European Championship - Quarterfinals
Jones Joy as Barney bows out
Wayne Jones took arguably the biggest win of his career with a 10-8 defeat of Raymond van Barneveld as he reached
the semi-finals of the PartyPoker.net European Championship.
The Wolverhampton man will now meet Colin Lloyd in the last four in Dinslaken, having held his nerve to knock out the five-time World Champion and number two seed.
Lloyd had powered past Ronnie Baxter 10-7 to book his place in the last four with a second successive ton-plus average, hitting a 160 finish and ten of 14 darts at a double in an impressive display.
Reigning champion Phil Taylor and Terry Jenkins will meet in the other semi-final, having overcome Mark Walsh and Jamie Caven respectively in the last eight. Taylor was a 10-4 winner against Walsh, who led 2-0 but paid for missed doubles as the world number one put together two five-leg bursts. Jenkins, meanwhile, continued his return to form with a 10-6 win over Caven, breaking the deadlock at six-all with a 161 finish before pulling away for the win.
Terry Jenkins 10-6 Jamie Caven
Terry Jenkins won through to the semi-finals of the PartyPoker.net European Championship with a polished performance to see off Jamie Caven 10-6 at the Stadthalle in Dinslaken. Jenkins' return to form continued in Germany as he followed up victories over Andree Welge and Simon Whitlock to defeat Caven, who was appearing in only his second major quarter-final.Caven battled back well after Jenkins took the opening three legs, but a 161 checkout from the world number five helped break the deadlock at six-all and proved the knockout blow. Jenkins punished missed doubles from Caven in the opening two legs as a brace of double ten finishes edged him ahead, and he then hit back-to-back 180s in moving 3-0 up.
Caven got off the mark with an 11-darter, and finished 61 on double 18 for the fifth leg only to then miss four darts to level as double one edged Jenkins 4-2 up. Caven took out 69 in the seventh, and then capitalised on two misses from Jenkins in the eighth to post double five and level the game.
Jenkins took the next two, hitting double nine and double three, to put himself into a 6-4 lead, only for Caven to again hit back, landing a 13-darter and then a double 16 finish to square the match. Jenkins, though, produced a killer punch in what proved a pivotal 13th leg, checking out 161 superbly before then hitting double six to move 8-6 up.
Caven wired double ten for a 140 finish in the next as Jenkins moved to the brink of victory on double top before hitting the same bed to ensure his semi-final spot.
"I got off to a good start and was pleased with that because the first leg was important," said Jenkins. "The 161 was crucial too and I'm delighted to get through to the semis."
Colin Lloyd 10-7 Ronnie Baxter
Colin Lloyd's impressive run in the PartyPoker.net European Championship continued with a 10-7 win over number six seed
Ronnie Baxter as he powered into the semi-finals.
Lloyd has already dispatched world number three James Wade and Dutch star Michael van Gerwen, and hit an impressive ten from 14 attempts at a double, as well as averaging 102 to see off Baxter.
Lloyd made a superb start to take the opening leg in 13 darts, hitting a 177 score to set up double 12, and he landed a 180 and double 16 to repeat the feat in the third. Baxter had taken the second with a neat 89 finish, and recovered from Lloyd moving 3-1 up to take out 120 to go into the first break a leg behind.
A 92 checkout, despite an earlier maximum from Lloyd, saw him level the match, and after the Essex star hit double ten for the seventh it was Baxter who won the next two to lead for the first time at 5-4. Lloyd responded in style, finishing 160 to level before taking out double five to punish three misses from Baxter in the next and then land a 116 checkout for a 7-5 cushion.
Baxter finished 90 in two darts to win the 13th, but three more misses in the next allowed Lloyd in to take out 70, and he hit a 180 and double 16 in moving a leg away from the win. Baxter produced a fine 146 checkout on double 13 to stay in the game, but double 16 from Lloyd in the next wrapped up the win.
"I'm very happy with that," said Lloyd. "Ronnie's a class act and you have to play well to beat him, and I've done that again. I can relax now and prepare for the semi-finals. I'm playing well and I'll keep doing what I do in the semis."
Phil Taylor 10-4 Mark Walsh
Pjil Taylor swept past Mark Walsh 10-4 to remain on course for a third successive PartyPoker.net European Championship title at the Stadthalle in Dinslaken. The reigning champion failed to hit top gear in seeing off Walsh, but battled from 2-0 down to progress to a semi-final against Terry Jenkins on Sunday evening.Walsh punished a slow start from Taylor to take out 94 for the first leg, after the world number one missed two darts for the lead, before posting double eight for a 2-0 advantage. Taylor got off the mark in 13 darts, and broke Walsh's throw in the fourth on double top - punishing three misses at double 12 from the Hertfordshire man, who had hit a 177 to leave 24.
Taylor hit a 180 for a third successive leg in takine the fifth, and finishes of double four and double 16 moved him into a 5-2 lead. Missed doubles from Taylor in the next allowed Walsh in to cut the gap to one leg, but he saw one dart at double top narrowly miss as he squandered the chance to level - with the Stoke ace hitting a 170 to set up double 16.
A 78 finish put Taylor 7-4 up, and after further misses from Walsh he took out double top for an eighth leg, double 12 to move one away from victory and then sealed the win in style, following up a 174 score with a 128 bullseye finish.
"It was a tougher game than the scoreline suggests," said Taylor. "Mark missed a few doubles and had a couple of bounce-outs, and I was able to step in. But I'm into the semi-finals and I've got to get myself ready for a tough night now if I'm going to keep hold of the title."
Wayne Jones 10-8 Raymond van Barneveld
Wayne Jones took arguably the biggest win of his career with a 10-8 defeat of Raymond van Barneveld as he reached the semi-finals of the PartyPoker.net European Championship.The Wolverhampton man will now meet Colin Lloyd in the last four in Dinslaken, having held his nerve to knock out the five-time World Champion and number two seed.
The duo traded legs throughout a high-quality encounter, but it was Jones who made the crucial breakthough when he moved 8-6 and 9-7 up before sealing a famous win on the bullseye.
"It's the first time I've ever beaten Raymond and it feels great," said Jones. "It was a really good game to be involved in and win or lose I enjoyed it. But to win was very special. I'm really having fun at the moment, it was another good performance from me and I can't wait for the semi-finals now."
Van Barneveld made a stunning start by checking out 164 for the first leg, and the pair missed chances to break throw in the next three before Jones secured the first break in a superb fifth leg.
Both kicked off the leg with 180s before van Barneveld posted a 177 and Jones hit a 140, and after the Dutchman missed the first treble 20 for a 144 finish and another nine-darter Jones swept up the leg in 11 darts for a 3-2 lead.
Van Barneveld broke back immediately and regained the lead on double ten, only to miss two darts for the next leg as Jones posted the same double before checking out 64 for a 5-4 lead. Van Barneveld levelled on double four, before Jones took the 11th, and the pair also traded the next two legs as the Wolverhampton man took out a 12-darter to lead 7-6.
He then finished 94 on the bullseye for a key two-leg lead, although a miss at the centre double in the next allowed van Barneveld in on double four. A brilliant 102 finish of single 20, bullseye and double 16 from Jones put him a leg away from the win.
Double top kept van Barneveld in the game, but Jones secured his first televised semi-final since the 2006 World Championship with a brilliant 81 finish on the bullseye.