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Photos Lustig/PDC

PHIL TAYLOR and Raymond van Barneveld will contest the final of the StanJames.com World Matchplay on Sunday following resounding semi-final defeats of Simon Whitlock and James Wade in Blackpool.

Reigning champion Taylor remains on course for an 11th World Matchplay title following a 17-4 defeat of Whitlock in a repeat of the World Championship final the pair contested in January.

While the Australian had given Taylor a fright in that game, he was unable to match the relentless barrage of scoring and clinical finishing from the world number one on the Blackpool stage.

“Simon didn’t play as well as I expected him to but I could only concentrate on winning and I’ve done that well,” said Taylor.

“Winning this is everything for me and I think it’s the final people wanted, especially after Raymond hit that nine-darter last week. He’s played superbly to reach the final and it should be a brilliant game – maybe the best final ever in this event.

“I get excited about playing Barney and I love playing him. He could do a couple of nine-darters in the final and so could I, but he’s a different Barney since his break and it’s great to see.”

Van Barneveld cruised into the final at the Winter Gardens for the first time in four attempts with a 16-8 win over 2007 champion James Wade.

Van Barneveld checked out 44 percent of his chances at a double, including three ton-plus scores, and broke Wade’s throw on ten occasions to win through to face Taylor for the £100,000 title.

“I have a target to win every big PDC tournament and I’ve not won this so it would be massive to win the World Matchplay,” said van Barneveld.

“I still feel pressure, especially from being the number one in Holland and being number two to Phil Taylor but it would be amazing to beat him and win this.”

StanJames.com World Matchplay
Semi-Finals
Raymond van Barneveld 17-8 James Wade
Phil Taylor 17-4 Simon Whitlock

Final
7pm Sunday
Raymond van Barneveld v Phil Taylor
Best of 35 legs