Hankey Could Lead BDO Exodus

Ted Hankey could be the first of many players to make the switch from BDO to PDC according to darts supremo Barry Hearn.

The 43-year-old made the decision following his semi-final defeat at Lakeside to Christian Kist.

"I'll miss this place but it's time to move on," he said.

Hearn told BBC Radio 5 live: "I think Hankey and possibly several of the bigger BDO players will join the Q [qualifying] school in a week's time."

He added: "Darts is an exploding sport, there's huge amounts of opportunity, huge amounts of money and there's no surprise these players are making the move."

Fifteen-time world champion Phil Taylor recently urged Hankey to join him on the PDC circuit, saying: "Ted should show some bottle, come over and have a go. We're both Stokies and I want him to come over."

The PDC was first formed in 1992 with just 16 players, there are now over 400.

Hankey is the latest big name player to make the switch, the last one being Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld in 2006, after 15 years on the tour.

The Stoke born player made his debut in the BDO World Championships in 1998, reaching the quarter finals.

His first title came two years later beating Ronnie Baxter 6-0 in the final.

He reached the final again 12 months later, losing to John Walton before winning a second title in 2009 beating Tony O'Shea 7-6.

Hearn predicts that "The Count" will be a big hit.

"He's a big character and he's going to be a big success in the PDC circuit," he said.

"He's got something about him.

"That's the thing about sport these days is that the characters who play the game make it more exciting for the punters to go and watch and of course if they play at the highest level then they're a valuable addition."

PDC v BDO

In 1992, 16 of the world's top players formed a breakaway organisation, the World Darts Council (WDC), but continued to play in the BDO until 1993.

The WDC, later the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), held its own version of the world championship in 1994.

Former BDO world champions who made the switch to the PDC are John Lowe, Eric Bristow, Keith Deller, Bob Anderson, Phil Taylor, Dennis Priestley, John Part, Richie Burnett, Steve Beaton, Raymond van Barneveld, Jelle Klassen and Mark Webster.

Only four players have won both BDO and PDC world titles - Dennis Priestley, Phil Taylor, John Part and Raymond van Barneveld.

Christian Kist Takes BDO Title

Christian Kist completed a remarkable Lakeside debut by beating Tony O'Shea to take the BDO world title.

Qualifier Kist, a road worker from the Netherlands, entered the tournament as a rank outsider.

But the 25-year-old defeated O'Shea 7-5 in a thrilling final to win the £100,000 prize, reported to be 50 times his career earnings to date.

"I was 6-2 in front and there was no problem and then Tony came back and the nerves came," Kist told BBC Sport.

During the tournament, Kist tore up the formbook, beating sixth seed and countryman Jan Dekker, Belgian Geert De Vos, England's Alan Norris and two-time world champion Ted Hankey.

In Sunday's final, Englishman O'Shea, known as "The Silverback", who lost 7-6 in a thrilling final against Ted Hankey in 2009, started brightly, reeling off the first three legs to take the first set as Kist struggled to hit the trebles.

But the Dutchman settled down to win the next two sets and take the lead in the best-of-13 match.

The fourth set went down to a deciding leg, with O'Shea holding his nerve to complete a 68 checkout to level the scores.

Kist won the fifth, which included a 12-dart checkout to take the first leg, and then also claimed the sixth set to lead 4-2 at the interval.

After the break, Kist showed no signs of feeling the pressure as he secured the next two sets to move to within one of his maiden World Championship crown.

The Dutchman edged to within two legs of the title but O'Shea, who knocked out defending champion Martin Adams in the quarter-finals,stopped the rot by clawing back a set to reduce the deficit to three.

The momentum looked to have swung towards "The Silverback" as he won six straight legs to trail by just one set.

But Kist finally got a leg on the board and when O'Shea lost the penultimate leg after miscounting his checkout on 112, Kist seized back the momentum and hit the double 16 at the second time of asking for victory.

WHO IS CHRISTIAN KIST?

Age: 25

Ranking: 74

Day job: Road worker

International debut: 2009

Achievements: Runner-up at 2011 Swiss Open, quarter finalist at 2011 Top of Ghent

O'Shea Ends Adams Interest

Tony O'Shea ended Martin Adams' hopes of a third successive world championship title with a 5-2 quarter-final win at the Lakeside.

The number eight seed, a runner-up in 2009, will now meet Dutchman bdWesley Harms in the semi-finals.

Harms, the 13th seed on his Lakeside debut, beat Paul Jennings 5-2 to reach the last four.

In the women's tournament, England's Deta Hedman will play Russian Anastasia Dobromyslova in Friday's final.

Hedman beat Lorraine Farlam 2-1 in the semi-finals, while Dobromyslova triumphed 2-0 over nine-time champion Trina Gulliver, who has failed to reach the final for the first time.

O'Shea's victory over world number one Adams leaves the man from Stockport as the highest seed left in the tournament.

"I knew the pressure Martin was under," said O'Shea. "To play well and beat him has made my year.

"I've played better than that, but if I can play that well in front of this crowd, then there's nothing I can't do."

In Friday's quarter-finals Alan Norris meets Christian Kist and Ted Hankey takes on Martin Atkins.

Hankey Knocks Waites Out

Ted Hankey pulled off the shock of the round at the BDO World Championships by beating second seed Scott Waites 4-3.

Two-time champion Hankey - nicknamed 'the Count' - came from 2-1 and 3-2 down to book his place in the quarter-finals with a 144 checkout.

Number three seed Dean Winstanley threw away a two-set lead in losing 4-3 to fellow Englishman Alan Norris.

Martin Atkins survived a scare against 10th seed Willy van de Wielto reach the last eight for the first time.

He was leading 3-0 before the Dutchman staged a comeback, but Atkins sealed a 4-2 victory with double top.

In the night's other match, Christian Kist of the Netherlandsfollowed up his shock first-round win against Jan Dekker with an impressive 4-2 triumph over compatriot Geert de Vos.

Defending champion Martin Adams was among those who reached the quarter-finals on Tuesday.

Adams Leaves No Stone Unturned

Martin Adams continued his march towards a third successive BDO World Championship title at Frimley Green with victory over Gary Stone.

Adams, the top seed and playing in a record 19th World Championships, was in a class of his own as he beat debutant Stone 4-0 to reach the last eight.

Earlier, 2009 runner-up Tony O'Shea, the eighth seed from Stockport, saw off Scot Ross Montgomery 4-1.

And debutant Wesley Harms of Holland beat England's Robbie Green 4-1.

Harms now faces Paul Jennings, who saw off fellow EnglishmanSteve Douglas 4-2.

Adams struggled to score heavily - he averaged a little over 90 - but his clinical finishing ensured that Stone never had a look in.

"I know there are a lot of shaky bits in my game," said Adams. "I've still got a little bit of work to do but I'm pleased.

"I'm just taking it game by game, round by round. Hopefully there will be players to push me and that's when I'll find out if I've still got it."

Deadly Dean Lakeside Checkout

Deadly Dean Winstanley equalled the tournament's highest checkout of 160 en-route to an impressive 3-1 victory over Dutch qualifier Joey ten Berge.

Sporting a colourful red and white shirt with a striking dartboard motif emblazoned across the front and the white rose of Yorkshire on his sleeve, last year's runner-up and third seed needed just 41 minutes to dash the hopes of the talented 26-year-old.

The South Yorkshire player signalled his title intentions, annexing the opening leg against the throw, defending it in the next and then firing in a spectacular set-winning 160 checkout – two treble 20s and a faultless double tops finish for a 1-0 match lead after just seven minutes play.

Winstanley waded in to take the opening two legs of the next set, narrowly missing double tops for a 120 checkout. He missed bull for 125 in the next plus further darts for double 15 as Ten Berge finished off 60 with double tops. A 180 steered the Dutchman to the fourth who followed up with a further maximum in the fifth leg, the third seed holding his nerve to edge into a 2-0 match lead with double five.

The Doncaster sharpshooter took the opening leg of the third set against the throw helped with a 180, another maximum giving him a 2-1 set lead, notching a third 180 in the fourth leg but failing to clinch a match-winning 66 checkout with double tops. Ten Berg swooped to clinch the set.

Winstanley took the opening leg of the fourth set with the throw, Ten Berg blazing back with a 12 darter after narrowly missing back-to-back 180s. Winstanley notched double five as the Dutchman failed to pressurise. the shot.

The third seed missed double tops for a further match-winning attempt, Ten Berge pouncing to finish off 45 with double 16 but the big scores deserted him the next as the South Yorkshire sharpshooter booked his place in the last 16 with double 18

John Walton Bows Out at Lakseide

Former world champion John Walton bowed out of the BDO World Championship after losing 3-1 to Yorkshire rival Martin Atkins at the Lakeside.

Seventh seed Walton, who won the 2001 title, won the first set but struggled to hit his doubles after that as unseeded Atkins closed out victory.

Another seed to be knocked out was Jan Dekker, who fell 3-2 to fellow Netherlands player Christian Kist.

Another Dutchman through is Willy van de Wiel who beat Dave Prins 3-0.

Number two seed Scott Waites also avoided an upset, beating fellow Englishman Andy Boulton 3-1.

Paul Jennings rode his luck a little before overcoming Garry Thompson 3-1 in another all-English clash.

However, it was Atkins who took the headlines for his shock defeat of Walton.

"I was confident I'd give John a good game but I didn't think I'd win," Atkins told BBC Sport.

"But John will always give you chances as he misses a few doubles."

Defending women's champion Trina Gulliver cruised through to the semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Lisa Ashton.

It was an emotional victory for Gulliver, whose mother Muriel died two days before the tournament began.

Adams Open BDO Defence with Win

Martin Adams began his title defence of the BDO World Championship with a fairly comfortable 3-0 win over Scott Mitchell at the Lakeside.

Earlier, Scottish qualifier Gary Stone saw off Dutch number 16 seed Ron Meulenkamp by the same scoreline in the opening game of the tournament.

Tony O'Shea collected the third 3-0 win of the day against Steve West.

And Ross Montgomery made it a double success for Scotland over the Dutch by beating Fabian Roosenbrand 3-0.

Stone fired in four 180s to despatch Meulenkamp in 31 minutes in a match featuring two Lakeside debutants.

Adams, the top seed and seeking his third successive BDO title, missed some early doubles but recovered to earn victory.

Meanwhile, 2009 runner-up O'Shea, the eighth seed from Stockport, made swift work of West in an all-English clash.

Reflecting on his win over Bournemouth-born Mitchell, whom he also beat at the Dutch Open in November, England captain Adams said: "I had some shaky moments. No-one likes to play the first round but you have to do it, and I had big finishes when I needed them.

"Scott is a good player but he is too nice to win, and I had to bully him. He needs to learn to do the same."

Elsewhere, fifth seed Gary Robson was dumped out 3-0 by Steve Douglas, while fourth seed Robbie Green earned a 3-1 win over Darryl Fitton.