JAMES WADE remains on course to retain the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts title following an 8-6 semi-final victory over Simon Whitlock at the Wembley Arena.
Reigning champion Wade jumped into the play-off places in the 14th and final weekly round, and continued his march by progressing to the final.
Whitlock had finished second in the league table in his debut Premier League season, but the deadly doubling which had seen him power through the eight-player field deserted him in the semi-finals.
He missed six darts at a double in the opening two legs as Wade opened up a 2-0 lead, although double eight in the third got the Australian off the mark after the pair traded maximum scores.
Wade broke back with a 180 and a two-dart 83 finish, before double ten gave the left-hander a 4-1 cushion.
Wade missed chances at the bullseye in the next two legs, as Whitlock hit back to cut the gap to one leg before trading 180s with the reigning champion in leg eight.
It was Whitlock who reached the double first, with double eight levelling the match, before he then hit the front by taking out 70 on double top to move 5-4 up.
He was also waiting on a finish in the next, but Wade landed a killer blow with a superb 107 finish to square the game.
A clinical 81 gave Wade the advantage once again, although Whitlock hit back to level.
Double eight, though, saw Wade edge a leg away from the win, and he defied a 180 from Whitlock to post double five in the next and move into the final.
"I'm delighted to be in the final," said Wade. "I had a bad start to the season but hopefully I'm coming good now and I'll give it everything in the final.
"It wasn't my best performance but the 107 checkout was vital and I managed to finish the job."
Whitlock admitted: "The 107 won him the game.
"Missing early doubles cost me and I was playing catch-up for a long time. It's disappointing not to reach the final and I'm pretty gutted because I played badly."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment