Van Gerwen awaits victorious Barney in semi-finals
Saturday 31 December 2016 12:26, UK
Raymond van Barneveld ended his old rival Phil Taylor’s hopes of furthering his legacy at the World Darts Championship on Friday.
Van Barneveld, a decade after beating Taylor in a last leg shoot-out in the 2007 final, dished out a 5-3 win in the quarter-finals to set up a tie against Michael van Gerwen, who earlier beat Daryl Gurney 5-1.
Taylor, the 16-time world champion and third seed, has now gone four years without adding to his unrivalled trophy haul after falling short against an opponent he has beaten 56 times since first playing him in 1990.
Taylor's illustrious history at the World Championship includes a 2009 win in the final against Van Barneveld, plus two semi-final victories since, but their latest meeting occasionally resembled a pair of battle-worn heavyweights trying to recapture past glories.
A nervy opener went Van Barneveld's way on a knife edge, before the Dutchman found some rhythm with a stylish 152 checkout. That, however, wasn't enough to prevent Taylor completing the match's first break of throw to take the second set.
Taylor's chest was puffed out throughout the third and Van Barneveld appeared hesitant, missing three doubles and going bust inside the same leg. Nobody looked more dumbfounded than Taylor when, having missed twice at double 20 for the set, Van Barneveld stumbled over the line to go 2-1 up.
Taylor's mood worsened and he was reduced to stomping angrily off stage when Van Barneveld, after an outstanding 167 finish on the bullseye, added a 120 checkout for a 3-1 lead.
Three straight legs reduced the deficit for Taylor, who then hit a 12-darter and survived a wobble to put back-to-back sets together, and draw level at 3-3.
Taylor's worries were epitomised in the next set where he required a 121 finish to prevent Van Barneveld claiming a 4-3 lead. With his progression largely dependent on one shot at double 14, he missed.
A stunning bullseye finish gave five-time champion Van Barneveld his first win over Taylor since the 2007 final.
Earlier, Van Gerwen was scarcely troubled by 24th seed Daryl Gurney in a straightforward 5-1 win.
The world No 1 started with aggressive intent, plundering two 12-dart legs including checkouts from 101 and 170 inside the first set.
Gurney, whose run-ins with the Ally Pally crowd were consigned to the past, replied with a 142 finish then took the second set after both players missed a winning dart.
Van Gerwen's stunning 170 finish on the bullseye, his second of the match and his fourth of the tournament, put him 2-1 ahead before Gurney's sprightly resistance began to fade.
Gurney missed nine doubles to break Van Gerwen in the next set and duly found himself 3-1 down, before the Dutchman sneaked a closer set to extend his lead. The Dutchman routinely manoeuvred through his fifth set to stay in the hunt for a second world title.
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