<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=445 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>COMEBACK BARNEY CUTS THE POWER
Monday 1st January 2007
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=related cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TR><TD>Related stories:
PDC World Darts Championship draw
</TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=related cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><!--tr><td vAlign=top height=8 colspan="2"></td></tr--><TR><TD colSpan=2>More Darts stories:
Barney and the Power set up showdownDuo close in on final showdown </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=2 height=8></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=headers cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=aqua vAlign=top><!-- start links--><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE class=headers cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" background=http://static.sky.com/images/skysports/articleclublinks.gif><TBODY><TR align=right><TD align=right>
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- end links--></TD></TR><TR><TD class=aqua vAlign=top height=10></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Raymond van Barneveld has taken victory in the Ladbrokes.com World Championship at the first attempt, after scoring a sudden-death victory against Phil Taylor. After over three hours of tension spread over 13 sets of play at Purfleet's Circus Tavern, it was the Dutchman who finally prevailed against the 13-times world champion with a double top.
Victory hands van Barneveld his fifth world championship, his previous successes having been earned in the rival BDO event.
The win was also his third big victory against 'The Power' since switching camps, van Barneveld backing up his earlier comeback triumphs in much the same fashion.
Taylor looked imperious as he took the opening three sets, before van Barneveld fought his way back into the match in a manner which left even the man himself looking stunned.
"I couldn't believe it," he said. "I thought that, after three sets, I wouldn't even win a leg. But then I said to myself 'Win one or two sets'."
Van Barneveld fought back in style with 21 maximums, with the victor adding: "It says a lot what you need to defeat this man. But don't get me wrong, today maybe I was the better player."
Taylor himself said: "He's got loads of bottle, he came back well there. I was 3-0 up and he came back and fair play to him.
"There was nothing I could do. I tried my hardest but I couldn't quite get over that hurdle."
Taylor took the opening leg of the final against the throw with double top before going 2-0 up with a 164 finish.
The first set was then taken without reply, and with Taylor averaging 110, a two-set lead was established in similar fashion.
Van Barneveld finally took the ninth leg of the evening, but Taylor responded immediately to go three sets ahead.
A double 18 handed van Barneveld the opening leg of the fourth, before he continued to show improved form to go 2-0 up.
Van Barneveld then confirmed his belated appearance in fine style: a 170 checkout setting up the chance to pull one set back.
Taylor then hit double 16 for a 2-1 lead in the fifth, but a crucial 129 checkout from van Barneveld allowed him to level the set.
It was finally settled in favour of van Barneveld - the two players by now having switched averages.
But Taylor's form returned quickly, and he took the sixth set, again without reply, to take a two-set lead.
A 12-dart finish signalled a 3-0 victory for van Barneveld in the seventh, with the eighth going to a deciding leg before Taylor struck a blow with a 56 checkout.
Van Barneveld then took the ninth without reply, with the Dutchman then narrowly missing out on a nine-dart finish in the first leg of the tenth.
He then proceeded to take the tenth set 3-1 to level the match before coming back from two legs behind to take a one-set lead.
The 12th set went to the deciding leg, and on this occasion it was Taylor who prevailed.
Thus the 2006 final was to be decided in its very final set, and 2-1 ahead, van Barneveld needed a 120 checkout for the title.
But he missed double 20, allowing Taylor to level. With each player now needing to win by two clear legs, van Barneveld again needed double top for the title - and again missed.
Nerves now fraying, Taylor twice levelled for 4-4 and 5-5 to force the match into sudden death, with 180s being exchanged before, finally, matters were settled.
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Monday 1st January 2007
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PDC World Darts Championship draw
</TD></TR></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=related cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><!--tr><td vAlign=top height=8 colspan="2"></td></tr--><TR><TD colSpan=2>More Darts stories:
Barney and the Power set up showdownDuo close in on final showdown </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=2 height=8></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE class=headers cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=aqua vAlign=top><!-- start links--><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE class=headers cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" background=http://static.sky.com/images/skysports/articleclublinks.gif><TBODY><TR align=right><TD align=right>
Darts Calendar
Darts Betting
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- end links--></TD></TR><TR><TD class=aqua vAlign=top height=10></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Raymond van Barneveld has taken victory in the Ladbrokes.com World Championship at the first attempt, after scoring a sudden-death victory against Phil Taylor. After over three hours of tension spread over 13 sets of play at Purfleet's Circus Tavern, it was the Dutchman who finally prevailed against the 13-times world champion with a double top.
Victory hands van Barneveld his fifth world championship, his previous successes having been earned in the rival BDO event.
The win was also his third big victory against 'The Power' since switching camps, van Barneveld backing up his earlier comeback triumphs in much the same fashion.
Taylor looked imperious as he took the opening three sets, before van Barneveld fought his way back into the match in a manner which left even the man himself looking stunned.
"I couldn't believe it," he said. "I thought that, after three sets, I wouldn't even win a leg. But then I said to myself 'Win one or two sets'."
Van Barneveld fought back in style with 21 maximums, with the victor adding: "It says a lot what you need to defeat this man. But don't get me wrong, today maybe I was the better player."
Taylor himself said: "He's got loads of bottle, he came back well there. I was 3-0 up and he came back and fair play to him.
"There was nothing I could do. I tried my hardest but I couldn't quite get over that hurdle."
Taylor took the opening leg of the final against the throw with double top before going 2-0 up with a 164 finish.
The first set was then taken without reply, and with Taylor averaging 110, a two-set lead was established in similar fashion.
Van Barneveld finally took the ninth leg of the evening, but Taylor responded immediately to go three sets ahead.
A double 18 handed van Barneveld the opening leg of the fourth, before he continued to show improved form to go 2-0 up.
Van Barneveld then confirmed his belated appearance in fine style: a 170 checkout setting up the chance to pull one set back.
Taylor then hit double 16 for a 2-1 lead in the fifth, but a crucial 129 checkout from van Barneveld allowed him to level the set.
It was finally settled in favour of van Barneveld - the two players by now having switched averages.
But Taylor's form returned quickly, and he took the sixth set, again without reply, to take a two-set lead.
A 12-dart finish signalled a 3-0 victory for van Barneveld in the seventh, with the eighth going to a deciding leg before Taylor struck a blow with a 56 checkout.
Van Barneveld then took the ninth without reply, with the Dutchman then narrowly missing out on a nine-dart finish in the first leg of the tenth.
He then proceeded to take the tenth set 3-1 to level the match before coming back from two legs behind to take a one-set lead.
The 12th set went to the deciding leg, and on this occasion it was Taylor who prevailed.
Thus the 2006 final was to be decided in its very final set, and 2-1 ahead, van Barneveld needed a 120 checkout for the title.
But he missed double 20, allowing Taylor to level. With each player now needing to win by two clear legs, van Barneveld again needed double top for the title - and again missed.
Nerves now fraying, Taylor twice levelled for 4-4 and 5-5 to force the match into sudden death, with 180s being exchanged before, finally, matters were settled.
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