Thursday 28 December 2017 06:17, UK
Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld set up a blockbuster World Championship quarter-final with victories on Wednesday night at Alexandra Palace.
The Dutch darting legends, with seven world titles between them, will meet for a third successive year at Alexandra Palace after both came through their last-16 matches.
But there will be no maiden title for Wright who was stunned by 26-year-old world No 46 Lewis, the man who took the 72nd and final place available by winning the third-place play-off at the PDPA qualifier in Milton Keynes.
In a tournament of shocks, Wright's defeat in the final match of the second round accounts for the highest profile name and seed to exit so far, but Van Gerwen and Van Barneveld ensured the biggest of the big guns prevailed - although MVG survived a scare against Gerwyn Price after Barney had beaten Vincent van der Voort.
Van Gerwen's quest to win the title for a third time, and to defend the Sid Waddell Trophy he won last year continues after his closest shave yet.
The world No 1 has won the European Championship, the Grand Slam of Darts and the Players Championship since his last defeat - which came at the hands of John Henderson at the Grand Prix - and did not have everything his own way against Welshman Price.
Despite averaging more than 101 - 10 points more than Price - and taking out a 170 finish, Van Gerwen only managed to edge each of the first two sets by the same 3-2 scoreline before Price came roaring back.
Van Gerwen had dropped just a single set on route to the last 16 but, with a 2-0 advantage, he took the opening leg of the third set before Price reeled off six legs in succession to level the contest.
Six became seven before MVG finally stopped the rot by pinning double 10. A thrilling fifth set went all the way and when Van Gerwen piled in a perfectly timed 180 to pile the pressure on Price, the Iceman melted and missed three darts for the set which were duly punished by Van Gerwen.
Van Gerwen finished the match by winning the sixth set, but even that came with complications as the Dutchman took six attempts to pin a match-winning double seven.
Up next for MVG is a Van Barneveld after the five-time world champion came through another all-Dutch affair with Vincent van der Voort with a routine 4-1 victory to set up another MVG-RVB showdown on the Ally Pally stage.
The pair clashed in a memorable semi-final last year, Barney averaging 109 and losing 6-2 to an inspired Van Gerwen while the elder Dutchman won their thrilling third-round contest the previous year.
Barney, who has reached the last four in each of the last three years and five of the last six years, reeled off nine legs in succession to account for Van der Voort who had not dropped a set coming into their match.
2007 champion Van Barneveld took the opener only to see an inspired Van der Voort level the contest thanks to a clinical 90 finish via the bullseye.
But that was as good as it got as Barney maintained an average in excess of 100 throughout to claim another date with van Gerwen on Friday.
The 2018 World Championship from Alexandra Palace continues with another bumper double session on Thursday, coverage gets underway from 12.30pm and 7pm on Sky Sports Darts
Keep up to date with the news as the PDC celebrates 25 years on Sky Sports, right through to the final on New Year's Day. Get all the latest at www.skysports.com/darts and join in the conversation @SkySportsDarts - don't forget to use #LoveTheDarts
