Van Barneveld crushes Newton to make last 16

Five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld was at his irrepressible best as he stormed into the last 16 of the World Championship at Alexandra Palace last night with a 4-1 trouncing of Wes Newton.

Van Barneveld (right) had little trouble taking the first set 3-1 as Newton missed two vital doubles and it was more of the same in the second set, with his opponent three times missing double five to slump to 2-0 behind.

The big Dutchman stuttered in the third, with Newton taking advantage calmly to get on the scoreboard at 2-1. But there were no further slip-ups as van Barneveld allowed his rival only one leg in the final two sets.

Fellow Dutchman Jelle Klaasen turned in another fine performance to dispatch countryman Jan van der Rassel 4-0, taking the final two sets without conceding a leg. Having outclassed Colin Lloyd in the first round, Klaasen has not lost a set in this year's event. He hit seven 180s and tied up the decisive fourth set with a cool 12-dart finish.

Qualifier Tony Ayres was 2-1 up against Andy Hamilton and seemingly on the road to scoring a huge upset before the seventh seed roared back to take the tie. Hamilton won three consecutive sets – losing only three legs in the process – to leave with a 4-2 win.

Ronnie Baxter also put in a strong display after slipping behind early. He lost the first set 3-1 to Denis Ovens but soon rediscovered his best form to take the next four unanswered, claiming all three legs in the second and fifth sets.

American Bill Davis twice took the lead in the first match of the afternoon session, but he too saw an advantage lost as Barrie Bates wrapped up a 4-2 win to reach the last 16. Davis went 1-0 and 2-1 ahead before Bates hit his straps to win six of the last eight legs to progress.

On Saturday, Phil Taylor dismantled the 19-year-old Dutch prodigy Michael van Gerwen with a 4-0 victory. The Stoke thrower raced into a 2-0 lead in the first set before the Dutchman started the third with 180 and pulled it back to 2-1. However, "The Power" took the fourth leg. Taylor then hit consecutive 180s with his first two visits to the oche in the second set, the Dutchman hit back with one of his own but the world No 1 finished off a 10-darter to go 1-0 up in the second set. He then took out 105 to go 2-0 ahead and a double 16 saw Taylor claim the set. In the third he hit an average of almost 108.

Van Gerwen pulled back to 2-1 with a 13-dart leg in the third set, but the Stoke man closed out for a 3-0 lead.

Taylor hit a maximum in the first leg of the fourth set to go one up before Van Gerwen levelled. Taylor went 2-1 up after Van Gerwen missed a double and Taylor hit the bull for a resounding 4-0 win.