Michael van Gerwen averages 114.05 to beat Barney in SF

The world number one posted an astonishing average of 114.05 to eclipse Phil Taylor's mark of 111.21, which he set back in 2002, while Barney ended up with a sensational average of 109.34 himself - the fourth highest ever in this tournament and the best by a losing player. 

Van Gerwen will now meet the two-time defending champion in an eagerly-anticipated showdown at Alexandra Palace.

Anderson, ranked two in the world, had earlier defeated Peter Wright 6-3 thanks to a clinical display which saw him punish wasteful finishing from the fellow Scotsman.

Van Gerwen, who has previously admitted the season would be a failure if he couldn't follow up his staggering 25 tournament titles in 2016 with a second world title, will start as odds-on favourite (MVG 2/7, Anderson 13/5) to get his hands on the Sid Waddell Trophy for the first time since 2014.

"It was a phenomenal performance," said van Gerwen, who hit 15 of the match's 29 180s and also added a 124 finish.

"Raymond made me play like that really though. I had to play like that to win this game so credit has to go to him too but this was amazing for me.

"I broke another record and one that has been there for 15 years so it really is something special.

"I feel like anything is possible for me but I only have one goal and that is to lift the trophy. I also know that I have a very good player waiting for me in the final in Gary Anderson. I think it is the dream final that everybody wanted to see and it is going to be fantastic."

Five-time world champion van Barneveld, whose only triumph in the PDC version came back in 2007, started brilliantly with quality finishes of 107, 131 and 96 to take the first set 3-0.

He raised the bar further in the second when checking out from 160 to go 2-1 up but the joy from his ecstatic supporters was short-lived as MVG followed up his 124 finish in the opening leg with one from 114 to force a decider which he took on double tops.

The 27-year-old edged ahead for the first time when winning a heavy-scoring third set 2-1 but Barney's stunning finishing continued when checkouts from 58 and 127 helped him level the match again an raise the Alexandra Palace roof.

At this stage, Van Gerwen and van Barneveld's respective averages were 114.71 and 113.94 while there had been a total of 16 180s of which Barney had managed 10 of them in a breathtaking spell of darts.

The 49-year-old had also hit 90% of his attempts at doubles but with MVG also at an impressive level of 53.85% he knew there could be no let-up if he was to repeat the shock of 12 months earlier at the last 16 stage.

Van Barneveld landed his 11th maximum before taking the first leg of the fifth set on double 18 but van Gerwen turned on the style with more heavy scoring which helped him take the next three legs on the bounce to go 3-2 up.

Van Gerwen dropped just two more legs in the next two sets has he ruthlessly gave van Barneveld, who was still playing arguably the best darts of his career, little chance to get back into the match and he was now just one away from reaching the final.

Mighty Mike threatened what would have been a fitting a nine-darter - and the first of the tournament - with two 180s and two further treble 20s but his shot at double 12 missed.

At 2-1 up in the set, the world number one finished victory off in style by landing two double 18s to book his place in what promises to be a thrilling final with Anderson.

Van Gerwen ended with 15 180s compared with Barney's 14 while his checkout percentage of 51.35% was bettered by his compatriot's 68.42%.

"He played incredibly I couldn't do anything against a performance like that," said Van Barneveld, who bowed out at the semi-final stage for the third successive year.

"I was playing really well to start with but he really showed up. The 114 he had in the second set was a crucial shot. He was brilliant like he has been all year.

"I wish Michael all the best in the final and I hope that he wins it for Holland but I am gutted that it won't be me."

Scroll to the bottom of this story for semi-final match stats

Gary Anderson 6-3 Peter Wright

Gary Anderson reached his third successive PDC World Darts Championship final after a 6-3 victory over Peter Wright on New Year's Day.

It was the two-time defending champion's 17th straight win on the Alexandra Palace stage and he will now meet the last man to beat him here - Michael van Gerwen back in December 2013 - in the final on Monday night.

The world number one Dutchman, who won 25 tournaments in 2016, defeat Raymond van Barneveld 6-3 in second semi-final thanks to a stunning display which saw him average 114.05 - the highest in World Championship history.

But on this evidence Anderson will take some beating after 15 180s helped him average 103.45 while he also managed a high checkout of 157 in a scintillating display which denied Snakebite a place in his second World Championship final.

Anderson also told us before the tournament that he wanted to meet MVG in the final if he got that far - so now he has his wish!

Wright, who averaged just under 100 and hit 10 maximums, pushed him hard when fighting back from 3-1 down to level the match at 3-3 but he struggled on his doubles at key times and the much more clinical and ruthless Anderson made him pay throughout.

"I feel really comfortable here," said Anderson, who also had finishes of 118, 121, 127, 157.

"To win it twice made me very proud and it was always just going to be a case of turning up this year and seeing what happens, but I'm in the final and I'll give it a really good go.

"Over the year Michael has been the best player and might be the most deserving winner but unfortunately I'll be in the final and I'll be ready for a good game."

The third seed opened the match with a 180 but was punished for six missed darts at a double as Anderson broke the throw before taking the next two legs on the bounce for an early 1-0 lead.

The defending champion produced a superb bullseye finish to take out 127 to move 2-0 up in the second set before Wright finally got on the board with his 11th attempt at a double and although he then took out 76 to force a decider, Anderson hit a 12-darter to edge it 3-2.

Anderson and Wright were boasting averages of over 105 apiece after the first two sets despite both players missing 10 darts at doubles, but crucially it was the defending champion who was holding his nerve better at the key moments.

Wright headed into the match with an impressive checkout percentage of 54% - comfortably the highest of anyone left in the tournament - but was clearly struggling on his finishing as Anderson mercilessly piled on the pressure.

Snakebite found himself up against it once again when Anderson broke his throw in the opening leg of the third set but he hit back in style with three legs on the trot, including a 10-darter to close it out.

The fourth seed's double woes came back to haunt him in the next set as three more misses were capitalised upon by Anderson, who then checked out from 118 to move 2-0 up only for Wright to finish from the same score to pull one back. A 116 finish then forced a second decider of the match which again went the way of the defending champ.

Wright was yet again 2-0 down in the fifth set as Anderson continued to punish his errors but then it was the second seed's turn to falter on his doubles, missing four shots to take a 4-1 set lead over the next three legs which allowed Snakebite to win them all to stay very much alive in the thrilling contest.

The defending champion had another dart at a double at 2-2 in the sixth set but another crucial miss gave Wright a chance to pinch it and he grasped it with both hands to level the match.

Anderson, probably feeling he should be 5-1 up, bounced back to break Wright's throw in the opening leg of the seventh after Snakebite missed three more double attempts and did so again after his fellow Scot had responded in kind while a stunning 157 checkout saw him edge 4-3 ahead.

The 46-year-old swiftly found an extra gear to take three more legs on the trot as he moved one set away from victory while a 121 checkout at the start of the ninth saw him claim yet another decisive break of Wright's throw.

He then bedded double 10 in each of the following two legs - helped along by more missed doubles from Wright - to complete victory.

Anderson, whose sprint for the line saw him win the last eight legs of the match, has now won all four of his semi-final appearances at the PDC World Championship and has only dropped eight sets across those victories.

Wright, who is still searching for his first major title, has now lost four of his last five PDC tournament semi-finals having also reached the last four at the European Championship, World Series of Darts Finals (reached the final), Grand Slam of Darts and Players Championship Finals.

Wright, who ended with a highly-impressive tournament average of 102.38, said: "I've got no excuse. I didn't play well enough on the day and Gary beat me up really. 

"I hope he goes on and wins his third World Title and I'll be back stronger next year." 

World Championship Semi-final statistics

Michael van Gerwen (1) 6-2 Raymond van Barneveld (12)

Three-dart averages
Van Gerwen: 114.05
Van Barneveld: 109.34

100+ thrown
Van Gerwen: 36
Van Barneveld: 38
140+ thrown
Van Gerwen: 29
Van Barneveld: 25
180+ thrown
Van Gerwen: 15
Van Barneveld: 14

Highest checkout
Van Gerwen: 124
Van Barneveld: 160

100+ checkouts
Van Gerwen: 2
Van Barneveld: 4

Checkout percentage
Van Gerwen: 51.35% (19/37)
Van Barneveld: 68.42% (13/20)

Gary Anderson (2) 6-3 Peter Wright (3)

Three-dart averages
Anderson: 103.45
Wright: 99.83

100+ thrown
Anderson: 45
Wright: 60
140+ thrown
Anderson: 39
Wright: 30
180+ thrown
Anderson: 15
Wright: 10

Highest checkout
Anderson: 157
Wright: 118

100+ checkouts
Anderson: 4
Wright: 2

Checkout percentage
Anderson: 35.38% (23/65)
Wright: 29.79% (14/47)