It was another amazing Ally Pally showing as the PDC World Darts Championship semi-finals saw ‘Bully Boy’ Michael Smith continue his run by brushing by James Wade, while Peter Wright survived a dog fight with fellow Scot Gary Anderson.
Michael Smith 6-3 James Wade
In the first game of the night, Smith showed why he became tournament favourite by beating Wade 6-3.
Smith’s early nerves settled the quickest as he won the opening set 3-2 before charging through the second 3-1 with an average of almost 120 thanks to three maximums and a 114-checkout.
‘Bully Boy’ maintained his scoring power in the third but he missed a dart at tops to take it 3-1. He then missed another on bullseye in the decider for what would have been a finish from 81, as Wade made him pay with a 121-checkout to get his first set on the board.
Wade continued to turn it on in the fourth set, with the fourth seed moving 2-0 up after punishing Smith for spurning four clear darts at a double on his own throw. However, he ended up losing it 3-2 after missing the bull for a 170 in leg three and tops for a 120 in leg five.
An 11th maximum followed by a sublime 130-checkout on the bullseye gave Smith an early break in the sixth set, which propelled him to a whitewash set and a comfortable 5-1 advantage.
In spite of Smith’s opening 112 to begin the seventh set, it was Wade who buried a brilliant 160 to make it 5-2.
Smith finally took it in the fourth leg of the ninth set after a stunning 150 set-up shot followed by double 10 with his second match dart.
Peter Wright 6-4 Gary Anderson
In the second semi-final, it was the battle of Scottish world champions, with ‘Snakebite’ Wright winning 6-4.
A 13-dart break of throw and a 62-finish gave Wright the opening set against the throw. He then extended his lead in a deciding leg with a 106.09 average before winning a third-consecutive set with a clinical 76-break before nailing double 18.
Despite Wright’s 138-checkout in the third leg of the fourth set, Anderson got on the board with a massive 92-checkout on two double 18s. Anderson then sealed the next set 3-1 with a maximum followed by a 105-checkout.
Wright came close to the fourth nine-darter of the tournament in the second leg of the sixth set. After landing eight perfect darts, the Scot went below double 12. He still managed 10, 12 and 15-dart legs on his way to a 4-2 lead.
Thanks to a 116.80 average in the seventh Anderson was offered a glimmer of hope by clinching the set, but Wright instantly replied by winning the eighth set and keeping the two-time champion at arm’s length.
Sixth-seed Anderson clawed it back to 5-4 against his Scottish compatriot before landing a marvellous 104 in the third leg of the 10th set, but it was Wright who fought back before completing a phenomenal victory with a quality 116-checkout.
By Charlie Parker
