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‘The Hammer’ finally saw off Terry Jenkins in yet another thriller. Their quarter-final went the distance, with Hamilton winning 5-4 – after being 3-0 up at one stage.

On his Circus Tavern debut in 2005, it was the quarter-finals, last year the last 16 and now a richly deserved semi-final spot.

Hamilton looked like he was breezing to an easy victory, as he raced into a 3-0 lead, with a 100 average and it was clinical, classical darts.

But Terry Jenkins staged a fantastic recovery, as Hamilton started to miss crucial doubles. The World No.6 won the next three sets, with ‘The Hammer’ winning only four legs. It was time to get serious and Hamilton responded.

He won the 7th set with the help of a brilliant 121 check-out on the bull and although Jenkins took the match into a deciding set, Hamilton kept his cool. He hit his 16th 180 of the match and celebrated the sweetest double eight that he’s nailed in his darting career.

“I am proud of the way I played,” he said. “I felt so at home up there and even when Terry came back, I felt I was going to win.”

Hamilton has now hit an incredible 41 180s in this tournament. “That is my game. I play on my big scoring and I have been feeling more and more confident as the week has gone on.”

His semi-final appearance will also guarantee the biggest pay-day of his life. He will collect at least £20,000 and that should be enough to clinch Hamilton a place in the world’s top 10, when the new Order of Merit ranking system is introduced next week.

Andy Jenkins reached the World Championship semi-final for the first time, edging another thriller against Colin Osborne. ‘Rocky’ came from 3-1 down to triumph 5-4.

BY STUART PYKE

Picture : Lawrence Lustig/PDC