PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts Day Five

REPORTS and results from Wednesday's second round games at the 2008 PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts.

Round two gets underway at the Wolverhampton Civic with four matches, including respective World Champions John Part and Mark Webster and the clash of Phil Taylor and Andy Hamilton in a repeat of the 2007 final.

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PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts
Second Round (Best of 19 legs)
Simon Whitlock 10-8 Andy Jenkins (Match 2)
Mark Webster 10-2 John Part (Match 4)
Phil Taylor 10-8 Andy Hamilton (Match 1)
Mervyn King 10-9 Kevin McDine (Match 3)

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SIMON WHITLOCK 10-8 ANDY JENKINS
AUSTRALIAN Simon Whitlock edged past Andy Jenkins 10-8 to win a place in the quarter-finals of the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts.

The Group B winner continued his impressive start to the tournament to end Jenkins' hopes, three days after the Portsmouth man had defeated Phil Taylor in the round robin phase.

Jenkins eventually paid the price for missed doubles, as Whitlock - who hit six 180s - capitalised to reach the last eight.

Whitlock made an ideal start, with a maximum in the opening leg setting up double 18 to break throw, after Jenkins missed three darts at double 16.

The Australian then took the second in 14 darts with a two-dart 80 checkout only for Jenkins, fired by a 180 in the third leg, to take three in a row and lead.

Whitlock levelled and took out 90 on double 15 to square the game once more at four-all, only for Jenkins to land a maximum in taking the ninth leg.

Double top put Whitlock level again, and he stepped in following two missed doubles to break throw in the 11th and regain the lead.

The next four legs also went against the throw to leave Whitlock 8-7 up, before the pair traded 180s in leg 16, only for five misses from Jenkins to let the Australian off the hook as he hit double four to move a leg away from victory.

Jenkins took out 95 on double 16 to stay in the game, but a 180 to begin the next leg pushed Whitlock clear and he sealed the win on double ten.

"It was one of the toughest games I've ever played," said Whitlock. "I seemed to break throw and then he would break back, but I'm very relieved to win."

Jenkins admitted: "Simon hit some 180s at the right time and a few crucial breaks, and he deserved to win.

"I kept coming but at him but he'd break me. I'm gutted to lose but defeating Phil Taylor was memorable and I've enjoyed the tournament."

Match Stats

Simon Whitlock	10-8	Andy Jenkins
27	100+	20
9	140+	10
6	180	3
29.98	Ave1	28.62
89.93	Ave3	85.86
90	High Finish	95

MARK WEBSTER 10-2 JOHN PART
MARK WEBSTER produced the performance of his life to dump John Part out of the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 10-2 victory.

The Welshman charged to glory in the battle of darts' respective World Champions with an accomplished display.

He averaged close to 100 for much of the contest, and hit a 158 checkout alongside three 180s to see off the below-par Canadian.

Webster punished three missed doubles from Part to claim the first leg against the throw before moving 2-0 up with a 14-darter.

Part replied in kind with a two-dart 86 finish to get off the mark, before Webster landed a maximum in a sparkling 12-darter to move 3-1 up.

Part missed three darts at a double in the next before Webster crucially landed double five with his third dart to take a 4-1 lead into the break, before returning with a sensational 158 checkout to extend his advantage.

A 180 in the seventh helped Webster take full advantage of more missed doubles from Part to go 6-1 up, and another two legs saw the Welshman claim seven without reply.

Part hit double eight to reduce the deficit to 8-2, but Webster hit an improvised double 17 to take the next before sealing his win on double top.

"I don't think I've been playing that well so I'm delighted to win and be in the quarter-finals," said Webster.

"John never got going but it was always in the back of my mind that he came from 4-1 down to beat me last year so I had to keep my concentration and finish him off."

Part said: "It never clicked for me and I don't think I had one good leg in the game, which is very disappointing."

Match Stats

John Part	2-10	Mark Webster
10	100+	13
5	140+	10
0	180	3
27.89	Ave1	30.58
83.68	Ave3	91.73
86	High Finish	158

PHIL TAYLOR 10-8 ANDY HAMILTON
PHIL TAYLOR remains on course to retain his PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts title following a narrow 10-8 win over Andy Hamilton.

The duo enjoyed a repeat of last year's final at the Wolverhampton Civic, with Taylor again emerging victorious after a gallant effort from Hamilton.

Hamilton battled back from 8-4 down to push Taylor all the way, but the defending champion will now meet Australian Simon Whitlock in Friday's quarter-finals.

Taylor punished four missed doubles from Hamilton to win the game's opening leg in 14 darts, and took out double eight for a 2-0 lead.

Hamilton landed a 180 and double ten to cut the deficit, but wasted his chance to punish Taylor's misses in the next with three off-target doubles of his own before the Stoke legend took the leg on double one at the tenth time of asking.

A 102 finish from Hamilton cut the lead to 3-2, and after Taylor took the sixth the PDC world number seven won back-to-back legs to level the game.

Taylor, typically, found another gear to reel off four successive legs and move 8-4 up, before Hamilton landed double ten to stop the run.

A 121 finish on the bull gave him a sixth leg, and he then landed a 180 to set up a double 16 finish in pulling back to 8-7.

Taylor took out 107, with Hamilton waiting on 36, to move a leg away from the win, but double 16 from the underdog kept him in the game.

But he was left waiting on 24, having hit a 177 to leave a double in the next only for Taylor to hit double top and claim victory.

"Andy's scoring was fantastic but he missed doubles early on that cost him," said Taylor. "When I went 8-4 up I thought I had him, but he doesn't give in.

"He was fantastic and I'm relieved to be through. Simon Whitlock's a similar player, a good scorer and finisher so I've got to dig in and step up a gear."

Hamilton added: "It was a really good game and I enjoyed it.

"A couple of early doubles let me down but I hung in there and battled, and I pushed Phil all the way."

Match Stats

Phil Taylor	10-8	Andy Hamilton
29	100+	26
15	140+	14
1	180	4
32.46	Ave1	32.77
97.37	Ave3	98.30
107	High Finish	121,102

MERVYN KING 10-9 KEVIN McDINE
MERVYN KING came through a dramatic final-leg shoot-out to battle through to the quarter-finals of the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts.

King trailed 6-2 and 8-5 against the 2007 semi-finalist, who failed to close out the victory before being narrowly beaten in the deciding leg.

An emotional King, who broke down in tears after the game, dedicated the win to his aunt, whose funeral he had attended earlier on Wednesday before returning to Wolverhampton for the contest.

That perhaps played some part in a slow start, as McDine produced some superb finishing to take a 4-1 lead, with King's only leg coming courtesy of a 106 finish.

Double nine gave King leg six, but a 12-darter from McDine restored his cushion before he punished four missed doubles to move 6-2 up.

King landed a 180 in taking leg nine and, after McDine landed double 12 for the next, took two in a row to pull back to 7-5.

But a missed double top in the next allowed McDine in for an 8-5 scoreline, only for King to punish misses from the youngster in the next three and draw level.

King hit a 180 in the next, but double top put McDine a leg away from victory.

King took leg 18 with McDine waiting on 32, and landed a 180 in the decider, only for a missed double 16 to let his opponent in.

McDine, though, was off-target on double 12 for the match, and King showed no mercy to land his double and move into the last eight, where he meets Mark Webster.

"It means so much to me and for many reasons it was the hardest game of my life," admitted King. "It's been an emotional day and I'm very relieved to have got through.

"I thought Kevin was going to run away with it at one point. I had a bad start and thought it was going to cost me, but luckily it didn't."

McDine said: "I started well but Mervyn fought back strongly and was the better man. I'm disappointed to lose but I enjoyed the game."

Match Stats