I really want to win at the moment because I've been putting real work in and it's showing in patches. I'm nowhere near my best, but I'm doing okay and I'm looking forward to playing Michael."

Leg-By-Leg
1-0 - Wade posts a 180 and finishes double two to win the opening leg.
2-0 - The 2007 champion adds another maximum and, after Walsh misses tops for a 160 finish, lands double 14 to break throw.
2-1 - Wade misses double 12 for a 141 checkout and Walsh lands the bull for a 121 finish to get off the mark.
3-1 - Wade posts his third 180 and finishes 80 on double ten to break again.
4-1 - Wade finishes a superb 158 checkout to move three legs clear at the first interval.
5-1 - Wade hits a 171 and finishes tops to win his third successive leg.
6-1 - The left-hander again pins his favoured double top to move five legs clear, lifting his average to almost 103.
7-1 - Wade continues his charge by finishing 140 to move over half-way towards victory.
8-1 - The former champion completes 87 on the bull to pull away.
9-1 - Wade's charge continues with a seventh successive leg as he once again hits tops.
10-1 - Wade finishes 56 on tops to move three legs away from the quarter-finals.
10-2 - Walsh wins his first leg ten by finishing 62 on double 16.
11-2 - Wade opens with a 180 and finishes double ten to move two legs away from victory.
12-3 - Wade moves a leg away from the quarter-finals by pinning double ten.
12-4 - Wade leaves tops for the match, and Walsh hits the same bed to keep his hopes alive.
13-4 - Wade hits his fifth 180 of the game and adds a 140 before hitting double ten for a 13-darter to seal the win.

Match Stats

James Wade	13-4	Mark Walsh
24	100+	28
13	140+	13
5	180	1
33.24	Ave1	29.33
99.72	Ave3	88.00
158,140	High Finish	121
5	Breaks of Throw	1
13/27 - 48%	Finishing %	4/6 - 67%

TERRY JENKINS 13-10 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD
TERRY JENKINS came from behind for the second successive match as he defeated Raymond van Barneveld 13-10 to win through to the Betfair World Matchplay quarter-finals.

Jenkins had stared down the barrel of defeat against Kim Huybrechts in the first round of the tournament on Saturday night, and after finding himself 8-6 down to the Dutchman showed his battling qualities once again.

The two-time Winter Gardens finalist won seven of the next nine legs to claim a fine victory, which sees him progress to Friday's quarter-finals against Adrian Lewis.

Jenkins began the game in style by taking out 96 for an 11-darter, and the pair shared the first four legs before van Barneveld finished 109 on double 16 to break throw.

Jenkins broke back immediately by hitting a 180 and double 12, and double 11 in the next moved him back ahead before missed doubles allowed van Barneveld to finish 85 to break back and level at four-all.

Jenkins hit double ten to win the ninth, but the Dutchman then landed a 180 and tops to level before finishing 66 on double 18 to break and move back ahead and 104 - after the pair traded maximums - to lead 7-5.

The 13th leg, though, proved key as van Barneveld landed another 180 only to miss four darts at a double, as Jenkins landed double three with his third dart to pull back to within a leg.

Van Barneveld posted double five to win his eighth leg, but Jenkins kick-started his challenge by taking out 80 and then punished nine missed doubles from the Dutchman to level.

Jenkins found another gear to regain the lead, opening with a 180 and finishing 74, before then taking out 96 to take a 10-8 cushion before van Barneveld won the next by taking out 81 on double 13.

A missed double 18 from the five-time World Champion to level allowed Jenkins in to finish a key 110 checkout and move 11-9 up, and double 18 from the Ledbury ace moved him to the brink of victory.

Double 12 kept van Barneveld in the game, and he then posted a 180, but Jenkins finished 93 on tops to seal a fine victory.

"I took some good finishes out when I needed to so I'm happy," said Jenkins. "It was nip and tuck but I've got through and that's all that matters.

"It was a bit scrappy and we struggled a bit at times but we had a few good legs - we couldn't seem to keep the good standard going. When I'm behind I grit my teeth, and I'm a fighter."

"I've had a few good runs in this tournament and I like the longer format. I would really like to win a major, that would cap my career off but if it doesn't happen then it doesn't happen - but a lot of players would swap players with me because I've been in seven major finals."

Leg-By-Leg
0-1 - Jenkins starts superbly by taking out 96 for an 11-darter to open the game.
1-1 - van Barneveld levels by landing double four.
1-2 - Jenkins finishes 92 on double 16 to edge back ahead.
2-2 - van Barneveld levels by finishing double 16.
3-2 - The Dutchman breaks for the first time in the game, taking out 109 on double 16.
3-3 - Jenkins hits a 180 and lands double 12 to break back.
3-4 - Jenkins regains the lead in bizarre fashion with a 58 finish, initially missing the single 18, then hitting double 18 and double 11.
4-4 - Jenkins misses tops for a 95 finish, and van Barneveld steps in to level by hitting the same bed to finish an 85 combination.
4-5 - Jenkins hits double ten to edge back in front.
5-5 - van Barneveld opens with a 10 and finishes 58 to level the match once more.
6-5 - The Dutchman breaks throw with a cool 66 finish, taking out double 18.
7-5 - van Barneveld lands a 180, and although Jenkins replies in kind he can only watch as the Dutchman finishes 104 to move two legs clear for the first time.
7-6 - van Barneveld posts his fourth 180 of the game, but misses four darts to win the leg to allow Jenkins off the hook from his own initial miss to land double three.
8-6 - van Barneveld is first to a finish, missing tops to take out 120 and returning to land a key double five with his third dart.
8-7 - Jenkins finishes 80 on double ten to reduce the gap to one leg.
8-8 - van Barneveld hits his fifth maximum, but misses nine darts at doubles and Jenkins steps in to finish double six and level.
8-9 - Jenkins lands a 180 and regains the lead by taking out 74.
8-10 - Jenkins breaks throw again to win a fourth successive leg, finishing 96 on double 18.
9-10 - Both players leave 81 after nine darts, with Jenkins missing the bull to allow van Barneveld back to complete the finish on double 13 for a 12-darter.
9-11 - van Barneveld misses double 18 to level, and Jenkins takes out a superb 110 checkout on tops.
9-12 - Jenkins misses double 18 for a 156 finish, but returns to hit the bed and move to the brink of victory.
10-12 - van Barneveld is first to a finish and takes out double 12 for a 15-darter to stay in the game.
10-13 - van Barneveld hits a sixth 180, but Jenkins takes out 93 on tops to complete a brilliant victory.

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	10-13	Terry Jenkins
34	100+	31
14	140+	23
6	180	3
30.47	Ave1	30.95
91.41	Ave3	92.86
109,104	High Finish	110
3	Breaks of Throw	4
10/33 - 30%	Finishing %	13/25 - 52%

ADRIAN LEWIS 13-7 ANDY SMITH
ADRIAN LEWIS overcame a mid-game fightback from Andy Smith before securing his place in the Betfair World Matchplay quarter-finals with a 13-7 triumph at the Winter Gardens on Wednesday.

The World Champion followed up his first round whitewash of Robert Thornton by winning the first seven legs without reply to move half-way towards victory before Smith hit back to 10-6 at one stage.

However, Lewis regained his range to avert the threat of a stunning comeback and book his place in the quarter-finals, where he will play Terry Jenkins on Friday.

"Andy didn't start very well and I took advantage but I've got to knuckle down and concentrate better because I let him back in too many times," admitted Lewis.

"I was in the wrong frame of mind, thinking it was more like an exhibition game than the last 16 of the World Matchplay, but I got the job done and I'll have to be better in the quarter-finals.

"I know I've got a tough game next against Terry Jenkins and he's a fantastic player."

The game began with Smith missing two darts to take the opening leg, which Lewis took on double eight, before the Stoke star finished 91 and 116 to take command, before two more double top finishes pushed him five legs clear.

Lewis then landed his first 180 of the game and posted double eight to win the sixth, before setting up double 16 with a 174 in the seventh.

Lewis could also have won an eighth leg, but missed double 18 for a 113 finish to allow Smith in to land tops to finally get off the mark.

The ninth leg saw both players burst to life again, with Lewis hitting a 171 to leave 138 and Smith firing in a 180 but only able to watch as the world number two finished the combination on double nine to move 8-1 up.

Smith posted a 180 and double 16 to win the tenth leg and also landed a maximum in the next before Lewis fired in a 162 in setting up an 80 finish as he took a 9-2 cushion.

Smith finished 100 with two double tops in the next, and after Lewis fired in double eight the Studley thrower took the next three legs in his best spell of the game, hitting a 13-darter in the middle to break before a two-dart 64 pulled him back to 10-6 behind.

Lewis powered in a 149 checkout to stem the tide, but Smith replied with his fourth 180 of the game before taking out 80 for a second time as he won a seventh leg to keep his opponent on edge.

Lewis, though, finished double four after firing in his fifth maximum as he moved to the brink of victory, and he secured the victory with a 14-dart finish, missing the bull for a showpiece 170 checkout before returning to land double eight.

Leg-By-Leg
1-0 - Smith misses an early chance to break and Lewis finishes double eight to lead.
2-0 - Lewis breaks by taking out 91 on tops.
3-0 - The World Champion moves three legs clear by taking out 116 on tops.
4-0 - Smith misses the bull to finish 92, and Lewis finishes tops again to break for a second time.
5-0 - Lewis maintains his record of not losing a leg so far in this year's event - having whitewashed Robert Thornton in the first round - by landing tops for a fourth successive leg.
6-0 - Lewis hits his first 180 of the game, and finishes double eight to move further clear.
7-0 - The Stoke ace fires in a 174 to leave 32, with double 16 pushing him seven legs ahead.
7-1 - Smith misses three darts at tops, but Lewis is unable to land double 18 to finish 113 and he returns to win the leg - the first which the World Champion has lost in the event so far.
8-1 - Lewis hits a 171 to leave 138, with Smith firing a 180 but only able to watch as the Stoke ace finishes the combination on double nine.
8-2 - Smith kicks off the leg with a 180 and finishes double 16 to win his second leg.
9-2 - Smith lands a 180, but Lewis replies with a 162 to leave a finish and takes out 80 on tops to win a ninth leg.
9-3 - Lewis is unable to take his chance to win the leg in two visits, and Smith takes out 100 with two double tops to hit back.
10-3 - Lewis scores 134, 180 and 135, and lands double eight at the fourth time of asking to move three legs away from the quarter-finals.
10-4 - Lewis posts another maximum, but Smith finishes 80 on double five to continue his challenge.
10-5 - Smith lands tops to break throw and win his fifth leg from eight.
10-6 - Lewis hits a 180 to leave 130, but misses the bull to allow Smith in to finish 64 on double eight.
11-6 - Lewis wins his first leg in four by taking out a fine 149.
11-7 - Smith hits a fourth maximum and takes out 80 on double five to pull back further.
12-7 - Lewis posts a fifth 180 of the game and finishes double four to move to the brink of victory.
13-7 - Lewis misses the bull for a showpiece finish, but returns to secure victory on double eight.

Match Stats