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JAMES WADE 4 -2 Steve Beaton
James Wade won through to the last 16 of the Ladbrokes World Championship with a hard fought victory over Steve Beaton at London’s Alexandra Palace on Sunday afternoon.
Wade, who reached the semi-finals last year, kept his 2013 campaign on course thanks to some prolific finishing, as he produced checkouts of 100, 120 and 130 in his second round match against the former Lakeside winner.
“I’m over the moon to win,” said Wade, the seven-time major winner.
“I didn’t play my best but I’ve been working so hard for this.
“I’ve not been mentioned as one of the favourites for this tournament but I think that does me good.
“I’ve got much better performances to come and I’m still in the tournament, so I’m happy.”
Wade started well, winning the first three legs to take the first set with clinical finishes of 121, 78 and 72.
Beaton took the next set 3-1 to level up, before Wade edged back ahead, kicking off set three with a tidy 80 checkout.
His second and third 180s helped ‘The Machine’ win the next two legs to move into a 2-1 lead on sets.
But Beaton hit back by winning three legs in a row to level the match once again.
Wade pinned double top to move ahead in the fifth set and followed it up with his fourth maximum. But that didn’t stop Beaton holding with a 73 checkout.
‘The Machine’ took out 43 to hold and again hit a 180 against the throw, but his opponent squared up once more.
Wade then produced a stunning 130 checkout to take the set, moving into a 3-2 lead and a set away from victory.
Beaton took the first leg of the sixth set before the world number three levelled on double top.
‘The Machine’ then grabbed a brilliant break of throw by cleaning up 100, finishing on two double tops, but Beaton kept the match alive by throwing a twelve darter against the throw.
Wade then punished his opponent for a untimely slip, when he bust his score on 122, as ‘The Machine’ stepped in to win the match with a fabulous 120 checkout.
Wade will take on Vincent van der Voort on Thursday 27 December for a place in the quarter-finals.
By Chris Murphy
Images courtesy of Lawrence Lustig/PDC
See James Wade at the Isle of Wight Pro Darts Masters in March 2013
