REPORTS and results from the semi-finals at the 2008 PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts.
The Wolverhampton Civic hosted the meetings between Terry Jenkins and Gary Anderson and defending champion Phil Taylor against Mervyn King.
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PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts
Semi-Finals (7pm Saturday)
Terry Jenkins 16-14 Gary Anderson
Phil Taylor 16-10 Mervyn King
(Best of 31 legs)
Photo Gallery
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TERRY JENKINS 16-14 GARY ANDERSON
TERRY JENKINS edged past Gary Anderson in a thriller to reach the final of the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 16-14 win.
Anderson averaged 105.65 and hit 11 180s in a brilliant contest, only to lose as an inspired Jenkins hung on for victory.
Jenkins won nine legs from 11 in mid-game to crucially pull from 5-3 down to lead 12-7 before Anderson - aided by a burst of 180s - threatened a comeback.
"Gary didn't do anything wrong but I concentrated on winning my own legs with the darts," said Jenkins.
"In the last few legs I didn't miss a lot but Gary knocked the stuffing out of me and I was relieved to finally get from 14 to 15, which was as important as winning the game."
Jenkins took a scrappy opening leg on double one, but a 107 checkout from Anderson in the second set the tone for the remainder of the contest.
The next four legs were shared, including finishes og 84 and 96 from the Scot, before he broke throw on double top and then hit a 13-darter to lead 5-3.
The pair traded double top finishes before Jenkins took three in a row, in 14, 14 and 13 darts, to lead 7-6.
Double eight from Anderson levelled, and a 180 left him on a finish in the next, only for Jenkins to hit double top to edge in front.
He repeated the trick on the same double in the next four legs to pull clear at 12-7.
Anderson reeled off legs of 14, 12 and ten darts in a superb burst to cut the deficit to two legs, only for Jenkins to sensationally finish 164 on the bull for a 13-10 cushion.
After trading 13-darters, Anderson landed an 11-darter and then successive 81 checkouts on the bullseye to sqaure the match - only to falter at 14-all.
A missed bullseye allowed Jenkins back in on tops to move a leg away from the win, and he punished a slow start from Anderson in the next to seal the win.
Anderson, who hit seven 180s in nine legs at the back end of the game, said: "It was a great game and when I went 14-10 down I put some great legs in, but even 11 maximums weren't enough."
Match Stats
PHIL TAYLOR 16-10 MERVYN KING
PHIL TAYLOR put himself into a second successive PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts with a majestic 16-10 semi-final win over Mervyn King.
Taylor produced his best display yet in this year's tournament to average over 106.5 and land ten maximums in an epic.
He punished a slow King start to move 4-1 up, a lead which eventually proved crucial as King fought back manfully.
Taylor took the opening two legs in 13 and 15 darts under little pressure before missing four darts at a double in the next to allow King to get off the mark.
But 180s from King to start the next two legs were not enough as Taylor took out 87 and then 126 to move 4-1 up.
A 121 from King for a 12-darter reduced the deficit, only for Taylor to hit back with legs of 13 and 14 of his own to move 6-2 up.
King included three 14-darters in winning four of the next six in reducing the arrears to 8-6 - with Taylor firing in another brace of 13-darters.
A 177 from Taylor in leg 15 crucially set up his double top finish to break throw, and he took the next two to pull out to 11-6 and regain some breaking space.
Finishes of 100 and 64 from King gave him the next two legs, but a pair of 13-darters saw Taylor edge 13-8 in front.
King landed his sixth maximum of the game in taking leg 22, but crucially missed three darts at a double in the next leg, with Taylor pouncing to land a 151 checkout.
As if that was not enough of a blow, seven perfect darts from King in the next leg meant little, with Taylor stepping in to land double top for a 12-darter to go a leg away from victory - with King sat on 56 after nine darts.
A 110 finish from King, with Taylor this time sat on a double for victory, kept him in the contest but a poor start in the next was punished by a tenth maximum as the defending champion took out double five for the win.
"I'm ecstatic to be in the final," said Taylor. "Mervyn has so much bottle and didn't give in, and he put me under a lot of pressure.
"He could have hit a nine-darter there, and the 151 finish was massive, but it's about taking your chances and I managed to hit him hard."
King admitted: "I shouldn't have been 4-1 down and was chasing the game from then on.
"I'd get close and then I wouldn't be able to get level. Phil's the best player in the world and you can't give him as much of a head start."
Match Stats
The Wolverhampton Civic hosted the meetings between Terry Jenkins and Gary Anderson and defending champion Phil Taylor against Mervyn King.
DartsTV
Highlights from all sessions will be available on a 24-hour delay in DartsTV.
Live audio commentary is available for DartsTV subscribers, along with a free live scorecentre - click here.
PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts
Semi-Finals (7pm Saturday)
Terry Jenkins 16-14 Gary Anderson
Phil Taylor 16-10 Mervyn King
(Best of 31 legs)
Photo Gallery
Click here for a PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts Photo Gallery
TERRY JENKINS 16-14 GARY ANDERSON
TERRY JENKINS edged past Gary Anderson in a thriller to reach the final of the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 16-14 win.
Anderson averaged 105.65 and hit 11 180s in a brilliant contest, only to lose as an inspired Jenkins hung on for victory.
Jenkins won nine legs from 11 in mid-game to crucially pull from 5-3 down to lead 12-7 before Anderson - aided by a burst of 180s - threatened a comeback.
"Gary didn't do anything wrong but I concentrated on winning my own legs with the darts," said Jenkins.
"In the last few legs I didn't miss a lot but Gary knocked the stuffing out of me and I was relieved to finally get from 14 to 15, which was as important as winning the game."
Jenkins took a scrappy opening leg on double one, but a 107 checkout from Anderson in the second set the tone for the remainder of the contest.
The next four legs were shared, including finishes og 84 and 96 from the Scot, before he broke throw on double top and then hit a 13-darter to lead 5-3.
The pair traded double top finishes before Jenkins took three in a row, in 14, 14 and 13 darts, to lead 7-6.
Double eight from Anderson levelled, and a 180 left him on a finish in the next, only for Jenkins to hit double top to edge in front.
He repeated the trick on the same double in the next four legs to pull clear at 12-7.
Anderson reeled off legs of 14, 12 and ten darts in a superb burst to cut the deficit to two legs, only for Jenkins to sensationally finish 164 on the bull for a 13-10 cushion.
After trading 13-darters, Anderson landed an 11-darter and then successive 81 checkouts on the bullseye to sqaure the match - only to falter at 14-all.
A missed bullseye allowed Jenkins back in on tops to move a leg away from the win, and he punished a slow start from Anderson in the next to seal the win.
Anderson, who hit seven 180s in nine legs at the back end of the game, said: "It was a great game and when I went 14-10 down I put some great legs in, but even 11 maximums weren't enough."
Match Stats
|
Terry Jenkins |
16-14 |
Gary Anderson |
|
39 |
100+ |
33 |
|
28 |
140+ |
24 |
|
8 |
180 |
11 |
|
34.10 |
Ave1 |
35.22 |
|
102.30 |
Ave3 |
105.65 |
|
164 |
High Finish |
130,107 |
PHIL TAYLOR 16-10 MERVYN KING
PHIL TAYLOR put himself into a second successive PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts with a majestic 16-10 semi-final win over Mervyn King.
Taylor produced his best display yet in this year's tournament to average over 106.5 and land ten maximums in an epic.
He punished a slow King start to move 4-1 up, a lead which eventually proved crucial as King fought back manfully.
Taylor took the opening two legs in 13 and 15 darts under little pressure before missing four darts at a double in the next to allow King to get off the mark.
But 180s from King to start the next two legs were not enough as Taylor took out 87 and then 126 to move 4-1 up.
A 121 from King for a 12-darter reduced the deficit, only for Taylor to hit back with legs of 13 and 14 of his own to move 6-2 up.
King included three 14-darters in winning four of the next six in reducing the arrears to 8-6 - with Taylor firing in another brace of 13-darters.
A 177 from Taylor in leg 15 crucially set up his double top finish to break throw, and he took the next two to pull out to 11-6 and regain some breaking space.
Finishes of 100 and 64 from King gave him the next two legs, but a pair of 13-darters saw Taylor edge 13-8 in front.
King landed his sixth maximum of the game in taking leg 22, but crucially missed three darts at a double in the next leg, with Taylor pouncing to land a 151 checkout.
As if that was not enough of a blow, seven perfect darts from King in the next leg meant little, with Taylor stepping in to land double top for a 12-darter to go a leg away from victory - with King sat on 56 after nine darts.
A 110 finish from King, with Taylor this time sat on a double for victory, kept him in the contest but a poor start in the next was punished by a tenth maximum as the defending champion took out double five for the win.
"I'm ecstatic to be in the final," said Taylor. "Mervyn has so much bottle and didn't give in, and he put me under a lot of pressure.
"He could have hit a nine-darter there, and the 151 finish was massive, but it's about taking your chances and I managed to hit him hard."
King admitted: "I shouldn't have been 4-1 down and was chasing the game from then on.
"I'd get close and then I wouldn't be able to get level. Phil's the best player in the world and you can't give him as much of a head start."
Match Stats
|
Phil Taylor |
16-10 |
Mervyn King |
|
23 |
100+ |
35 |
|
23 |
140+ |
18 |
|
10 |
180 |
8 |
|
35.52 |
Ave1 |
32.22 |
|
106.56 |
Ave3 |
96.66 |
|
151,126 |
High Finish |
121,110,100 |