PDC World Darts Championship: Michael van Gerwen to meet Gary Anderson

Michael van Gerwen is aiming to win his second world title

Michael van Gerwen posted the highest average in PDC World Darts Championship history to defeat Raymond van Barneveld and book a meeting in Monday's final with defending champion Gary Anderson.

Van Gerwen, the world number one, averaged 114.05 to beat Phil Taylor's previous best of 111.21.

Fellow Dutchman Van Barneveld himself posted 109.34, but still lost 6-2.

World number two Anderson, winner in 2015 and 2016, came past fellow Scotsman Peter Wright 6-3.

He will attempt to become only the third man, after Taylor and Eric Bristow, to win three successive world titles in either the PDC or BDO tournaments.

To do that he will have to overcome Van Gerwen, who was imperious in first withstanding Van Barneveld's brilliance, then mercilessly pulling away.

Van Barneveld, a five-time world champion, produced five checkouts in excess of 100 to be level at 2-2, but was broken in the first leg of the fifth set and Van Gerwen did not look back.

Legs were rarely won in any more than 13 darts, with the 2014 champion agonisingly close to a perfect nine-dart leg, missing double 12 in the first leg of the eighth and final set.

"It was a phenomenal game, and Raymond pushed me to play that well," said Van Gerwen.

His performance will serve as a warning to Anderson for Monday's final, with the second seed missing doubles to allow Wright back into their semi-final clash.

Wright, the world number three, missed 10 straight darts at doubles as Anderson took a 2-0 lead, but the defending champion wasted three to win the fifth set and two to win the sixth to find himself pegged back at 3-3.

However, a 157 checkout gave Anderson the seventh set and, as Wright began to struggle, Anderson comfortably reached his fourth final in seven years.