Machine faces tough opener

James Wade will begin the defence of his Stan James World Matchplay title against Wayne Jones later this month.

The tournament will be staged at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool from Sunday, 20th July, with 32 stars competing for £300,000 prize money.

To progress, Wade must beat Wolverhampton's Jones - one of the 16 qualifiers through the Players Championship Order of Merit.

Phil Taylor, an eight-time World Matchplay champion, will open his title bid against Steve Beaton, while Raymond van Barneveld meets Stoke newcomer Mark Frost, who will be making his Blackpool debut.

Terry Jenkins, the 2007 runner-up, meets Alex Roy, while World Champion John Part faces Chris Mason and Blackpool-based Ronnie Baxter takes on Andy Smith.

Dennis Priestley, the runner-up in the first three World Matchplay championships, will take on youngster Adrian Gray in his opening game.

Kevin McDine will make his World Matchplay debut against Adrian Lewis, while Michael van Gerwen drew Andy Hamilton.

Colin Lloyd, the 2005 champion, will open the tournament on Sunday 20 July against Mark Walsh.

First Round Draw: Ronnie Baxter v Andy Smith; Kevin Painter v Tony Eccles; Colin Lloyd v Mark Walsh; James Wade v Wayne Jones; Terry Jenkins v Alex Roy; Peter Manley v Denis Ovens; Wayne Mardle v Mark Dudbridge; Colin Osborne v Mervyn King; Raymond van Barneveld v Mark Frost; Dennis Priestley v Adrian Gray; Alan Tabern v Vincent van der Voort; Andy Hamilton v Michael van Gerwen; John Part v Chris Mason; Phil Taylor v Steve Beaton; Roland Scholten v Matt Clark; Adrian Lewis v Kevin McDine.

Schedule of Play

First Round - Best of 19 legs: Sunday 20 July, 7pm start - Colin Lloyd v Mark Walsh; Wayne Mardle v Mark Dudbridge; Colin Osborne v Mervyn King. Monday 21 July, 1pm start - Dennis Priestley v Adrian Gray; Kevin Painter v Tony Eccles; Roland Scholten v Matt Clark; Terry Jenkins v Alex Roy. 7pm start - John Part v Chris Mason; Adrian Lewis v Kevin McDine; Phil Taylor v Steve Beaton; Raymond van Barneveld v Mark Frost. Tuesday 22 July, 1pm start - Ronnie Baxter v Andy Smith; Alan Tabern v Vincent van der Voort; Andy Hamilton v Michael van Gerwen; Peter Manley v Denis Ovens. 7pm start - James Wade v Wayne Jones.

Second Round - Best of 25 legs: Tuesday 22 July, 7pm start - Taylor/Beaton v Osborne/King; Lewis/McDine v Lloyd/Walsh. Wednesday 23 July, 1pm start - Jenkins/Roy v Priestley/Gray; Part/Mason v Tabern/van der Voort; Scholten/Clark v Mardle/Dudbridge. 7pm start - Hamilton/van Gerwen v Manley/Ovens; Van Barneveld/Frost v Painter/Eccles; Wade/Jones v Baxter/Smith.

Quarter-Finals - Best of 31 legs: Thursday 24 July, 12.30pm start - Jenkins/Roy/Priestley/Gray v Part/Mason/Tabern/van der Voort; Hamilton/van Gerwen/Manley/Ovens v Wade/Jones/Baxter/Smith; 7pm start - Van Barneveld/Frost/Painter/Eccles v Scholten/Clark/Mardle/Dudbridge; Taylor/Beaton/Osborne/King v Lewis/McDine/Lloyd/Walsh.

Semi-Finals - Best of 33 legs: Friday 25 July, 7pm start.

Final - Best of 35 legs: Saturday 26 July, 7pm start.