Two-time winner Gary Anderson through to World Darts Championship semi-finals

Gary Anderson’s dreams of a third World Darts Championship are still alive after he booked another semi-final spot.

The 2015 and 2016 champion beat Luke Humphries 5-2 to reach the last four for the seventh time at Alexandra Palace.

He averaged 96, hit eight 180s and produced four ton finishes, including a 148 checkout.

Anderson, who has struggled with a back injury for much of the year, will play with Peter Wright or Callan Rydz in the next round.

He said on Sky Sports: “I missed a lot of doubles at the start, but that’s the way it goes.

“I have got no expectations whatsoever. We are here another day now, there will be some good games tonight. We are here.”

James Wade is in the semi-final for the first time since 2013 after a 5-0 whitewash of Mervyn King.

The 38-year-old is an outsider after seeing his ranking plummet in recent weeks, but insists he is enjoying proving people wrong, especially pundit Wayne Mardle.

He said in his post-match press conference: “Wayne Mardle, I love proving him wrong. I don’t mean this in a personal or derogatory way to Wayne Mardle, but he always tips me off, to not do this and not do that.

“I have won more than Wayne did in two weeks than he did in his entire career but he is hell-bent on being a little bit silly.”

Wade will play either defending champion Gerwyn Price or 2019 runner-up Michael Smith in the last four.