PHIL TAYLOR 5-2 RICHIE BURNETT

(3-0, 0-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-1, 0-3, 3-0)PHIL TAYLOR ended Richie Burnett's amazing week at the PartyPoker.com World Grand Prix with a 5-2 semi-final victory which keeps him on course for a tenth title in the double-start format.

Taylor hit four ton-plus finishes in a superb performance as he recorded his highest-ever average in the tournament, which finished at an impressive 103.02.

Burnett held his own early on, but was unable to match Taylor's power scoring as the world number one took three successive sets in mid-game to pull clear and set up a final against Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan on Sunday.

Taylor made an electric start to the match, pinning a brilliant 152 checkout in the opening leg before hitting successive 13-dart finishes to win the set without reply.

Burnett hit back to take the second in the same manner, finishing double top and double 16 before taking out 136 to level the game.

Legs of 13 and 12 darts from Taylor, which included his first 180 of the game and a 104 finish, put him 2-1 up in the third set, and he landed another maximum in the fourth leg as he edged into the lead.

Burnett led in the fourth, but Taylor hit three successive 14-dart finishes to win his third set of the game, despite Burnett hitting two 180s in reply.

Burnett won the opener to set five in 14 darts, but Taylor's response was clinical as he took out 107 for a 12-darter, double top for a 13-dart finish and then won the set with a sensational 164 checkout.

The resurgent Welshman, appearing in his first major semi-final for a decade, won the sixth set without reply to keep the game alive, landing a 180 in a 14-darter to break as well as finishes of double eight and double six.

Taylor, though, was in no mood to allow the comeback to continue, with a 70 finish followed by another 13-darter as he led 2-0 in set seven before hitting a fourth 180 of the game and double eight to wrap up the win.

"I'm delighted to have won through because Richie's had a fantastic week and he played really well there," said Taylor. "A couple of my big finishes were crucial and they had to be to keep Richie away.

"It will be a great atmosphere on Sunday and I'll play well against Brendan. It's going to be a cracking final because he'll go up there relaxed and enjoy it.

"Brendan getting to the final is fantastic and to do it with a nine-darter as well will go down in history. It's the best darts I've ever seen from Brendan and I'm pleased for him."

Match Stats

Phil Taylor	5-2	Richie Burnett
42	100+	32
15	140+	14
4	180	3
34.34	Ave1	29.38
103.02	Ave3	88.15
164,152,107,104	High Finish	136
6	Breaks of Throw	2
24/37 - 65%	Starting Doubles	24/51 - 47%
15/30 - 50%	Finishing Doubles	9/15 - 60%