James Wade and Kyle Anderson will battle it out for a place in the final of the Auckland Darts Masters.
The Team Unicorn pair were impressive winners on Saturday night in New Zealand, but it ended in disappointment for Michael Smith.
Wade produced one of his best performances for some time as he ran out a 10-7 winner over Daryl Gurney, while Anderson won the all Aussie battle with Simon Whitlock in a thrilling last leg decider.
Wade averaged 101 and looked something like again. "There was a bit of the old James in there," he said. "It's been an awful six months or more on the dart board, so this means a heck of a lot to me. I am certainly feeling better about things."
A second session when he averaged 112 turned the match Wade's way. He started the game with a 13 darter and looked in the zone. Then after wiring the bull for a 170 finish, a run of three 180s in as many legs helped the Unicorn star to seize control.
He won five straight legs to open up an 8-4 lead and although Gurney came back with three legs of his own, Wade stamped his authority on proceedings and a fourth maximum took him over the finishing line.
Kyle Anderson held his nerve to edge that thriller with Whitlock.
He found himself 1-4 down but rallied superbly. The seventh leg was crucial because Whitlock missed two darts at 'tops' for a 5-2 lead and Kyle nailed 84 on the bull. It changed the game.
It was nervy and edgy. Some good finishing saw Whitlock go ahead 7-5 but Anderson hit back with three straight legs to lead for the very first time!
He managed to force the decider and although Whitlock had the throw, the Unicorn man played it superbly and hit 'tops' to set up the semi-final showdown with Wade.
"I always felt that I could do it," he said. "Confidence is a great thing and I really believe at the moment. It should be a great game with James."
Michael Smith fell to emerging Aussie star Corey Cadby.
He struggled to find any sort of rhythm as Cadby raced into a 5-1 lead. Smith won back-to-back legs to reduce the deficit to 7-5 but Cadby reeled off three legs on the spin. He faces Phil Taylor in the semi-finals who survived four match darts to beat Raymond van Barneveld in a last leg decider.
Auckland Q/Final results:
James Wade 10-7 Daryl Gurney
Kyle Anderson 10-9 Simon Whitlock
Raymond van Barneveld 9-10 Phil Taylor
Corey Cadby 10-5 Michael Smith
S/Finals:
James Wade v Kyle Anderson
Corey Cadby v Phil Taylor
By STUART PYKE in New Zealand
Photo courtesy Photosport / PDC
