Sunday 26 July 2015 15:19, UK
Michael van Gerwen secured a repeat appearance in the World Matchplay final with a 17-12 win over Peter Wright.
The Dutchman endured a painful defeat to Phil Taylor in last year's showpiece, but earned another opportunity to lift the trophy after his dominant victory over Wright at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
He will next face James Wade, who finally ended Taylor's seven-year reign after completing a 17-14 win over the 15-time champion.
Wright’s spiky rivalry with Van Gerwen added more spice to this last four encounter and the early legs lived up to the billing, with both men scoring heavily from the start.
Finishing 86 on the bull, ‘Snakebite’ settled into a rhythm, but the fast-throwing Van Gerwen welcomed the pace and levelled with a 104 checkout.
As he slammed in a succession of doubles, Van Gerwen drifted into a 7-3 lead, and Wright’s attempts at a checkout became increasingly wayward.
The flamboyant Scot briefly dazzled, racing through a 161 finish, and then cut the deficit to 12-8 by cleaning up 81 on the bull.
But these were only brief displays of defiance and Van Gerwen maintained his progress with deadly accuracy at the doubles.
He sealed victory with a 10-dart finish, scoring 140, 174 and 171 before picking out double eight for a place in Sunday's showpiece.
Watch Sunday's World Matchplay final from 7pm on Sky Sports 1.
