SIMON WHITLOCK secured second place in the Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts table with an 8-2 win over play-off rival Mervyn King at the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham.

The Australian has impressed in the past six months, reaching the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship final in January and coming through to enter the final league night of the Premier League second in the table.

A superb display of finishing, where he hit eight from nine attempts at a double for the second time this season, saw him blow away King, who finishes fourth and will now play Phil Taylor in the semis.

Whitlock made the idea start, hitting double top for the first leg and a 130 finish on the bull for a 12-darter in the second.

King landed a 180 in the third, but Whitlock wired the bullseye for a 164 checkout before returning to post double eight.

A double 19 finish put him 4-0 up before King landed a pressure double eight to get off the mark in the next leg, after Whitlock left himself on 16 with a superb 174 score.

The duo traded double 16 finishes in the next two legs, and Whitlock hit the same bed to lead 7-2 before hitting a 180 and an 88 finish in wrapping up the victory with a superb 104.60 average.

"My goal was to qualify and I've done that but to finish second is crazy," said Whitlock. "It would be incredible if I can win this now, but I'll be going to Wembley to do just that.

"I love playing James and we seem to have great matches, but hopefully I can keep up this form and go all the way."