2244: Oh dear! Part saunters to a 4-0 victory and Roy, who has beaten both Taylor and van Barneveld this year, seems happy to get off the stage quickly.

2233: Roy is now 3-0 down and is going to have to suddenly play better than Painter to turn this around.

2222: Part cruises into a 2-0 lead without breaking sweat as Roy struggles to get his three-dart average above 80. If he doesn't improve, he could be heading for a third-round whitewash.

2150: The crowd is still buzzing as Alex Roy and John Part will have to go some to outshine the previous match.

2139: The Palace erupts as Painter takes the sixth set with a 10-dart finish to knock out world champion van Barneveld. Painter's three-dart average was outstanding throughout the contest and when he started to hit his doubles, van Barneveld had no answer. The two consecutive 180s that began the final leg had the Dutchman looking defeated before he hit the last double 16.

2127: The Artist has been part-Leonardo da Vinci part-Jackson Pollock in the fifth set but finds a big 180 in the concluding leg to sneak back into a 3-2 lead.

2114: Barney is not world champion for nothing and having repelled the best Phil Taylor had to offer 12 months ago, he sets about putting a spoke in Painter's wheels. He wins three legs in a row to level the match at 2-2 and is cheered on by his nattily-dressed coach and confidante, who would seem more at home at a Milan catwalk than a boisterous Ally Pally.

2106: The world champion is in trouble. Second best for all of the third set, he managed to snatch just one leg - and only then from well behind - and Painter is looking unstoppable.

2054: Painter responds by taking all three legs to level at 1-1. He celebrates a 101 check-out with a clenched fist to the crowd and a round-shouldered swagger to the front of the stage.

2044: Having taken a farcical 26 darts to win the first leg, Barney then seems to have his arrows magnetised to the treble 20 and takes the first set in style.

2035: Kevin 'The Artist' Painter persuades his female companion to wear an artistic beret while 'Barney' responds with his hostess in leopard skin dress as a homage to Barney Rubble's long-suffering wife Betty. First leg in the fashion stakes to van Barneveld.

2030: This should be the match of the day. Reigning champion Raymond van Barneveld against the in-form Kevin Painter. Let's play darts!

2018: It's all over in the same manner of much of the match. van der Rassel misses four darts and double 10 and Manley misses double 12 then hits double six for a 4-1 victory.

2007: Van der Rassel's checking out is making him pay very dearly as his inability to close out 18 with three darts with Manley a ton behind comes back to haunt him as 'One Dart' snatches the set to go 3-1 ahead.

1956: Manley is now two sets to one up but van Rassel is keeping him on his toes. Unfortunately, a mathematical malfunction hits the qualifier at a crucial time when he seems unaware that having missed double 10 on the inside, he can now go for double five and instead throws at the one.

1928: It's interesting to see who seems to be the most relaxed on the walk to the oche. Unfancied Dutchman Jan van der Rassel seems a bit dazed as T.Rex's 20th Century Boy blazes out on the PA system and he seems more interested in the leggy blonde who accompanies him down the walk to the stage though he does break off halfway down to kiss a woman in the crowd, who I hope is an intimate friend or relative. Manley is sweating profusely and is alarmingly colour coded in pink with his hostess but arrives with a swagger. A clutch of missed doubles later, 'One Dart' has handed the first set to the dithering Dutchman.

1729: Wade is through 4-2 but credit to Dudbridge. At 3-1 down, he needed a double top with his last dart to save the match and then had to pause as the crowd erupted. He hit the 'lipstick' and then threw a firstful of 180s to stoke up the excitement by winning the fifth set. But Wade was always the more consistent and wasn't allowing any more comebacks. Onto the evening session.

1648: Dudbridge's early advantage is wiped out as Wade makes it 2-1. Wade looks more like an estate agent at a barbecue but has started hitting the doubles and that is making the difference.

1624: So much for the seeding committee as Dudbridge bags the first set while at one stage, Wade misses double one in the 'madhouse.' Much better needed, Mr Wade.

1610: Well after all that excitement, it's now third seed James Wade against the 19th seed Mark Dudbridge. Surely, this should be comfortable for Wade?

1557: What a way to finish the match! Eccles had victory within his grasp, but he let Lewis back in who has claimed the final set 4-2.

The crowd are booing 'jackpot' because he took a comfort break when the scores were level at 2-2, however that seems a bit harsh as the Stoke darter seemed to do everything in the right manner.

Eccles performed well but once again another player has missed chances when it really counted.

1534: Eccles has shown just why you can't write him off as he pulls the scores level at 3-3.

Both players are playing some super darts at the moment and the final set should be a cracker.

1525: The comeback is in full motion at the moment as Lewis takes the fifth set to move into a 3-2 lead.

He had to fight for that one, though, as Eccles battled to a 2-1 lead before 'jackpot' produced some brave darts to take the advantage for the first time in this match.

However, both players are playing well and it would be foolish to write off Eccles at this stage.

1511: Lewis has now won five legs on the bounce and has taken the fourth set to level the scores at 2-2.

This is a super match at the moment, although you have to wonder whether Eccles wasted a huge chance by not pulling clear in the third set.

1507: Eccles took the first two legs of the third set, however Lewis has shown huge character to win three legs on the spin and reduce the decifit to a set.

The 'viper' could have gone out of sight then, however now the momentum is firmly with 'jackpot' who has started to find some confidence.

1452: And he has done it again, the Viper has bitten to take the second set 3-0!

Lewis is being completely outplayed at the moment and it looks likle Eccles is on an unstoppable journey into the quarter-finals.

1442: Eccles has played superbly to take the opening set
3-0.

Lewis is strongly tipped to progress to the last eight, however he will have to improve if he is to see off the challenge of the man from Hartlepool.

1433: Tony 'viper' Eccles is making his way to the oche with a blonde lady who looks very happy to be with the Hartlepool darter.

Eccles' opponent Adrian 'jackpot' Lewis storms down the walkway to a popular song that they play when a goal is scored by Kidderminster Harries at Aggborough, however the name of the track escapes me.

1427: He may be a winner on the oche but when it comes to trousers Shepherd has sadly lost this afternoon.

As he was jumping around the stage in joy his trousers ripped and now it looks like the young man from Kent will need to visit Debenhams before his next match.

1421: Shepherd has taken the sixth set and the match to send his flock barmy.

The youngster deserves great credit for keeping a cool head as the match progressed and he can be very proud of the way he has performed in this event.

However, Bates missed chances at crucial times and can only blame himself as he leaves 'Ally Pally' after a fairly successful tournament.

1415: Yet another close set has come to an end and this time it is Shepherd who takes the glory.

Both players had chances to take a 3-2 lead but it is Shepherd, the 'Cliff Richard of darts', who edges in front.

Bates cannot afford to keep missing so many chances as he now knows that the young darter from Ramsgate can take advantage.

1358: These players cannot be separated at the moment as Bates takes the fourth set to draw the scores level.

Both men are missing plenty of doubles and, although the quality may not be there at the moment, this clash is enthralling in it's own way.

It would be a brave man who would pick a winner at the moment and I am not that brave.

1345: It looked like the 'champagne' express was going to continue, however Shepherd battled back from 2-0 down to claim the third set 3-2.

Bates had numerous chances to win the set, however in this game if you miss your chances you will be punished.

The 'young gun' now holds a 2-1 lead and, on another note, it will be interesting to see as the years catch up with Shepherd whether he will still be know as 'young gun' and become a darting Cliff Richard.

1335: 'Champagne' Bates has bounced straight back and claimed the second set 3-1.

Shepherd appears to be a little bit flustered and the more experienced Bates now appears settled on the 'oche'.

'Young Gun' will need to find the composure that saw him defeat Terry Jenkins if he is stop Bates' charge in the upcoming sets.

1324: Shepherd may have the hair of someone who was in a '90's boyband such as 911 or Five, however he does play darts with a degree of class.

He has taken the first set 3-0 and appears to be in the mood to make the quarter-finals and continue his 'Ally Pally' adventure.

1322: No one seems to throw their arrows at the board harder than Barrie 'champagne' Bates.

He launches them with the velocity of a man who is pretending the board is a football referee who has wronged him in the past.

1315: The players have made their way to the oche with Kent's Kirk Shepherd coming into the arena to the Kasabian hit 'shoot the runner', although, thankfully for the crowd, no one ran when he walked down the walkway.

He held hands with one of the walk-on girls, however he had to quickly evade her when his girlfriend beckoned him for a kiss.

Barrie Bates' walk-on was a much less controversial affair as the crowd enjoyed the playing of the Madness song 'House of Fun'. The crowd gave the man from Wales a warm welcome as he looks to put the 'young gun' to the sword.

1305: Welcome to what should be a day of superb darting action in north London.

Raymond van Barneveld is in action this evening but first up it's Barrie Bates against Kirk Shepherd.