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The draw for the first two rounds of the Speedy Services UK Open on was made on Thursday, with reigning champion James Wade facing one of four qualifiers as he begins the defence of his title on the evening of Thursday 7^th June.

Photo: Lawerence Lustig/PDC

Wade, who won the UK Open for a second time last year, enters in the second round and will play Mark Lawrence, Jamie Robinson, Glen Durrant or the Rileys Bolton Qualifier.

Also entering in round two is last year’s semi-finalist, Mark Webster, he takes on Johnny Haines, while Co Stompe faces Alan Tabern and Antonio Alcinas plays Jim Walker.

Paul Nicholson, who knocked both Phil Taylor and Gary Anderson out of last year’s tournament, will play the Rileys Basildon Qualifier or Andy Melling in round one.

The £250,000 tournament, nicknamed ‘The FA Cup of Darts’ due to the open draw format which can see leading players drawn together at any stage, will feature a mixture of the top professionals alongside 64 amateur qualifiers from June 7-10 in Bolton.

SPEEDY SERVICES UK OPEN DRAW

(Matches involving MODUS players)

Preliminary Round
Arron Monk v Paul Boulton
Adam Smith-Neale v Rob Hawker
Gus Santana v Andy Jenkins
Rileys Taunton Qualifier v John Henderson
First Round
Johnson/Daniels v Smith-Neale/Hawker
Hankey/Dutson v Santana/A Jenkins
Rileys Taunton Qualifier/Henderson v Palfreyman/Gregory
Monk/Boulton v Pallett/Hendriks
Paul Nicholson v Rileys Basildon Qualifier/Melling

Second Round
Rileys Taunton Qualifier/Henderson/Palfreyman/Gregory v Colin Osborne
Parsons/Stewart/Scott/Woods v Johnson/Daniels/Smith-Neale/Hawker
Monk/Boulton/Pallett/Hendriks v Maish/Solly/Hunt
Mark Hylton v Antonio Alcinas
Nicholson/Rileys Basildon Qualifier/Melling v Miller/Frost/Rileys Brighton Qualifier/Cooper
Mark Webster v Johnny Haines
Co Stompe v Alan Tabern
Mervyn King v Hankey/Dutson/Santana/A Jenkins
James Wade v Lawrence/Robinson/Durrant/Rileys Bolton Qualifier

Raymond van Barneveld, Simon Whitlock, Michael van Gerwen, Vincent van der Voort, James Hubbard and Robert Thornton will all enter the tournament in Round Three.

By Chris Murphy

JAMES WADE 7 – 7 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD

James Wade booked his place in the semi-finals of the McCoy’s Premier League, after a dramatic last leg shoot-out with Raymond van Barneveld in Newcastle.

‘Barney’, who needed to win to take the final Play-Off spot, led 7-6 against ‘The Machine’, who was in need of a draw to qualify.

Photo: Lawerence Lustig/PDC

Wade produced a great leg under pressure to ensure it would be him who made it through, hitting 60, 180, 140 and 81, before hitting double top to set up a semi-final clash with Phil Taylor at London’s O2 next Thursday.

“It was such a hard game, with the crowd against me,” said Wade, who won the tournament in 2009.

“The eight players this year have been brilliant. I have been lucky at times over the last 14 weeks, but you have to be. I’m delighted to be in the semi-finals.”

Barney hit his first 180 in the opening leg, which he won on double 16. ‘The Machine’ responded with a clinical 95 checkout, before van Barneveld hit double ten to go back in front.

The Dutchman applied the pressure with his second 180, before grabbing a break of throw in a tense fourth leg, in which both players missed doubles.

Wade broke back immediately to reduce the deficit but van Barneveld did the same, to take a 4-2 lead into the break.

‘The Machine’ grabbed the fourth consecutive leg against the throw, hitting his first maximum in the process.

The world number three then hit double eight to hold his throw and level the match at four legs apiece.

Wade took the lead for the first time, hitting double twelve for another break of throw, before taking out 80 to go 6-4 ahead and in need of one more leg for a Play-Off place.

‘Barney’ produced a sensational 161 checkout to keep the match alive, and he finished on the bull again to restore parity.

Both players missed shots at the bull in the 13^th leg, before van Barneveld hit double sixteen, but Wade held his nerve and his throw in the final leg, to book his place in the semi-finals.

By Chris Murphy

SIMON WHITLOCK 8 – 6 Adrian Lewis

Simon Whitlock clinched second place in the McCoy’s Premier League after a brilliant fight back in Newcastle, which eliminated World Champion Adrian Lewis, ahead of next week’s Play-Offs.

Photo: Lawerence Lustig/PDC

‘The Wizard’, who trailed 5-2 at one point, produced some brilliant darts, including five 180’s and two ton-plus finishes, on his way to an 8-6 triumph at the Metro Radio Arena.

“When I was 5-2 down it took a lot of bottle to come back,” said Whitlock.  “It’s very important to finish second because nobody really wants to play Phil Taylor in the semi-final.

“The McCoy’s Premier League this year has been the hardest ever so I am delighted to be part of, and very proud to be in the semi-finals. The next step is to win it.”

Lewis held his throw in the opening leg and ‘The Wizard’ responded in style, hitting his first 180 before taking out 92.

Whitlock missed double 16 for a 112 checkout in attempt to break the throw, allowing ‘Jackpot’ to regain the lead.

Photo: Lawerence Lustig/PDC

The Australian ace slotted in his second maximum in leg four, but Lewis hit the bullseye to double his advantage.

Lewis held his throw again to go 4-1 up, before ‘The Wizard’ took out a brilliant 130 finish on the bull to pull a leg back before break.

Lewis restored his three leg lead with an 81 checkout in the seventh leg, and looked set to win the eighth before Whitlock rescued it by hitting his third 180, followed by a two dart 77 checkout.

That proved to be a real turning point in the match, as the world number six grabbed a crucial break back to reduce Lewis’ lead to 5-4.

‘The Wizard’ then restored parity, hitting his fourth maximum in the process, before ‘Jackpot’ hit double top to edge back in front.

Whitlock’s fifth maximum helped him on his way to clinching the twelfth leg, before grabbing a break of throw with a magnificent 140 checkout.

That stunning finish meant Whitlock would take at least a point off the World Champion, confirming a second place finish in the league, but ‘The Wizard’ wasn’t finished there and claimed the victory on double 16.

By Chris Murphy