Phil Taylor defeats Andy Hamilton at World Matchplay Darts
Thursday 23 July 2015 01:25, UK
Phil Taylor outlasted Andy Hamilton to keep his hopes of an eighth consecutive World Matchplay Darts title alive on Wednesday.
The 15-time winner of the tournament raced away from his valiant challenger in the second half of the contest to eventually win 13-6, although he will see room for improvement after hitting 39 per cent of his doubles at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.
Taylor took to the oche like he’d never been away, hitting a double 16 to break in the opening leg before the same finish helped him hold throw with minimal fuss.
Hamilton then held before drawing level in one of the tournament’s most exciting legs.
Taylor had an insistent look that he would aim for a nine-darter and expectations were high after eight perfect darts. But the bubble burst as a missed double 12 on the ninth ruined his efforts and, remarkably, Hamilton hit the same double to check out from 81 and make it 2-2.
‘The Power’ seamlessly rolled through the next four legs, winning them all convincingly, but ‘The Hammer’ wasn’t ready to be nailed yet and responded in kind.
He held his throw to stop Taylor’s streak and, although he couldn’t complete a stylish 170 checkout, he earned his first break to narrow the deficit to 6-4.
A third leg in a row, despite fluffing his lines when trying to take out 40, was taken by Hamilton before he broke Taylor in a leg that both players almost gave away. Hamilton failed to take out 60, Taylor couldn’t check out from 20 and Hamilton made it 6-6 at his next visit.
His bid for a fifth leg on the trot was ruined by two missed darts, handing Taylor a chance to break which he lapped up. Sensing the home straight, the 16-time world champion held the next leg before producing an 11-darter to go 9-6 up.
From there he cruised to the finishing line to set up a quarter-final clash against Dave Chisnall, who returned from a three-leg deficit to topple Keegan Brown 13-11.
It means 'Chizzy' has won all seven of their career meetings but he was pushed to the brink by the world youth champion, who ran out of steam after a thrilling start.
Chisnall is yet to win a major but has at least matched his record of reaching the last eight in the previous two instalments of the Matchplay after holding his nerve and completing a comeback against one of the sport’s brightest young prospects.
Chisnall broke in the first leg and then held with a 136 checkout but, for most of the opening half of the match, it wouldn’t be a sign of things to come. Brown headed into the first break in play trailing 3-2 but would reel off five straight legs when they returned to the oche.
His break of Chisnall’s throw put the 22-year-old 6-3 ahead, meaning the more experienced player was forced into a very nervy hold of throw to prevent a four-leg deficit.
Brown ploughed on relentlessly, hitting bullseye for a classy 114 finish then hitting tops to hold his throw after Chisnall also held. As the tension built with Brown winning 8-5, the youngster missed a 36 checkout after Chisnall had missed 32, giving the St Helens thrower a second chance to pull back a leg.
That let-off sparked Chizzy into life and he broke throw with a fantastic checkout from 87 before drawing level and turning his frustration into celebration. Chisnall, full of confidence suddenly, broke Brown’s throw then held his own with the help of six perfect darts to take a fifth consecutive leg and go 10-8 up.
Brown stopped the rot, albeit only after Chisnall slightly erred with an attempted 115 checkout, but he made up for that miss by holding his next throw.
The remainder of the match went with the throw with Brown rarely looking able to achieve the break that he required.
World Matchplay Darts night five results:
Dave Chisnall 13-11 Keegan Brown
James Wade 13-8 Brendan Dolan
Phil Taylor 13-6 Andy Hamilton
Gary Anderson 9-13 Mensur Suljovic
