Phil Taylor will meet Raymond van Barneveld in a heavyweight Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship final on Sunday after easing past Mervyn King 6-2.

The pair met in the final two years ago with Van Barneveld triumphing 7-6 in a classic encounter. It was only the third time Taylor had failed to take the crown since the tournament started in 1994.

That continued last year when Taylor failed to reach the final for the first time - John Part beating surprise package Kirk Shepherd - but there was to be no repeat this year.

Taylor was surprisingly sloppy in the opening leg as King drew first blood, but it was not long before the 11-time champion found his range to level. And 'The Power' then checked out for 131 in leg three on his way to the first set.

Taylor had a chance of a nine-dart finish to take a 2-0 lead but had to settle for 11 as he assumed total control early on.

King kept fighting but Taylor's weight of scoring was simply too much for his rival and he breezed through the third set.

The underdog stopped the rot at the start of the fourth, taking the first two legs, and although Taylor reduced the deficit, an impressive checkout from King under pressure earned him the set.

He repeated the trick in the first leg of the fifth set only for Taylor to level. But if the maestro's trebles were up to scratch, his checkouts were less than immaculate and another chance went begging as King edged ahead.

Taylor forced a decider but he could not prevent King closing the gap to 3-2. The sixth set saw Taylor reassert his authority, taking three legs in a row to move to within two sets of victory.

That soon became one set as King again failed to take a leg and Taylor made it 5-2. King kept his hopes alive by taking the opener to set eight but Taylor responded with a 10-dart finish and quickly wrapped up victory.

Taylor said: "I think we're in for a cracker tomorrow. It's a good rivalry, a friendly rivalry. But there won't be any love lost when we get on the stage tomorrow night."