Grand Slam of Darts - First Day, afternoon, Report and Statistics

Motivated Taylor hits back
PHIL TAYLOR hit back at his critics after beginning his SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts title defence with a whitewash of Martin Phillips on Saturday afternoon, as Gary Anderson and Raymond van Barneveld also enjoyed superb starts in Wolverhampton.

Taylor stormed past former World Masters winner Phillips in under 11 minutes, restricting the Welshman to just three darts at a double in the contest. Taylor finished five doubles from seven attempts and hit three 14-dart finishes to begin his bid to win a seventh Wolverhampton title in style - despite the distraction of pre-event media comments from BDO rival Andy Fordham.

"All these comments have motivated me," said Taylor. "Good on them, keep running me down - it's given me the fuel back that I needed to be honest. Andy Fordham has done brilliantly to qualify and fair play to him. He's had pressures and his health problems but he's come back and qualified, which is brilliant. But don't come in here trying to be the big "I am" because it ain't going to work with this lot. He's got to beat Adrian Lewis, he's got a tough group so let's see how he gets on. "
Taylor - who averaged almost 103 - now plays Robbie Green, who was a 5-3 winner against Austrian youngster Rowby-John Rodriguez, as the pair bid to remain unbeaten in Sunday's second group matches. Taylor added: "Robbie's a good player and you've got to play well against him, but so am I and I don't care who I play now because I've got the bit between my teeth again and you're in for a battle."

Green, a former Lakeside Championship semi-finalist, had won through the PDC Qualifier a fortnight ago and led 3-0 before Rodriguez cut the gap to 4-3, but a superb 133 finish sealed the two points for the Wallasey ace.

"I'm really happy with that," said Green. "Rowby-John's a cracking little player and he's a player to respect, and he kept fighting back at me so I had to step it up another gear to stop him getting level. I've been finishing really well recently, and that's not really my strong point and it's something I've had to work on to improve."

PDC World Champion Gary Anderson and 2012 Grand Slam of Darts champion Raymond van Barneveld both made flawless starts to their challenges with 5-0 opening victories. Anderson needed less than ten minutes to sweep aside American ace Larry Butler, the 1994 World Matchplay winner who won through the BDO Qualifier in Hull last month.
Anderson - last week's European Championship runner-up as he allowed a 10-7 lead to slip against Michael van Gerwen - took out 100 for a 12-darter to open the contest in style, hitting four 180s and allowing Butler only one dart at a double in the five legs.

"It went alright and it was a good start for me," said Anderson. "It's my favourite tournament but I usually start a bit slowly so that was on my mind, and I've never played Larry before so I was nervous. I'm still sick as a pig about losing to Michael but it's probably done me the world of good. It's got the fire back in my belly."

Van Barneveld, meanwhile, denied PDC Qualifier Andy Boulton a dart at a double in his 11-minute whitewash, which was sealed by back-to-back 13-darters as the five-time World Champion made a confident start.

"It's not an easy group so I'm very happy with this win and I feel confident and focused," said van Barneveld. "I've been playing some fantastic darts but other players have had great matches against me, but today I got the result. Andy didn't play his A-game, but my game was really good. If the self-belief is there then you see how I can play and I'm looking forward to playing Gary tomorrow because he's playing really well at the moment. He reached the final of the European Championship last week and he's the Premier League champion and the World Champion, so you know what you have to do. You have to play well and hopefully that's what I'm going to do tomorrow."

Welsh debutant Jonny Clayton, who came through last month's PDC Qualifier in Coventry to secure his first appearance in front of the TV cameras, defeated 2007 Wolverhampton finalist Terry Jenkins as he made a brilliant start. Llanelli's Clayton took a 4-1 lead against the world number ten, and though Jenkins finished 110 and 80 to respond, a 180 helped the newcomer set up tops for victory in leg eight.

"To play one of the best players on the PDC circuit and come out with the win is a dream," said Clayton, who still works full-time as a plasterer. "The nerves started to come through a bit at the end but I got there. It's my first year on the PDC circuit and I never thought I'd get as far as a TV major in my first year, so I'm chuffed to bits. It's a dream to be honest. I've played in three European Tour events for me but this was a new experience, and it's so far, so good."

Clayton will now take on another former Grand Slam finalist, Robert Thornton, in Sunday's second Group G game, after the Scottish ace edged out Belgian debutant Geert De Vos 5-4. The BDO World Trophy champion stunned Thornton with early finishes of 95 and 118 to lead 2-0, only for Thornton to take the next four and move ahead. De Vos then finished 102 and double six to force a decider, but Thornton showed his class with a timely 180 and a 76 checkout.

"His finishing was brilliant in the early legs and he made me work for that," said Thornton. "I didn't realise who he was when I saw his name in the draw but when I saw him at the venue I recognised him, I've seen him play and he's going to cause a few problems so it was a banana skin. I didn't play really well but I got away with the win, which was important. I'd like to finish top of my group, but as long as I finish in the top two I'll be very happy."
Thornton added: "I've played Jonny a few times and I know how he can play. We've both beaten each other this year and I've been on the end of what he did to Terry today. I know exactly what he can do."

2010 runner-up James Wade made a confident start to his challenge with a 5-2 defeat of Dutch debutant Michel van der Horst, one of the NDB Qualifiers. Although the debutant took out 64 for the opening leg, Wade finished 88 on the bull to level and then took out 76, 96 and double ten for a 4-1 lead, before sealing his win with a 14-darter.

"My peformance probably didn't reflect how I felt I was going to play because I was really excited about playing that match and I felt really good, so I'm happy that I won," said Wade. "It was a funny win because he probably should have won a couple more legs. It's a solid start but my standard has to improve - the games are as tough as you make them and if I turn up and play my very best darts I'll be fine."

Wade now faces resurgent Mark Webster, who was a 5-3 winner against World Youth Champion Keegan Brown in their Group F opener. Webster hit two 180s and a 112 checkout as he moved three legs up, with Brown cutting the gap to 4-3 with the aid of an 11-darter only to see the Welsh left-hander finish 130 for the win.

"I was nervy and winning your first game in the group is paramount, and I'm glad I've done that," said Webster. "When he got back to 4-3 he had a bit of momentum, and for the first time in the match he was in the game but I just wanted to play a solid leg and get it won, and I did that. Two weeks ago I wasn't even in the Grand Slam but I don't want to come here and finish bottom; I want to progress, and what better way to test what I'm about at the minute than playing James Wade. I want to be playing against players like James. For the last 18 months I wasn't competing, but I am now and he'll know he's got to perform."


Statistics
Ave180sDoublesPlayervPlayer Ave180sDoubles
94.6033/12Rodriguez 3:5Green95.0035/16
89.6633/4Jenkins 3:5Clayton 93.1815/13
93.7545/11Thornton 5:2 de Vos91.8514/13
94.7205/12Wade 5:2 van der Horst87.7312/9
81.6823/4Brown 2:5Webster 93.9025/13
101.5545/11Andersen 5:0Butler 83.0000/1
102.9515/7Taylor 5:0Phillips97.0410/3
98.8825/12v.Barneveld 5:0Boulton87.4200/0








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