Taylor ends Anderson dreams

Taylor: into final four

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Phil Taylor needed to be at his best as he saw off the challenge of Gary Anderson to reach the semi-finals of the Las Vegas Desert Classic.

The 14-time world champion eventually won 10-6 and finished with a three-dart average of 105 as he was pushed all the way by the classy Scot.

In the final four Taylor will meet John Part who saw off Terry Jenkins in another close encounter, while Raymond van Barneveld will take on James Wade as they came through matches against Mervyn King and Adrian Lewis respectively.

Taylor served immediate notice of his intentions against Anderson as he produced a maximum with his first visit to the board on the way to taking the opening leg.

Anderson - who produced seven maximums in total - fought back in fine style to take the next three legs, producing a 106 check-out in leg four.

Taylor responded to claim the next three to move ahead once more and then stepped in when Anderson faltered on a double to edge 6-4 clear.

But when Taylor surprisingly failed to check out 52 in the next, Anderson broke back by landing 56 and the contest was back with throw.

However, Taylor moved up a gear to pull into an 8-5 lead and while his opponent responded to close the gap to 8-6, he produced a 14-darter to move to the brink of victory before closing out the contest by finding double-eight after Anderson had missed two darts at the same double.

Part edges thriller

Part edged a cracking contest with Jenkins to book his semi-final berth, eventually seeing of The Bull 10-8.

Part had looked set for a comfortable victory as he forged into a 7-2 lead, but Jenkins fought back bravely to pull back within one at 8-7.

However, Part remained cool and a superb visit of 168 left him double-eight which he coolly took out to edge to within one of the finishing post.

Jenkins took out 36 to stay alive in the next, but a crucial 180 from Part - his sixth of the match - put the Canadian on course and he ended the contest by checking out 65.

Easy for Barney

Van Barneveld claimed the easiest and most convincing win of the night as he dismantled King 10-1, ending with a 104 average in the process.

The writing was on the wall for King as Barney steamed to the first interval with a 5-0 lead, the Englishman having had darts to win the first two legs.

King did manage to avoid the whitewash as he landed double 16 in leg seven, but it proved his only success as van Barneveld cruised through, closing out victory with double 16.

Clinical Wade

Wade produced a thoroughly professional display to see off Adrian Lewis 10-6, The Machine not dropping his throw during the match.

Lewis showed flashes of his undoubted class, taking out 121 with a bull finish in leg three early on, but could not find the consistency to trouble Wade on his own delivery.

Wade always kept his nose in front and, while Lewis hit double 19 to stay in the match at 9-6, it merely prolonged the inevitable as Wade came back after the interval to complete the job.