Photo courtesy of Lawrence Lustig/PDC. 
PHIL TAYLOR dropped only three legs in a quarter-final hammering of Adrian Lewis to remain on course for a tenth stanjames.com World Matchplay title.
The sport’s greatest ever player produced another master-class against his former protégé, hitting 14 180s, five 11-dart finishes and recording an average of 109.42.
Lewis never stood a chance after going 5-0 down, and Taylor recorded a run of ten successive legs in claiming victory.
“I’m pleased to be in the semi-final and happy with my performance again,” said Taylor. “My focus is to win this tournament and I’m on course for that.
“Adrian’s a cracking player and though I’m over the moon to win I know he’s a better player than that performance.”
He now meets Mervyn King in the semi-finals on Saturday, with the world number five having defeated Taylor in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts semi-finals.
“It will be a real battle tomorrow and we’ll go blow for blow,” said Taylor. “I think there could be a nine-darter or maybe two.”
Earlier in the evening, Ronnie Baxter knocked out number two seed and 2007 winner James Wade 16-10 to reach his fifth World Matchplay semi-final.
Blackpool-born Baxter hit three ton-plus finishes in the early stages of the match before pulling clear from eight-all to win eight of the final ten legs and claim the win.
“James isn’t number two in the world for nothing but it was my night,” said Baxter. “It was all about hitting my doubles and I have a great chance now in this event.”
Baxter, the losing finalist in the 1998 World Matchplay, meets 2007 runner-up Terry Jenkins in the semi-finals on Saturday evening.
stanjames.com World Matchplay
Quarter-Finals
Mervyn King 16-6 Vincent van der Voort
Terry Jenkins 16-12 Raymond van Barneveld
Ronnie Baxter 16-10 James Wade
Phil Taylor 16-3 Adrian Lewis
Saturday July 25 (7pm start)
Semi-Finals
Ronnie Baxter v Terry Jenkins
Phil Taylor v Mervyn King
Best of 33 legs
RONNIE BAXTER 16-10 JAMES WADE
WORLD number two James Wade was dumped from the stanjames.com World Matchplay by a brilliant Ronnie Baxter display in Blackpool.
Wade has reached the final at the Winter Gardens for the past three years, winning in 2007, but was blitzed by the local-born favourite.
Baxter produced a clinical display to pull away from eight-all to win eight of the next ten legs for a 16-10 victory.
Wade made a fine start to win the opening two legs and secure a 2-0 lead, but was left waiting on a finish in the next after the duo traded 180s, with Baxter taking out double ten to break back.
A two-dart 78 finish saw Baxter level, and he produced a 14-darter to square matters again after Wade took the fifth leg in 13 darts.
Baxter then took the lead for the first time with a brilliant 132 checkout as Wade waited on 40, and he then punished a missed double top from the 2007 champion with double eight to lead 5-3.
The pair traded double top finishes before Baxter took out 102 to move three legs clear at 7-4 – but he hit two 180s in the next and failed to get a shot at a double as Wade followed up an earlier maximum with an 82 checkout.
He also hit 180s in the next two, and a sensational 153 finish saw him pull level once more.
Another pair of double top finishes took the scores to eight-all, but Wade began to feel the pressure as missed doubles in the next two legs allowed Baxter to edge in front.
They traded the next two before Wade produced a 13-darter to reduce the gap to one leg at 11-10 – but that would prove as close as he would get.
He hit an eight maximum of the game in the next leg, but missed three darts at a double as Baxter took out double top.
Four further misses in the next and one in the 24th leg allowed Baxter into a 14-10 lead, and he then landed a 177 and double top to move a leg away from victory.
Four successive visits to the oche for Wade without hitting a ton gave Baxter the advantage, and he landed double top to book a first Blackpool semi-final since 2005.
“James isn’t number two in the world for nothing but it was my night,” said Baxter. “It was all about hitting my doubles and I have a great chance now in this event.
“James missed a few doubles and that let me in. I’m enjoying myself and my form is coming back.
“I haven’t done the business for a lot of years but I’m in the semis and have a great chance now.
“The tight matches I had in the early rounds teach you things and prepare you for if they happen again in the later stages.”
PHIL TAYLOR 16-3 ADRIAN LEWIS
PHIL TAYLOR dropped only three legs in a quarter-final hammering of Adrian Lewis to remain on course for a tenth stanjames.com World Matchplay title.
The sport’s greatest ever player produced another master-class against his former protégé, hitting 14 180s, five 11-dart finishes and recording an average of 109.42.
Lewis never stood a chance after going 5-0 down, and Taylor recorded a run of ten successive legs in claiming victory.
Taylor immediately broke Lewis in the game’s opening leg with a 13-darter, and took out 65 in two darts and a 121 bullseye checkout to move 3-0 up.
He then opened the fourth with back-to-back 180s, and though a potential nine-darter went begging he took the leg in 11 darter, and a 110 finish sent him into the break 5-0 up.
Lewis had only had one dart at a double in the first session, but took advantage of three missed double 16s from Taylor to get off the mark on the bull – after the world number one had again opened with six perfect darts.
Taylor also missed five darts at double 16 and double eight in the next, with Lewis hitting double ten for a second leg.
Double 16 settled any nerves for Taylor before legs of 11 and 14 darts pushed him 8-2 up.
After Lewis traded maximums with Taylor in the next, seven missed doubles were punished as the reigning champion took out double two.
He then took legs of 11, 14, 14 and 14 darts to move 13-2 up and leave Lewis trailing despite three more maximums from the youngster.
Taylor took a 14th leg before landing two maximums in another 11-darter to ease to the brink of victory.
A showpiece 140 checkout from Lewis – who hit treble 20 and two double tops – was mere consolation for the youngster as Taylor landed a 14th 180 of the game in sealing the win in 11 darts.
His tally of 14 180s was his most ever in one game at the World Matchplay, and an end average of 109.42 was almost equal to his win over Kevin Painter in round two.
“I’m pleased to be in the semi-final and happy with my performance again,” said Taylor. “My focus is to win this tournament and I’m on course for that.
“Adrian’s a cracking player and though I’m over the moon to win I know he’s a better player than that performance.”
He now meets Mervyn King in the semi-finals on Saturday, with the world number five having defeated Taylor in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts semi-finals.
“It will be a real battle tomorrow and we’ll go blow for blow,” said Taylor. “I think there could be a nine-darter or maybe two.”