Van Gerwen beats Smith to join Humphries in World Matchplay final
Semi-finals (best of 33 legs)
Luke Humphries 17-10 James Wade
Wade opened the first leg with a 180 but did miss two darts on the double. Humphries grabbed the break as a result, nailing a double six.
In the second leg, Humphries's 97 also went out, cashing in on the break: 2-0. Wade threw 180 again in the third leg and made it 2-1 via a double 13.
Humphries made it 3-1 via a double four and managed to keep his break lead. Humphries threw his second 180 in the fifth leg but failed to win the leg. Wade threw a double 10 to make it 3-2.
Wade evens the score
In the second session, Humphries started with a good leg. He won by throwing out a double 16 to make it 4-2.
Wade threw his third 180 in the seventh leg and reached 4-3 via tops. Wade threw over 105 until then, much higher than the number one's 95.
Wade also grabbed the break in the eighth leg, as a double 10 made it 4-4. He also opened with a 180, but Humphries also threw one.
Wade moved into the lead. He threw out 81 in two darts to make it 5-4. Humphries then made it 5-5 via a double two and so all was equal after two sessions.
Wade also grabbed the lead again in the third session in style. Humphries had 60 left, but Wade threw out 101 to make it 6-5.
Humphries won the 12th leg and had a chance for the break in the 13th as Wade failed to throw out 102. He led 7-6 via tops.
Humphries did not throw a great match but took the lead. In the last leg before the break, Wade again threw 180 and reached 8-7 via tops.
Humphries pulls ahead
The number one started the third session fantastically. He threw a 180 in legs 16 and 17 and threw that 16th leg out in 10 darts via a double eight and the 17th leg in 11 darts via 87.
That made it 10-7 for Humphries. Wade had a chance for the break via 118, but missed tops.
Humphries did throw a double 8 to make it 11-7. Wade also missed a chance at 101 on tops to give Humphries another break. His double 16 made it 12-7 and he opened up a big gap.
Wade did get a break, though, and came back to make it 12-8.
Wade started the fifth session well and was out in 11 darts in the 22nd leg. He threw out 96.
In the next leg, he had a chance to throw out 64 for the break but missed a double 16. Humphries took advantage and threw out a double eight to maintain the lead at 13-9.
Wade missed double 14 from 121 in his leg and it cost him dearly. Humphries threw out 156 and grabbed another break for 14-9.
Humphries then threw three 140s and finished with a double 16. That made it 15-9.
Wade did come back and made it 15-10, but he needed a break to make something of it. But it did not come, as Humphries threw out 76 to make it 16-10.
Humphries had a match dart on 114 but missed. He was allowed to come back for it and then did throw it to win 17-10. And so Humphries qualified for the final of the Matchplay.
Michael van Gerwen 17-13 Michael Smith
Van Gerwen had three chances to break from 12 in the first leg but missed three chances. Smith threw 180 and had a chance to keep the leg after all, but failed to throw out 36.
Van Gerwen still grabbed the break and made it 1-0. Smith grabbed the rebreak very quickly and handsomely.
He hit 131 from triple 17 and two tops. Smith threw 180 in the third leg but Van Gerwen took the break even more crisply than Smith.
He threw out 161 to make it 2-1. Smith did throw 180 in the fourth leg but could not prevent Van Gerwen from taking a 3-1 lead via a double three.
In the fifth leg, Smith also threw 180 but missed two chances on the double. He then missed three more and so Van Gerwen made it 4-1 via a double four.
Smith comes back
Smith started the second session fine and came back to 4-2. He threw a 180 and went out via tops.
Van Gerwen had a chance to break back from 56 but missed two chances. Smith took advantage and came back to 4-3.
Smith threw a 180 in the eighth leg, but Van Gerwen had three chances for the leg. But he missed and Smith did not from a double six, bringing things back to level at 4-4.
Smith then also took the lead for the first time. He threw his seventh 180 and dropped 64.
That made it 5-4. Van Gerwen kept up though, and threw out 44 to end the second session 5-5.
Van Gerwen solid in the third
Van Gerwen got off to a good start in the third session and immediately grabbed the break by throwing a double eight. He cashed in on the break but was lucky Smith did not finish on 80: 7-5.
Van Gerwen pushed on and got another break. He had three chances from 20 and threw out from a double five.
Van Gerwen and Smith both threw 180 in the 14th leg, but Van Gerwen also won the leg by throwing out 105 - a super series from the Dutchman.
Smith did win another leg. He threw 180 and then 47 to make the score 9-6.
After the third break, Smith also grabbed a break back. Via a double four, it became 9-7.
Smith had four chances on the double to cash in on the break but missed everything. Van Gerwen only failed to finish 78 as well and so the break was still sealed by Smith via a double five for 9-8.
Van Gerwen lost it for a while, as he missed three chances on 32 to make it 10-8. Fortunately for him, Smith failed to throw out 110 and still took the leg.
Smith came all the way back by also keeping his leg again. He threw out 90 to make it 10-9.
Van Gerwen retained the lead though, as 18 went out to make it 11-9.
Van Gerwen makes the difference
Smith stayed in the match. He threw out 70 under pressure as Van Gerwen was also on 70, making it 11-10 and keeping it neck-and-neck between the two former world champions.
Van Gerwen made no mistake in the 22nd leg and held the break lead. He threw out a double 18 to make it 12-10.
Smith also made no mistake despite Van Gerwen being on 40. He threw a 65 to make it tight at 12-11.
Smith threw his 12th 180 in the 24th leg and also his 13th. As a result, he grabbed the break by throwing a double 10 for 12-12 and, as a result, everything was even again.
Van Gerwen very cleverly grabbed the rebreak. Smith was sitting on 40, but the Dutchman threw out 136 and took the lead for 13-12.
He cashed in that break via a double 16 to make it 14-12. Van Gerwen dealt a hard blow in the 27th leg.
He threw 180 and via a double one he posted another break: 15-12.
Van Gerwen reached match point by hitting a double 18, but Smith won another leg - his 48 made it 16-13.
Van Gerwen was allowed to start the 30th leg and threw it out from there. He had three match darts from 40 and finished the match with his second chance via a double 10 to end it at 17-13.
