World Darts Championship: James Wade, Michael Smith and Jelle Klaasen record wins
Tuesday 29 December 2015 18:51, UK
James Wade kept his World Darts Championship challenge alive with a 4-1 victory over Jamie Caven on Tuesday afternoon.
The eight-time major winner has never reached an Alexandra Palace final but has made short work of every opponent so far this year including cruising past the out-matched Caven in the third round.
Wade ripped through his first set, sealing it with an emphatic shot at double tops, but his scoring noticeably slipped in a below-par second set that allowed Caven to draw level at 1-1.
Wade appeared briefly troubled as Caven found his footing but the Aldershot thrower responded with a classy 141 finish and held his throw to take the third set before releasing emotion with a fist pump.
Upping the ante, Wade tore through the fourth set and could afford a missed 102 checkout at the crucial time before sealing a 3-1 lead at his next visit. He was never at his best but finalised a quarter-final spot opposite Gary Anderson or Vincent van der Voort.
Earlier, Michael 'Bully Boy' Smith hammered Benito van de Pas 4-0 in an impressive display of his ability.
It was a one-sided contest for the eighth seed who booked a last-16 contest against either Michael van Gerwen or Raymond van Barneveld.
Jelle Klaasen outlasted Mervyn King 4-2 in Tuesday's first encounter which was the final tie of the second round.
King had gone a set ahead and took the next two legs as well but Klaasen raced back into the match and made it 1-1 before a classy readjustment between throws brought up the third set too.
A bullseye 122 checkout from King levelled the score at 2-2 and, after Klaasen won the fifth set, he stumbled over the line on his sixth throw to confirm the result.
Watch Michael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld in the evening session of Tuesday's World Darts Championship from 7pm live on Sky Sports 2 HD.
