RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD won a place in the PartyPoker.net Las Vegas Desert Classic final with an 11-6 win over James Wade.
The Dutchman avenged his defeat to Wade in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts semi-finals recently with another classy display to remain on course for a second Desert Classic win.
Although Wade led 2-1 early on, van Barneveld did the damage by winning eight of the next nine legs to power clear.
He landed a 12-darter in the fourth leg and then took out 156 to win the first break of throw and a 3-2 lead.
He also hit 180s in the next two legs, including an 11-darter to break throw, before taking out double 16 to win a fifth successive leg.
Wade replied with an 11-darter, a 171 in the next set up double 16 for van Barneveld to go 7-3 up, and he followed up a 12-darter by punishing a missed double top from the world number two to move further clear.
Wade landed double ten and double eight to reduce the arrears, before van Barneveld once again landed double 16, moving himself a leg away from the win.
Double six kept Wade in the game, but three ton-plus scores pulled van Barneveld away before he took out double 16 for victory.
"I've been relaxed this week and the tournament has gone well so far," said van Barneveld, who meets Taylor in the final.
"The standard is great in every event now and it's up to me to be good enough.
"I was depressed by not making the Premier League final but I have to start believing in myself again and I believe I can go all the way in this.
"Phil will have to play his best darts to beat me."
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