Taylor 2-5 to regain his Premier League crown

JAMES WADE and Andy Hamilton made it by the skin of their teeth, Simon Whitlock had a little more room to spare, but Phil Taylor was in complete cruise control making the Premier League play-offs and he’s 2-5 to finish the job off at London’s O2 Arena on Thursdaynight.

Taylor, desperate to regain his crown from Gary Anderson, has been odds-on for weeks now having lost just one of his 14 league games – and seen Adrian Lewis, the only man to beat him, go out.

Now, after Whitlock and Hamilton have crossed tungsten in the first semi-final, Taylor takes on Wade and the left-hander sounds like he fears the worst.

Wade, 15-2 third favourite, said: “I've got to win two games now but it’s not as simple as that because I'm playing Phil. I think it’s quite clear that Phil does something special against me and prepares perhaps even a little bit differently. I take that as a sign that he wants to kick my backside every time.”

And the odds suggest that kick it he will – The Power is 2-9 to beat Wade.

The semis are best-of-15 legs and the final which follows is best-of-19.

Read Thursday's Racing Post for Master of Arrers Steve Davies's Premier League finals night preview -including the World Youth Championship - and full betting package