PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts - Day Four Reports

REPORTS from the fourth day of the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts, as the group phase comes to an end at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Groups E-H will complete their round robin matches, live on ITV4.

PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts
Tuesday 20 November (6pm-10pm)
Live on ITV4 from 5.45pm-10.30pm
Scott Waites 0-5 Roland Scholten
Kevin Painter 4-5 Wayne Jones
Mark Webster 5-1 Gary Mawson
Phil Taylor 5-2 Ronnie Baxter
Wayne Mardle 1-5 Colin Lloyd
Andy Jenkins 0-5 John Part
Gary Anderson 5-0 Barrie Bates
Michael van Gerwen 2-5 Mervyn King

ROLAND SCHOLTEN 5-0 SCOTT WAITES

ROLAND SCHOLTEN'S blistering start to the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts continued with a 5-0 whitewash of Scott Waites.

The Dutchman has powered past Mervyn King and Michael van Gerwen to ensure a spot in the second round of the tournament, and completed his group phase unbeaten with a superb display.

For a third successive game, Scholten averaged over 100 and took out five of seven attempts at a double.

He opened with a 101 finish on double 18, and punished a missed bullseye for a 127 finish from Waites in the next to double the lead.

He raced to the next two legs to move 4-0 up at the break, and then landed a 100 finish on double ten to seal the victory with a 104.35 average.

"I'm playing well and feeling confident," said Scholten, who will top Group H.

"I'm always okay with my scoring but my doubles look good at the moment too."

Match Stats

WAYNE JONES 5-4 KEVIN PAINTER

WAYNE JONES salvaged some pride from the group stage of the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts with a sensational finish to defeat Kevin Painter 5-4.

Jones knew he could not qualify for the second round of the tournament after two defeats over the weekend, and looked set for further disappointment in front of his home crowd when he trailed 4-2 to Painter.

But legs of 11, 11 and 12 darts saw him snatch a victory to end the event on a high.

"I felt great coming into the competition but it didn't happen for me on Saturday and Sunday," admitted Jones.

"I wouldn't go out after the weekend, I was so embarrassed with my performances, but I've got some pride back tonight."

Jones opened the game by taking the first leg on double 12, only for Painter to find another gear and win three in a row, including a 102 finish, to lead 3-1.

Jones took out double top to win leg five, but Painter responded on double six to move a leg away from a third successive win.

Jones kicked off the next leg with a 180, rising to the pressure with back-to-back 11-darters including 81 finishes to level the match.

He then stormed clear in the decider before landing double 16 for a 12-darter, finishing with an impressive average of 101.48.

"I played well to start with but Wayne stepped up a gear," said Painter. "Neither of us were under pressure but if Wayne had played like that all week he would probably have gone through.

"I was happy with the way I played and I didn't do much wrong, but not many players in the world would have lived with Wayne in those last three legs."

Match Stats

MARK WEBSTER 5-1 GARY MAWSON

MARK WEBSTER claimed a consolation victory at the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-1 defeat of Gary Mawson.

The young Welshman had lost his opening two group games in the event, meaning he was unable to reach the last 16, but showed his quality to sign off in style at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

He kicked off the game with two double five finishes, and followed that up with checkouts of 101 and 117 to move 4-0 up.

Webster landed a maximum in the next, only for Mawson - the Group F leader - to land double ten to stay in the contest.

However, a fine 139 score set up Webster for the kill with a 40 checkout, and he quickly wrapped up the victory.

"I enjoyed being up there but it wasn't going in for me," said Mawson. "Mark played great and hats off to him - he wanted to prove something tonight and did, so he can hold his head high.

"The first two matches were do or die for me but there wasn't the pressure tonight.

"I can go and prepare for the last 16 now and I don't mind who I play, I will take anyone in the next round, whether or not it's Phil."

Webster admitted: "I was playing under pressure before but there was nothing on the match and there were no nerves tonight.

"I'm glad I won one game I've got to learn to play under pressure and develop that.

"I played pretty well tonight, but I think I played ok in the other two games too. At least I've won a match and I've salvaged some pride."

Match Stats

PHIL TAYLOR 5-2 RONNIE BAXTER

PHIL TAYLOR completed the group phase of the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-2 win over Ronnie Baxter.

The 13-time World Champion ensured unbeaten passage to the second round of the tournament with another strong display, to earn first place in Group E.

Following two superb opening displays, Taylor continued where he left off against Colin Lloyd on Sunday by taking the first three legs without reply to average 110.

Baxter hit back going into the break on double top, his first chance at a double, before a 180 from Taylor set up another two-dart finish from the tournament favourite.

Baxter took a second leg with a fine 129 finish on double six, but saw six chances to remain in the game slip away in the next leg, with Taylor eventually landing double one with his tenth dart for victory.

"It was a shame the doubles didn't go in for me in the last leg but I played some good darts," said Taylor. "It was a different kind of match because I was already through and Ronnie always plays well anyway.

"I can focus on the next game now on Thursday, the format gets longer and it's cut-throat, you lose and you're out."

Match Stats

COLIN LLOYD 5-1 WAYNE MARDLE

COLIN LLOYD marched into round two of the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts with a fine 5-1 victory against Wayne Mardle.

The two Essex stars faced a winner-takes-all shootout for the right to join Taylor in qualifying from Group E.

It was Lloyd who produced the goods, moving into an unassailable 4-0 lead before Mardle even reached a double, before going on to seal the win.

Lloyd set the tone for a professional display by taking the first leg with a 106 finish on double 16, and missed double top for the same checkout in leg two.

He returned to land double top and also hit the same bed in the next two legs to go into the break 4-0 up with a 100 average.

Mardle landed a 180 in taking the fifth leg in 13 darts, but it was a frustrating glimpse of his talent as Lloyd moved clear in the next, a maximum in reply helping him set up double top for the win.

"It was going to be a battle," said Lloyd. "I knew I had a tough game but I didn't put any pressure on myself - I just had to win.

"I got the result. Wayne didn't play his game, but when the opportunities arise you have to take them and I did.

"I'm feeling good again, I'm relaxed and enjoying my darts. I feel I can have a good run this week."

Match Stats

JOHN PART 5-0 ANDY JENKINS

JOHN PART powered his way to the top of Group F at the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts thanks to a 5-0 whitewash of Andy Jenkins.

Part had lost his opening game of the tournament, against Gary Mawson, but wins over Mark Webster and Jenkins will see the Canadian move into the knockout phase as a group winner.

He was in brilliant form to see off Jenkins, who could not recapture the brilliant form which saw him defeat Webster on Saturday.

Part took double eight to open the game and then capitalised on five misses by Jenkins to win the second with a 124 finish on the bullseye.

Double eight and double four helped Part into a 4-0 lead, and he then returned to the oche following a miss from Jenkins on a 116 finish to seal the win.

"I was happy to pick up where I left off against Mark," said Part. "I hit the shots I had to and the darts stuck.

"It's a short format and if you don't produce that then you lose. I handled the pressure well I thought."

Portsmouth's Jenkins admitted: "My first game was very pleasing but the last two games were poor after I gave myself a great chance to qualify.

"It was maybe a lack of experience from me and John showed by he's World Champion. He came back from 4-1 down against Mark Webster and took some good checkouts at crucial points against me, and I never got into my rhythm."

Match Stats

GARY ANDERSON 5-0 BARRIE BATES

GARY ANDERSON whitewashed Barrie Bates to book his place in the second round of the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts.

Anderson bounced back from losing to Kevin Painter on Saturday afternoon with a win against Wayne Jones, and finishes second in Group G following his stroll against the Welshman.

Anderson averaged over 107 and set the tone for a superb display by opening with a 14-darter in leg one, finish with a two-dart 96 checkout.

He landed double four to take the second leg before legs of 13 and 15 darts put him 4-0 up at the break.

Anderson wasted little time in sealing the win, finishing with a 15 darter for a 107 average with Group H winner Roland Scholten laying in wait on Thursday night.

"I'm hitting my doubles now," admitted Anderson. "I struggled on my doubles in the first two matches but they were there tonight.

"Barrie's a great player but he has had trouble with his foot and knee and I wish him all the best."

Bates admitted his continuing battle with a bad knee following a broken foot had affected him, as he failed to reach a double against Anderson.

"I've enjoyed the event but Kevin and Gary did a job on me in the last two games," he said. "I had no fight left in me, I was in constant pain but I'll come back.

"I'll have a month off now. I'm not going to play in the German Darts Championship but will be ready for the World Championship."

Match Stats

MERVYN KING 5-2 MICHAEL VAN GERWEN

MERVYN KING sealed a place in the second round of the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts with a clinical display against Michael van Gerwen.

King had lost his opening Group H game on Saturday against Roland Scholten, but has bounced back in style to defeat Scott Waites and then van Gerwen.

The game was locked at 2-2 before King found an extra gear after the break, winning three straight legs to set up a tasty round two meeting with Kevin Painter on Thursday.

"It was a hard-fought battle and I was fortunate enough to come through as the winner," said King.

"I put the defeat out of my mind and moved on from there, and it worked for me. Michael played okay, but he's a far better player than he showed.

"He's only 18 and has his whole career ahead of him, and he'll learn from this experience."

Van Gerwen held his own early on, with two double 16 finishes earning him a share of the first four legs - although he should have taken the first leg after missing six darts at a double, with King only getting off the mark at the fifth attempt.

The rest of the game was a different story though, and van Gerwen landed a 180 in the fifth leg to leave 24 for a break of throw, only to see King finish on double eight.

King then secured the game's crucial first break, taking double 16 in the sixth for a 4-2 lead with van Gerwen again waiting on a double.

A second maximum of the game from King set him on his way in the next, and double 16 ensured his second round place.

Match Stats