Cash Converters PCF Quarter-Finals

SUPERB TAYLOR SOARS PAST BARNEY TO REACH MINEHEAD SEMI-FINALS
 

PHIL TAYLOR remains on course to retain the Cash Converters Players Championship Finals title after producing a master-class to defeat Raymond van Barneveld 9-2 on Sunday afternoon, as Michael van Gerwen, Andy Hamilton and Justin Pipe joined him in the quarter-finals.

Three-time champion Taylor produced another superb performance as he averaged 111.58 against the Dutch ace, winning six successive legs - after van Barneveld had taken the opener - to take control of the game.

Van Barneveld took out 111 as he won a second leg in pulling back to 6-2, but any hopes of a fightback were short-lived as Taylor won the next two before sealing victory in style with a 121 finish.

Taylor now takes on Pipe in the semi-finals as the tournament heads towards its conclusion on Sunday evening, when the last four contests will be followed by the final at the Butlins Minehead Resort.

"I'm really happy with that," said Taylor. "Against Barney you've got to play like that and losing the first leg was the spur I needed to kick myself into gear.

"The average was great and I know I'm in good form going into the semi-finals, but I'll have to go up there and play well against Justin because he's doing well and it should be a great game."

Taunton's Pipe reached the semi-finals in Minehead for a second successive year with a 9-7 win over Gary Anderson, the Scottish ace who is also based in Somerset.

Pipe took out 107 as he won the game's first three legs in a superb start, and he also led 4-1 with a 13-darter before Anderson got himself into the game by pulling back to 5-3 behind.

Pipe extended the lead to 7-4, but Anderson took the next three legs - including a 13-darter to break throw - to level the game, only for the world number 11 to finish 61 to regain the lead and tops for a 13-darter which sealed the win.

"I'm over the moon to be in the semis again," said Pipe. "In a way it hurts to beat Gary because we travel together on the circuit and practice together and he's like my best mate, but I had to be professional and do the job.

"I thought we were going into a decider there and it would have been the biggest leg of my life, so it was a relief when I got the chance and took it."

The other semi-final will see number one seed Michael van Gerwen - a nine-time PDC ProTour winner this year - facing Andy Hamilton, who had been a quarter-final loser 12 months ago but went one better this time with a 9-6 defeat of Ian White.

Hamilton produced his best darts of the weekend as he took the first four legs without reply, before White took out 100 to get off the mark and won three of the next five to pull back to 6-4.

The next two were shared before Hamilton moved 8-5 up with a 12-darter, and though he missed three match darts as White hit back to win a sixth leg, double 14 saw the UK Open finalist win through to the last four.

"I hit Ian hard early on and he was always chasing the game, but it was important that I finished him off when I had the chance," said Hamilton. "It was a pretty solid performance and I took advantage when he let me in.

"I'm playing good darts and hopefully I can perform a bit better against Michael in the semis, and he'll make me play good darts. We've had some great games in the past and some close games, so I'll look forward to it."

Van Gerwen was a 9-4 winner against Wes Newton in the other quarter-final, as the pair shared 12 180s only for the Dutchman to average 102.51 in a fine display.

Van Gerwen hit an 11-darter, including back-to-back maximums, in taking a 3-1 lead early on, and though Newton took the fifth leg, the next three went to the Dutchman as he moved 6-2 up.

Newton landed a 180 as he replied, but van Gerwen followed up a 76 finish with a majestic 170 checkout to lead 8-3, and though the Fleetwood ace took a fourth leg, the Dutchman was too strong as he sealed his semi-final place.

"I'm very happy," said van Gerwen. "I think I played really well and I want to keep this going now in the semi-finals.

"The 170 was lovely and I scored quite well, but I know I can improve in the next game."

Sunday evening sees the event's sixth staging come to a conclusion with the semi-finals and final at the Butlins Minehead Resort, live on ITV4 as the winner of the £60,000 title is decided.

The Cash Converters Players Championship Finals will be shown live on ITV4, as well as on RTL7 in the Netherlands, Sport1 in Germany, Fox Sports Australia, OSN across the Middle East and on www.LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers.

Get Involved!
Join in the conversation online through the PDC's Social Media Channels:
www.twitter.com/OfficialPDC - using the event hashtag #CCPC13.
www.facebook.com/OfficialPDC
www.youtube.com/OfficialPDC
Also follow Cash Converters on Twitter with the @Cash_Converters account.

Live Scores
Follow live scores online through the PDC Live Scores Website - also follow @PDCResults on Twitter.

Cash Converters Players Championship Finals
Sunday December 1
Afternoon Session (12.45pm)
Michael van Gerwen 9-4 Wes Newton
Ian White 6-9 Andy Hamilton
Gary Anderson 7-9 Justin Pipe
Raymond van Barneveld 2-9 Phil Taylor
Best of 17 legs

Evening Session (7pm)
Semi-Finals
Michael van Gerwen v Andy Hamilton
Justin Pipe v Phil Taylor
Best of 19 legs

Final
v
Best of 21 legs

Match Information
Michael van Gerwen v Wes Newton
1-0 - van Gerwen secures an immediate break of throw by landing double top.
1-1 - Newton levels with a break of his own by finishing 104 on double 12.
2-1 - van Gerwen raises hopes of a nine-darter with two 180s, but misses a seventh treble 20, before returning to hit double 18 for an 11-darter.
3-1 - The Dutch ace finishes 94 on tops to move two legs clear.
3-2 - Newton replies on double eight to cut the gap to one leg, after van Gerwen misses double 18 for a 76 finish.
4-2 - van Gerwen hits a 180 as he holds throw to regain his cushion.
5-2 - The Dutch ace hits his fourth maximium, and takes out double three to move three legs clear with a break.
6-2 - Newton hits a 180, but van Gerwen lands tops to take a four-leg advantage.
6-3 - Newton posts his second maximum of the contest and lands double four to reply.
7-3 - van Gerwen takes out 76 to move two legs away from the semi-finals.
8-3 - Both players open with 180s, and van Gerwen delivers a hammer blow to move to the brink of victory, with Newton sat on 40 as the Dutchman takes out 170.
8-4 - Newton lands another maximum and finishes 64 on double eight to keep alive his hopes.
9-4 - The players again trade 180s, with van Gerwen initially missing double 16 but returning to punish misses from Newton at double top and ten by landing double 16 with his third dart to book a semi-final spot.

Match Stats

Ian White v Andy Hamilton
0-1 - Double 16 gives Hamilton the game's opening leg.
0-2 - Hamilton breaks with a 14-darter.
0-3 - Both players open with 180s and add two more treble 20s in their next visits, and though neither can complete a nine-darter, Hamilton posts double eight for a 13-dart finish.
0-4 - Hamilton's great start continues as he opens with another 180, and though he misses the bull for a 170 finish, he returns to land double eight for another 14-darter.
1-4 - White wins his first leg of the game with a break of throw as he takes out 100 in two darts.
2-4 - White lands a 180 as he wins a second successive leg.
2-5 - Hamilton replies with a maximum and takes out 65 to move three legs clear again.
2-6 - Hamilton misses the bull but returns after missed doubles from White to take the leg and move four clear.
3-6 - White replies on the bullseye.
4-6 - White takes out 32 to halve the deficit once more.
4-7 - A potentially pivotal leg goes to Hamilton, as both players initially miss their doubles before the UK Open finalist takes out double four.
5-7 - Tops sees White reply again.
5-8 - White opens with a 177, but Hamilton lands a 180 in a superb 12-darter as he moves to the edge of victory on double 16.
6-8 - Hamilton misses four match darts at double top, ten and five, and White lands tops to keep his hopes alive.
6-9 - Double 14 for Hamilton sees him progress to the semi-finals.

Match Stats

Gary Anderson v Justin Pipe
0-1 - Tops gives Pipe the opening leg of the contest.
0-2 - Pipe finishes 107 on double 16 to double his lead with a break of throw.
0-3 - The Taunton ace wins a third successive leg by posting double 16 to complete a 72 finish, maintaining a 100 percent start on his doubles.
1-3 - Anderson opens with a 180 and finishes double ten to get off the mark.
1-4 - Pipe kicks off the leg with 140 and 180, before landing double 11 for a 13-dart finish.
2-4 - Anderson lands a 180 before winning the leg, eventually, on double one.
2-5 - Double ten sees Pipe regain his three-leg lead.
3-5 - Pipe misses three darts at double 18 and nine to punish Anderson, who returns from a missed bullseye to land double 12.
3-6 - Pipe takes out 60 to continue his strong start.
4-6 - Both players miss chances to win a dramatic leg as Anderson eventually lands double ten to hit back.
4-7 - Pipe posts a maximum as he holds throw to move back ahead by finishing 80.
5-7 - Pipe lands a third 180 but Anderson is first to a finish, taking out double four to reply once more.
6-7 - Pipe hits a 180 for a third successive leg but is punished for missed doubles as Anderson breaks for the first time on double 18.
7-7 - Anderson pulls clear to level the game on double ten.
7-8 - Pipe holds his nerve to take out 61 on tops to move back ahead.
7-9 - Anderson is unable to take out 95, and Pipe hits tops for a 13-darter to win through to the semi-finals for the second successive year.

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld v Phil Taylor
1-0 - Taylor misses a dart at tops, and van Barneveld makes a fine start by taking out 71 on double 16 to break.
1-1 - van Barneveld lands a 180, but Taylor fires in a 174 score and tops for a 12-darter to level.
1-2 - Taylor adds a 177 and finishes double 16 to move in front in 14 darts.
1-3 - van Barneveld opens with a 180 but misses double 16 to allow his rival in on double top to break again.
1-4 - Taylor hits a first 180 in a 14-darter as he opens up a three-leg lead.
1-5 - Double 16 moves Taylor four legs clear.
1-6 - Taylor pushes his average up to 112 as he lands tops.
2-6 - Taylor is unable to complete a 139 finish, and van Barneveld takes out 111 to win his first leg in seven.
2-7 - Taylor regains his five-leg lead - and has now hit seven doubles from nine attempts.
2-8 - van Barneveld lands his third 180 of the game to leave 36, but misses three darts at double 18 to allow Taylor to step in and finish 65 on double four.
2-9 - Taylor seals victory in style with a 121 finish, ending on double eight, to move into the semi-finals with a 111.58 average.

Match Stats