Title holder Ted Hankey will meet his predecessor Raymond Barneveld in a mouthwatering Embassy World Championship quarter-final after the duo took contrasting routes to get there on Wednesday night.

While Barneveld struggled to overcome Steve Beaton, Hankey cruised into the last eight by recording a second successive whitewash against Peter Hinkley.

Barneveld was forced to go the full distance by a stubborn challenge from Beaton.

But Beaton, known as the "Bronzed Adonis", will rue the chances he missed.

The 1996 champion was let down by his finishing and the double 16 he missed in the final leg effectively ended his challenge.

Neither player made a convincing start as the first four legs all went against the darts, but Beaton then held to take the opening set.

Beaton advantage

That prompted Barneveld to raise his game and he won the next two sets for the loss of only one leg, the highlight being a fine 131 checkout.

However, Beaton, from Coventry, was anything but a spent force and he whitewashed the 1998 and 1999 Lakeside hero in the fourth set to take the match the distance.

Beaton had the advantage of throwing first but was immediately broken and Barneveld cruised through the set to complete his victory.

"It was a bit closer than I would have liked," the former postman from The Hague said.

"I predicted that I would win 3-1 but it was a fantastically close game."

Seventh seed Hankey was far more impressive against Australia's Hinkley, the 'Wizard of Oz', and is the only man yet to drop a set in the tournament.

Raymond respect

And 'The Count' was in bullish mood as he pondered his clash with the world number two Barneveld.

"Some people place a lot of emphasis on not losing sets but I don't think about that. My main objective is simply to win," said the 32-year-old from Rhyl.

"I know Raymond well and have a lot of respect for him but I'm confident of beating him over the best of nine sets.

"If he wants the title back he's got to take it off me and I won't give it to him."

The other quarter-final in the bottom half of the draw is also one to savour with sixth seed Kevin Painter taking on world number three Andy Fordham.

Painter, from Cambridgeshire, ousted Matt Clark 3-1 while Woolwich publican Fordham despatched Wayne Jones 3-0.