Championship League Darts - Group 4

WADE SNEAKS PAST BATTLING PRIESTLEY FOR GROUP FOUR WIN
James Wade won Group Four of the 2010 Championship League Darts, dramatically edging out Dennis Priestley 6-5 in the final, as reigning champion Colin Osborne crashed out of the event.

The world number three, who had suffered disappointment in the previous three groups of this year's internet-streamed event, finished fourth in the league table following the eight player round-robin phase. He then overcame Adrian Lewis 6-4 in the semis, capitalising on a slow start from the Stoke ace to lead 4-3 before holding on for victory, and battled from behind to win the decider and book a place in October's big-money Winners Group.

Veteran star Priestley showed the quality of a two-time World Champion by battling into the final, and levelled at two-all with a 100 finish before taking three of the next four to lead 5-3. However, he would never get a dart for the match as Wade fired in an 11-darter in the ninth leg - his second of the game - and took out 93 to force a decider.
The left-hander opened the 11th with scores of 174 and 140 to pull away, before taking out double ten for victory, as Priestley waited on 109.

"I'm delighted to win through," said Wade. "It was a really tough day but I was determined to win this group and I've managed to do that. Dennis pushed me all the way and that shows how well he is still playing, but I was very pleased with how I finished in the final three legs."

Priestley won five of his seven league matches during the day, and sealed a place in the final by taking out 155 to win his semi-final against Holland's Co Stompe, who had left 16 but could only watch as the 60-year-old powered home a brilliant finish.

Both Priestley and Stompe, along with Lewis, Gary Anderson and Kevin Painter, will all return to Crondon Park GC in Essex on Wednesday for Group Five. Lewis' semi-final defeat to Wade means that he will play in a fifth successive day of this year's event on Wednesday, and a 20th of a possible 23 since the event began in 2008

Reigning champion Osborne, who defeated Taylor in last year's final, won only two of his seven league games to suffer elimination, although he did suffer three 6-5 defeats. World number five Terry Jenkins, who failed to win any of his games, was also knocked out, with Vincent van der Voort, Wayne Jones and Wes Newton entering the event for Wednesday's Group Five.






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