Taylor to take on van Barneveld in world championships

Sixteen-time world champion Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor has set up a mouth-watering quarterfinal showdown with five-time champion Raymond van Barneveld at the world darts championship in London.

Taylor was quick out of the blocks before surviving a late comeback to defeat Belgian Kim Huybrechts 4-2, the Englishman averaging a whopping 107 after he went 3-0 up before eventually seeing off Huybrechts.

Taylor’s third-round victory sets up a last eight clash with van Barneveld, who upset two-time world champion Adrian Lewis 4-3 in what Taylor described as the match of the tournament so far.

The last of van Barneveld’s five

world titles came back in 2007, when he beat Taylor 7-6 in what many believe to be the greatest ever final, but the Dutchman’s belief has returned and he has

been in superb form throughout the tournament, suggesting another epic clash between the two is possible.

Also through to the quarterfinals is world No 1 and the bookies’ favourite, Michael van Gerwen, who beat Darren Webster 4-1 in the final quarterfinal.

Van Gerwen, looking to add to his only world title triumph, in 2014, averaged an impressive 104 and will face Daryl Gurney, who continued his best world championship showing with a 4-3 victory over Mark Webster.

Peter Wright, the 2014 runnerup, continued his easy progress by beating Ian White 4-1, averaging 103 for the match and setting up a cracking quarterfinal against James Wade, who fought back to beat Michael Smith 4-3.

Dave Chisnall beat Jelle Klaasen 4-2 and will face back-toback reigning world champion Gary Anderson, who qualified for the last eight with an ominous win against Benito van der Pas.