Melbourne Darts Masters: Phil Taylor sinks Corey Cadby to reach semi-finals

By Chris Hammer

'The Power' edged out Cadby in the deciding game to book his place in the semi-finals against Simon Whitlock, who saw off James Wade 10-9 at the Hisense Arena.

The 57-year-old, who was beaten 11-8 in Auckland by the player many expect to challenge the likes of Michael van Gerwen at the top of game, began by taking a 3-1 lead over his Australian opponent.

An incredible sequence of seven breaks in the next eight legs followed to take the score to 6-5 in Cadby’s favour, with the 22-year-old taking out 121 on the bull in the eleventh leg.

Taylor followed that with a big checkout of his own, finishing 117 on tops to hold his throw and make the score 7-6. Three holds of throw followed to take Auckland runner-up Cadby to within a leg of the match, which seemed to ignite the Taylor fightback.

The 16-time world champion hit maximums in each of the next three legs.

Taylor, who was recently crowned World Matchplay champion for a 16th and final time, said: "He’s a cracking little player, and after last week I needed to get my own back. I think this boy could be the next Michael van Gerwen, he’s the future!

"I’m relaxed and enjoying myself so there’s no reason why I can’t win here. We’ll just take it one game at a time and see what happens."

Sunday's semi-finals & Sky Bet odds

Daryl Gurney (11/8) v Peter Wright (8/15)
Phil Taylor (1/4) v Simon Whitlock (11/4)

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Whitlock had to survive two match darts as he defeated Wade to move in to the last four.

It was Wade who started the brighter of the pair, breaking in the first leg of the match. The Australian then took out 130 on the bullseye to get his name on the board, with Wade sat on 32, waiting to go 3-0 up.

Another ton-plus finish followed for Whitlock as he took out 108 on double 16, before ‘The Wizard’ took the lead for the first time in the match in the ninth leg with a 128 checkout.

The pair traded breaks until, with the score at 9-8, Wade missed two darts at tops to book his place in the semi-finals before Whitlock found double four to level.

Whitlock then began the deciding leg with six perfect darts, before taking out 33 on double 16 to seal the win.

Peter Wright is also into the semis after another nail-biter, edging out Michael Smith 10-9.

Smith took the initiative in the early stages, breaking in the first leg. That advantage remained until eight leg of the match, where Wright took out 60 on tops to level the score.

Wright then strung a further four consecutive legs together to take an 8-4 lead, including a 121 finish on the bullseye.

The Englishman produced an impressive sequence of his own to win five of the next six legs and take the match in to a decider.

Wright, started the 19th leg with a maximum and remained in control, before finding tops to secure his spot in the last four.

There he will meet the in-form Daryl Gurney, who defeated Gary Anderson for the third successive time.

Number one seed Anderson started poorly missing seven darts in the opening leg to hold throw before Gurney punished the world number two on double 16.

A second break followed in the fifth leg as the Northern Irishman took a commanding 4-1 lead.

Gurney missed three chances to take 5-2 lead in the seventh leg allowing Anderson to close the gap to one.

The match then went with throw until the 12th leg where a 12-darter helped Anderson recover the break of throw and level the match at 6-6.

The Scot then took the lead for the first time in the match as he found tops to steal the initiative.

World number twelve Gurney then hit seven perfect darts in the 14th leg before going out in 11 to once again level the match.

The decisive moment of the encounter came in the 17th leg as with Anderson missing a dart to hold, Gurney punished him by taking out 68 on double 16 to break and move within a leg of the match.

The drama continued in the final leg of the match with Anderson once again missing darts, this time a total of five as he squandered his chance to take the match to a decider.

Melbourne Darts Masters results

Quarter-Finals (Saturday August 19)

Gary Anderson 8-10 Daryl Gurney
Peter Wright 10-9 Michael Smith
Corey Cadby 9-10 Phil Taylor
James Wade 9-10 Simon Whitlock

Sunday August 20 (7pm local time, 1000 BST)
Semi-Finals (Best of 21 legs)
Peter Wright v Daryl Gurney
Phil Taylor v Simon Whitlock

Final (Best of 21 legs)
Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2

Click here for daily schedule and results