Flying Dutchman at the Pally

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Raymond van Barneveld came back from the brink to beat Michael Smith and reach the semi-finals of the PDC World Championship.

Van Barneveld, who won the last of his five world titles in 2007, lost the first three sets and was 2-0 down in the decider but won four legs in a row to set up a last-four clash with Adrian Lewis.

Smith won the opening set on a deciding leg after Van Barneveld had missed the bull on a 170 checkout.

The Dutchman won only one leg in the next two sets but stormed back to lead 4-3 as Smith’s early confidence drained away. However, the 25-year-old from St Helens was not finished and won the eighth set against the throw before opening up what appeared a decisive 2-0 lead in the decider with a 130 checkout.

He had one dart at double top for the match in the next leg but missed it and did not get another chance as Van Barneveld showed all his experience to clinch an unlikely victory.

The 48-year-old, who beat the favourite for the title, Michael van Gerwen, in the previous round, told Sky Sports: “He hit so many good finishes. When I was 3-0 down it felt like it wasn’t going to happen.

“I blew it on my own throw and at 2-0 down [in the deciding set] I was thinking, ‘Here we go again.’ I kept believing and made some really crucial doubles.

“I can’t describe how happy I am. It could be my year. It’s all about belief and about fighting back.”

Lewis dropped his first sets of the tournament against Peter Wright but ran out a 5-2 winner. Wright had one dart at double top to pull it back to 4-3 but missed it, allowing the No5 seed to secure his passage through to the next round.

The defending champion, Gary Anderson, is again in great form and was agonisingly close to a nine-dart finish in a 5-1 victory over James Wade.

The Scot threw eight perfect darts in the second leg of the second set but missed his attempt at double 12. It was the only disappointment for Anderson in a dominant performance. After sealing his progression to the last four, he said: “It’s going all right so far and I’m happy. I’ve felt comfortable and confident ever since I got the first game out of the way. It was a good performance, although it would have been nice to have hit the nine-darter – but I’m sure that there will be one or two before the end of the tournament.”

Alan Norris was also a double 12 away from a nine-dart finish in his match with Jelle Klaasen but, unlike Anderson, did not have a victory to celebrate.

Norris led 4-3 but Klaasen won the final two sets as he followed up his victory over Phil Taylor by booking a semi-final meeting with Anderson.

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Barneveld Beats van Gerwen

Raymond van Barneveld beat the world No1, Michael van Gerwen, 4-3 in a thrilling match at Alexandra Palace to reach the quarter-finals of the PDC World Championship.

In a classic and dramatic affair between the two Dutchmen Van Gerwen won a competitive opening set with a powerful display before watching Van Barneveld level by winning the second as both averaged over 104.

Van Gerwen levelled again after Van Barneveld took a 2-1 lead, before once more falling behind.

Throwing a 121 checkout, with Van Barneveld on three match darts, Van Gerwen made it 3-3 under intense pressure, before his rival eventually secured victory. Van Gerwen’s average of 105.78 is the highest ever for a loser in the event. Van Barneveld will next meet Michael Smith.

Gary Anderson had earlier won 4-0 against Vincent van der Voort to progress to a quarter-final fixture against James Wade. The Scot dropped only one leg in a dominant performance.

Adrian Lewis secured a similarly one-sided victory, also winning 4-0, against Mensur Suljovic. Lewis is yet to drop a set and lost only four legs against Suljovic. He will meet Peter Wright or Dave Chisnall on Friday.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon Wade continued his pursuit of a first final at Alexandra Palace with a 4-1 defeat of Jamie Caven.

Having convincingly won his first set, Wade allowed Caven to level at 1-1 in the second before rediscovering improved form thereafter to secure his spot in the quarter-finals.

Smith had been far more impressive. In one of the competition’s most one-sided contests he overcame Benito van de Pas 4-0.

Jelle Klaasen also won, outlasting Mervyn King 4-2 in the day’s first contest, concluding the final session of the second round.

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Barney Beats Bunting at Palace

Former winner Raymond van Barneveld is through to the last-16 at the World Darts Championship after beating Stephen Bunting 4-3 in an absolutely enthralling Alexandra Palace encounter.

Bunting hit 15 maximums in a brilliant display but still could not see off Van Barneveld, who eventually hit double-top to win in extra legs, having taken out five ton-plus checkouts in the match.

After Bunting won the first set, Van Barneveld romped through the second 3-0 to level things up.

Bunting was unfazed though and he reeled off three legs in a row to move into a 2-1 lead, only to be pegged back once again as Van Barneveld took out finishes of 121 and 96.

There was a Raymond van Barneveld masterclass at Ally Pally as he hit five hundred-plus checkouts in his 4-3 victory over Stephen Bunting

There was a Raymond van Barneveld masterclass at Ally Pally as he hit five hundred-plus checkouts in his 4-3 victory over Stephen Bunting

The pair had served up a classic in last year's quarter-finals and they were at it again in set five, which Van Barneveld won when he produced a brilliant 12-dart leg to win the decider.

Bunting easily took set six to make it 3-3 however and a thrilling final set then played out, with Van Barneveld hitting a massive 71 checkout under huge pressure at one point.

The set reached 2-2 and, after narrowly holding throw, Van Barneveld clinched victory when Bunting finally faltered in the sixth leg of a tremendous final set.

The pair sportingly embraced at the end of what will unquestionably go down as one of the best darts matches of the year.

Van Barneveld said: "I'm the lucky one tonight, I think Stephen should have won.

"I was so tired, maybe this belly is still full from Christmas. I tried to keep on going. He played well but I could have played a lot better than this and I'm lucky."

Bunting was gracious in defeat and added: "It was a fantastic game again, we always have really good games, and now I hope he goes all the way and goes on to win it."

Van Barneveld will play his countryman Michael van Gerwen in the next round, after the world No 1 rocked his way to straight sets victory over Darren Webster in the final game of the night.

Van Gerwen averaged 109.23 - the fourth highest in World Championship history - hit four ton-plus checkouts and six maximums to book his spot in round three in just 17 minutes.

Things were also straightforward for James Wade on night nine of the tournament as he eased past Wes Newton in straight sets.

The Machine has been tipped for a shot at the title this year under the mentorship of darts great Eric Bristow and the Aldershot thrower made light work of an out-of-sorts Newton, who averaged just 84.89 to Wade's 92.84, only managing 12 ton plus scores to Wade's 21.

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Double Dutch at Darts Grand Slam

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The Grand Slam of Darts will see two Dutchmen go head-to-head after Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld booked their places in Sunday's final.

Van Gerwen, who knocked out Phil Taylor in the round of 16, made a blistering start against Dean Winstanley, winning 10 of the first 11 legs to race into an 11-1 lead.

Winstanley hit back with three straight legs of his own, however Van Gerwen quickly regained top form - epitomised by a superb 170 checkout in the 16th leg to move 12-4 in front.

Van Gerwen claimed the final two legs to run out a comfortable 16-8 winner and he is now looking forward to taking on Van Barneveld in an all-Dutch final.

"It's a very nice moment for me of course. I'm very happy to reach another big major final. I'm looking forward to tonight," he told Sky Sports. "I've worked so hard in the past couple of days. The job is not done yet."

Van Barneveld was in equally ruthless form as he recovered from 3-0 down to secure a 16-10 win over Andy 'The Hammer' Hamilton.

Hamilton led 6-3 after nine games, but nine straight legs put Van Barneveld in firm control of the contest.

Three straight legs piled the pressure back on 'Barnie' as Hamilton pulled it back to 15-10, but a 100 checkout from the Dutchman settled the affair.

"Before this game I had a good record against Andy, but he's had such a good year. The last five, six and seven legs I was so tired. You could see it in my game, that 100 finish that was a great relief," said Van Barneveld. "I'm happy."

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Barney Aims for Taylor Knock Out

Raymond van Barneveld says he is aiming to emulate Mark Webster and knock 15-time world champion Phil Taylor out of the PDC World Darts Championship.

Taylor, beaten by Webster in the quarter-finals last year, is still favourite for a 16th world title.

But he faces a possible meeting with five-time champion van Barneveld this year if the pair progress to the last eight at Alexandra Palace in London.

"You can beat him with a 100 [three-dart] average," said van Barneveld.

"You just can't afford to miss your doubles. Mark Webster has proven that."

The tournament gets under way on Thursday and van Barneveld begins his campaign against debutant James Richardson on Sunday night.

The Dutchman is coming back into form, winning his last two exhibition events after a difficult period that has seen his Order of Merit ranking slip to eighth.

"I've gone back to the Shark grip darts that won me five championships and I've got the same slim flights that I had when I was averaging 108. It feels comfortable," he said.

"I don't know much about Richardson but I do know he got to a tour final in Germany. But I never underestimate my opponent."

Taylor will start his championship on Friday when he plays the winner of a qualifier between Japan's Haruki Muramatsu and Sweden's Dennis Nilsson, while reigning champion Adrian Lewis, who hit a nine-dart finish in last year's final, starts his defence on the opening day against Leamington Spa's Nigel Heydon.

Last year's beaten finalist and number four seed Gary Anderson plays Germany's Jyhan Artut, while third seed James Wade faces the winner of the match between Per Laursen and Petri Korte.

Sixth-seed Webster, who won the BDO World Title at Lakeside in 2008, faces fellow Welshman Richie Burnett, while Australian Simon Whitlock, ranked fifth, will play 2000 semi-finalist Dennis Smith.

PDC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP - RECENT WINNERS

2011 Adrian Lewis

2010 Phil Taylor

2009 Phil Taylor

2008 John Part

2007 Raymond van Barneveld

2006 Phil Taylor

2005 Phil Taylor