- Six-time finalist James Wade is in the last four for the first time since 2015
- Luke Humphries has won his three games with 100-plus averages
- Recommended bet: James Wade Over 5.5 180s

James Wade has never made any secret of his love for the Winter Gardens and once again the left-hander is having a grand time beside the seaside at the World Matchplay.

Despite precious little form of note, Wade, a former champion and six-time finalist, is excelling in the Empire Ballroom with three wins over higher-rated players to set up a semi-final with Luke Humphries.

This, however, is a step up in class with Humphries, the 1/7 favourite with LiveScore Bet, in impressive form with a trio of ton-plus averages in getting to the last four.

The stats

World number one Humphries has produced 100-plus averages in each of his three matches.

Humphries is averaging 46.2 percent on his checkouts, Wade is averaging 41.6.

Humphries thrashed Wade 10-3 in his first ever match at the World Matchplay in 2021.

Wade has won only one of his last nine matches against Cool Hand in all competitions.

Prediction

Luke Humphries has looked a cut above anyone else in the top half of the World Matchplay draw and it is hard to see Cool Hand not being in Sunday's final.

The world champ and world number one had produced a trio of ton-plus checkouts to see off Ricardo Pietrezcko, Stephen Bunting and Dimitri van den Bergh and still looks to have more in the tank.

Hoping that is not the case is James Wade, his opponent in the first semi-final, a man battling away brilliantly and defying the odds every step of the way.

The Winter Gardens is something of a spiritual home for the left-hander, who is set to make his ninth semi-final appearance, a record bettered only by Phil Taylor.

And he has not put a foot wrong thus far, beating Danny Noppert 10-5, getting the better of a crocked Nathan Aspinall 11-8 and then fending off big-hitting Ross Smith 16-10 where Wade's big-stage experience and ringcraft gave him an edge over his less experienced opponent.

On paper, Humphries against Wade is a mismatch and LiveScore Bet odds of 1/7 Cool Hand, 9/2 the Machine illustrate the gulf between the two men.

But Wade can make a fight of this because he is playing well and one obvious bet is him to nail over 5.5 180s. Those with long memories will recall when Wade's nickname was 009 in reference to the nine-darters he used to put away. He was a famed 180 hitter.

That part of his game is less evident these days though 13 maximums during his win over Smith on Thursday night suggested he has not entirely forgotten where the treble 20 bed is. And he will need to be hitting it regularly if he is going to stay the pace with Humphries.

Back James Wade Over 5.5 180s at Evens with LiveScore Bet