ANDERSON FLIES INTO FINAL AS LEWIS ENDS WEBSTER DREAM
GARY ANDERSON and Adrian Lewis will contest the final of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship on Monday night, having royally entertained Prince Harry amongst a sell-out semi-final crowd at Alexandra Palace with wins over Terry Jenkins and Mark Webster.
Anderson continued his brilliant form during the £1 million tournament with a 6-2 win over Jenkins, averaging over 100 for the fifth successive game and posting 12 180s.
Jenkins had taken the game^s first set before Anderson won five in a row, and although the number seven seed pulled back the seventh set the Scot sealed victory in the next.
"He won the first set and I thought I might be in a bit of trouble, but I managed to take the second and kicked on from there," said Anderson.
"Maybe I should have won 6-1 but I missed a few doubles in the seventh set and Terry kept battling, as I knew he would.
"I^ve made it to the final and spent probably ten years getting beaten in the first and second rounds, so it^s been nice to get this far and I^ll probably treat the final like the first round, but I^m not here to get beaten."
Lewis, meanwhile, won through to the decider with a hard-fought 6-4 win over Mark Webster in the second semi-final.
Webster, who had knocked out reigning champion Phil Taylor on Saturday night, pulled back from 4-2 down to level but Lewis found an extra gear to win the next two in style to complete the win.
Lewis had also reached the final of October^s World Grand Prix, where he lost to James Wade, but will now contest for his first major title in the sport^s biggest game - where the winner will take home £200,000 on Monday.
"It^s a fantastic feeling," said Adrian. "When I went 4-2 up I thought I^d cruise it 6-2 but he took out a few good finishes and I had to dig in deep at the end.
"We traded high scores throughout, and it was a tough game. Mark fought back well but I^ve got the job done in the end.
"The hard work is still to be done though, and it^s every player^s dream to be World Champion. I have practised hard enough for five or six years and this could be my chance.
"I know I can out-score Gary and there will be a lot of 180s. Gary^s been the best player in the tournament, without a shadow of doubt, but I don^t know if he^s been tested - he will be on Monday."
The final will be preceded by the PDC Unicorn Under-21 World Championship Final between Holland^s Michael van Gerwen and Hampshire^s Arron Monk, who has been practicing alongside Simon Whitlock since qualifying for the best-of-11 leg decider in the inaugural event.
Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship
Sunday January 2
Semi-Finals
Gary Anderson 6-2 Terry Jenkins
Adrian Lewis 6-4 Mark Webster
Monday January 3
Final (8pm)
Adrian Lewis v Gary Anderson
Best of 13 sets
Preceded at 7.10pm by
PDC Unicorn Under-21 World Championship Final
Michael van Gerwen v Arron Monk
Best of 11 legs
GARY ANDERSON 6-2 TERRY JENKINS
(1-3, 3-1, 3-2, 3-2, 3-1, 3-1, 1-3, 3-1)
BRILLIANT Gary Anderson powered his way into the final of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship on Sunday night, defeating Terry Jenkins 6-2 in the semis at Alexandra Palace.
Anderson has been sensational throughout the tournament, and royally celebrated the arrival of Prince Harry to watch the semi-finals by hitting 12 180s and another ton-plus average in victory.
The Scot will compete in his first World Championship final on Monday night against either Adrian Lewis or Mark Webster.
"The last time I played Terry on television was at the Grand Slam and it was a real battle that day," said Anderson.
"He won the first set and I thought I might be in a bit of trouble, but I managed to take the second and kicked on from there.
"Maybe I should have won 6-1 but I missed a few doubles in that set and Terry kept battling, as I knew he would.
"I^ve made it to the final and spent probably ten years getting beaten in the first and second rounds, so it^s been nice to get this far and I^ll probably treat the final like the first round, but I^m not here to get beaten."
Anderson started the match the way he finished in his quarter-final triumph against Raymond van Barneveld, as he hit a maximum in the opening leg - but Jenkins broke throw with a clinical two-dart 96 finish and then took out 72 in two-darts to extend his advantage.
Anderson hit his third 180 in as many legs at the start of the third and won it in 15 darts, but Jenkins managed to hit double top in the fourth to take the set and open up an early lead.
Jenkins then won the first leg of the second set with an excellent 102 checkout with Anderson waiting on double top, although he took the second leg in 15 darts and broke throw in the third with the aid of his fifth maximum of the game.
The fourth leg saw Anderson miss three darts at double top, but Jenkins also missed one dart at the same bed for a 111 checkout and alowed the Scotsman to hit double ten to level the match.
Anderson hit his fifth 180 in the process of winning the opening leg of set three before Jenkins took out 100 in two darts to win the second.
Jenkins then won the third leg by hitting double top, but Anderson produced fabulous darts in the fourth, winning the leg in 11 darts before posting double top to take the decider and the lead.
Jenkins managed to make a winning start to the fourth set by hitting double 18 at the fifth attempt, before Anderson quickly levelled by taking the second on double top.
Jenkins led again by taking the third leg before Anderson won the fourth with an excellent 126 checkout, completed on the bullseye.
Anderson then kicked off the deciding leg with consecutive 180s, and although any thoughts of a nine-darter were ended as the seventh attempt at a treble 20 was off-target, the leg was duly won in 13- darts to take the set.
That put the 11th seed two sets clear of Jenkins, and he won the opening leg of the fifth set by converting a 72 finish in two darts.
Jenkins managed to win the second leg with a 13-dart finish, defying a ninth maximum from his opponent, but Anderson took the third on double six.
Anderson then won the fourth leg with an 82 finish to win the set and increase his lead to 4-1, leaving Jenkins with a mountain to climb.
Anderson kicked off set six with his tenth 180 of the game, but Jenkins kept up with the Scotsman^s relentless scoring power and took the leg by hitting double top.
Anderson took the second leg by hitting double six and then won the third by hitting a 126 checkout, completed on the bullseye, for the second time in the match.
That put Anderson 2-1 ahead and he then hit double top at the first time of asking to take the fourth leg and pull further clear at 5-1.
Jenkins won his first leg in four at the start of set seven by hitting double eight with his third dart, but Anderson quickly replied to win the second with a 93 finish.
In the third leg Anderson committed rare errors as he missed six darts at doubles, allowing Jenkins to secure a break of throw as he hit double 18 with his first dart.
Jenkins, who defeated Wes Newton in a tight quarter-final 24 hours earlier, hit a 120 checkout in the fourth leg to take the set and reduce his arrears to 5-2.
Anderson missed an early chance for a break of throw at the start of the eighth as three attempts to take the first leg were off-target.
Jenkins stepped in to hit double top before Anderson posted double four to win the second and took the third with a 93 finish.
That put the Scotsman a leg away from reaching the final, and after Jenkins missed two darts to win the fourth leg Anderson stepped in to hit double top at the first time of asking to seal the win.
ADRIAN LEWIS 6-4 MARK WEBSTER
(3-2, 2-3, 3-2, 0-3, 3-2, 3-0, 1-3, 1-3, 3-2, 3-1)
ADRIAN LEWIS won through to his first Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship final with a 6-4 win over battling Mark Webster on Sunday night, as the Welshman suffered semi-final heartbreak for the second successive year.
Webster knocked reigning champion Phil Taylor out of the tournament on Saturday night, but a superb display from Lewis saw him progress to meet Gary Anderson.
Lewis had led the contest 4-2 only to be pegged back to four apiece by the battling Welshman, but the 25-year-old from Stoke took the next two sets to book his place in the final.
"We were trading big scores throughout and it was a really tough match," said Lewis. "I was 4-2 up and felt good up there but Mark fought back well.
"I got the job done in the en but the hard work is still to be done though, and I need to get myself prepared for the final against Gary now."
Lewis, playing in his first World Championship semi-final, started impressively with back-to-back 13-dart finishes in the opening two legs.
Webster, who had landed a 180 in the opening leg, hit back to win the third and then took the fourth by hitting double top.
Lewis, though, managed to win the decider by hitting double eight to edge the set and an early advantage.
The opening leg of the second set proved to be a difficult one to win for both players as numerous opportunities were missed before Lewis managed to take it by landing double one.
Webster, who ended the hopes of the defending champion Phil Taylor in the quarter-finals, managed to win the next two legs and take a 2-1 lead.
Lewis hit double ten to win the fourth leg, but the Welshman kept his nerve to hit double top to win the decider and level the match.
Lewis made a winning start to set three by taking the first leg with the aid of his second 180 of the match before Webster won the second on tops after the Stoke ace missed a dart at double 11 for a 124 checkout.
Lewis won the third leg in 15 darts but Webster traded the fourth with a 14-dart finish before kicking off the deciding leg with a 177 score.
Lewis, though, hit his third maximum of the contest to forge ahead and he went to hit double two for a 14-darter of his own to take the set and regain the lead.
Webster won the first leg of the fourth set before taking the second by hitting double five with his final dart after Lewis was guilty of missing four darts at tops.
Lewis then missed one dart the bullseye to take the third leg and Webster managed to convert a 77 finish by landing double top with his third dart to level the game once more.
Webster won his fourth leg in a row at the beginning of the fifth set by landing double five after both players had missed previous opportunities to win it.
That put the Welshman ahead for the first time in the match, but Lewis hit back to take the next two legs with accomplished finishes of 79 and 131.
Webster won the fourth leg by hitting double 16 to send another set into a deciding leg, which saw both players record 180s.
Lewis had left himself 40 after 12 darts before missing double five for what would have been a fabulous 130 checkout, and Lewis took the chance to hit double top and lead for the third time.
The fifth seed began the seventh set in style by taking the opening two legs with finishes of 76 and 86, and he then won the third to move two sets clear of Webster.
Lewis kicked off the seventh set with his sixth 180 of the match, but missed three darts at doubles to win the leg and Webster cashed in by hitting double nine.
Webster missed chances to go two legs up in the next as Lewis hit double ten to level before starting the third leg with consecutive 180s.
His attempt at a seventh successive treble 20 was off-target, and the pair both missed two darts for the leg before Webster stepped in on double ten.
The fourth leg saw Webster hit his eighth maximum of the match and he went to win it with a second successive 14-dart finish to win the set and reduce the deficit to 4-3.
Lewis started the eighth set in impressive fashion as he recorded a 12-dart-finish with a 127 checkout, but Webster managed to win the second leg against the darts and the third by hitting double 16.
The Welshman missed a dart at double ten in the fourth leg but Lewis could not set up an opportunity at a double and Webster managed to hit double one to leave the match finely poised at four-all.
Webster won the first leg of the ninth set with a 103 finish after his opponent missed four darts at doubles to edge back in front, but Lewis hit-back to win the second against the darts and then took the third with an excellent 13-darter.
The Stoke star kicked off the fourth leg with a maximum, but Webster was first to a finish and he managed to hit double 12 to force a deciding leg.
The final leg of set nine was a competitive affair and Webster had left himself on 57 after 12 darts, but Lewis kept his composure to hit a 64 finish, landing double eight with his third dart to lead 5-4.
Webster won the first leg of set ten by hitting double top, defying a maximum from Lewis, before the fifth seed hit double ten to win the second.
The third leg proved crucial in the final outcome as Webster missed three darts at doubles and Lewis cashed in to hit a 76 finish in two darts.
That put him a leg away from the match, and he kicked off the fourth leg with his ninth 180 to set up a 12-darter which he completed on double top to secure his semi-final berth.
"I am disappointed but I thought Adrian was the better player," said Webster. "I missed a couple of doubles at vital times towards the end and that was really costly for me.
"I^m delighted to get the semi-finals of the biggest darts tournament in the world for the second year in succession, and I will come back again.
"I^ve got to the semi-finals of the biggest tournament in the world and am really pleased with myself - but you don^t win world titles by beating Phil Taylor, you win world titles by winning the final and I^m disappointed I won^t get a chance to do that."