Jamie Lewis and Phil Taylor kick off Semi Final Saturday at Alexandra Palace in the PDC World Darts Championship. The game significant to both for dramatically different reasons as a victory for either man sees them within a game of creating one of Darts’ greatest fairytales.
Jamie Lewis, the 25 year-old Welshman wasn’t meant to be at the World Championship, he only made the tournament as an extra spot at the PDPA Qualifier was filled by Dimitri van den Bergh’s World Youth Championship win. And the chance that Lewis got is one that he has taken to some aplong after winning a preliminary match he defeated compatriot Johnny Clayton 3-0 before victories against second seed Peter Wright 4-1 with an 107 average, James Richardson and then Darren Webster in the Quarter Finals to advance to this stage of the competition.
Phil “The Power” Taylor is playing his final tournament as a professional at this years World Darts Championship and has advanced to the semi finals with relative ease. He defeated Chris Dobey 3-0, Justin Pipe 4-0, Keegan Brown 4-0 before a Quarter Final win over 2 times World Champion Gary Anderson by 5 sets to 3.
Looking at the match itself the stats say Phil Taylor is favourite but will be pushed by “The Fireball”. Taylor has a tournament average of 100.08 in comparison to Lewis’ 99.88 so in that respect no difference what so ever. But what Lewis has in his favour is the power scoring and leads The Power on the 180’s hit in the tournament 39-21. The key to this is the way that the two darts stand up to attention and group together which make the bed that bit bigger and with the Darts standing up makes the 20 bed look smaller to that of the treble.
However Taylor leads the doubling percentages 51.9% in comparison to Lewis’ 46.51%. But Lewis has hit more doubles in this tournament under pressure most notably in the rout of Peter “Snakebite” Wright in comparison to Taylor who has had the more luxurious route to the semi finals. But, one thing Taylor has which Lewis can’t buy is that big stage experience. Tonight will be his 20th World Championship semi-final, winning each of the last 19 a stat which will make Lewis sick to his teeth.
My Verdict:
I predict a tight and tense opening semi-final with both players missing clutch doubles to win big legs and sets. Lewis has every chance of beating Phil if he keeps playing like he can but the semi-finals of a World Championship is a different animal to what he has faced before. I think he puts up a good account however I think Phil’s big game experience will see him through in the final set of the match.
Jamie Lewis 5-6 Phil Taylor
Henry Deacon Media 