Coral Sydney Darts Masters Day TwoⅡ

Phil Taylor's bid to complete a Sydney Darts Masters hat-trick continued in convincing fashion as he progressed to the last four with an 8-2 thumping of Stephen Bunting.

Taylor has taken victory in the past two years since the inception of the PDC's World Series of Darts event, but swept aside Bunting in a repeat of last year's final.

Taylor's 101.67 improved on his first round win over Clinton Bridge, while he finished 47 percent of his chances at a double in a clinical display.

Bunting shared the game's opening four legs, landing a 180 in leg two and finishing 84 to take the fourth.

Taylor, though, won leg five with a 121 checkout before winning what proved to be a key sixth, with the pair trading 180s before Bunting's two missed doubles were punished by double 14 from the 16-time World Champion.

The 55-year-old then pulled clear by winning the next four legs without reply to move through to the semis, where he faces Peter Wright to kick off Saturday's finals night in Sydney.

"I'm pleased to be through and I want to kick on now for the semi-finals and final," said Taylor.

"People have been talking about me being undefeated in Australia for the last couple of years but I don't take any notice of that - I'll turn up tomorrow and try my best but I've got the winning line in sight and I want to claim that trophy again.

"Peter's a good player and he's a loveable character, so I'm looking forward to playing him. We last played in Japan in the final and it went all the way, and he's been finishing well here this week too so I know what I'm up against."

Taylor added: "Stephen's a former World Champion and he's a great player, but he might have been trying too hard there and it didn't go for him.

"He looked brilliant in the practice room but it didn't happen for him on stage, and I don't know if he's feeling a bit of pressure but he's a better player than that."

Wright, meanwhile, booked his place in the last four in typically colorful style with a gritty 8-6 win over James Wade.

Scottish ace Wright, decked out in a psychedelic costume for the contest, had never defeated Wade in a televised game previously, and lost out 8-2 to the left-hander in last week's Perth Darts Masters at the same stage.

But a clinical performance saw him finish eight doubles from 12 attempts, including a 120 checkout and an 11-dart leg, as he continued his bid to win a first PDC World Series of Darts title.

Wade had hit back from 2-0 down to lead, and followed an earlier 141 finish by matching Wright's 120 checkout as he took a 6-5 lead, but he would miss five darts at doubles across the next three legs as the world number four swept to victory.

Wright opened the game by landing double 16 for an immediate break of throw and hit the same bed to claim the second leg with a superb 11-darter, after the pair traded 180s.

Wade then took out a spectacular 141 checkout to get off the mark, and though Wright edged 3-1 up - maintaining a flawless record on double 16 - the Perth Darts Masters runner-up finished double ten and a pair of double fives to suddenly edge ahead at 4-3.

Wright leveled before Wade sneaked back ahead, with the pair then trading 120 checkouts before the Scot took out double 19 to win the 12th, after both had missed the bull for ton-plus finishes.

Wright landed another 180 before punishing three more misses from Wade in the next leg to move back ahead at 7-6, before a miss from the left-hander at double 16 to force a decider allowed his rival to seal the win on tops.

"I didn't turn up against James in Perth - it was like I was throwing someone else's arm - but I've worked hard on the practice board this week to put that right," admitted Wright.

"I still I could have lost this match. James missed a couple of crucial doubles in the final few legs and let me off, and I took advantage.

"I'm feeling good going into the semis. I had a break at the end of July and I was probably a bit rusty in Perth, but it's coming back for me and I think I can go close to the title on Sunday.

"I think I know what it takes to win this and in Japan I learned from the experience of reaching the final against Phil Taylor."

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