Darts: Adams ambles through

Martin Adams strode confidently into the last four of the Embassy World Championship with a 5-1 win over Wayne Jones in Frimley Green last night.

The England captain was never in trouble against an unseeded opponent who had produced a stunning fightback to oust Ted Hankey, the 2000 winner and last year's runner-up, in the previous round.

He moved 2-0 ahead before Jones took his only set of the match, helped by a 121 checkout as the Wolverhampton professional showed some of the finishing power which had helped him turn the tables on Hankey. But Adams restored his two-set cushion before the interval and when the match resumed, it quickly became apparent that there was no way back for the 36-year-old Midlander, who reached the second round on his debut last year.

Jones had four darts at a double to keep the contest alive at 2-1 down in the sixth set but could not go out, and Adams stepped in to hit a double top which secured his first Embassy semi-final since 1995.

"To be honest, I don't think the scoreline reflected the game," said the 45-year-old Adams, from Peterborough. "Wayne played well and put me under a lot of pressure at times. But when you get an opportunity you have to take it.

"I performed better than in the second round and much better than in the first round. There are still a few parts of my game that aren't 100 per cent but hopefully I can put them right for the semi-final tomorrow."