Morning:
13°c
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
London faces a wave of bus and Tube strikes that could cause chaos for millions of passengers as unions walkout over pay and conditions
More...
Power failure as Barney grabs the crown in thriller
Last updated at 23:52pm on 01.01.07
Thriller winner: Raymond van Barneveld
Raymond van Barneveld won the most amazing match in darts history to beat Phil The Power Taylor to be crowned Ladbrokes.com world champion.
Van Barneveld, a former postman from The Hague, won 7-6 in a match which lasted 3hours 10min, coming back from 3-0 and 5-3 down to beat the greatest player in the sport's history.
• Barney hopes cheap flights are Taylor-made for world title
The 39-year-old Dutchman, who left the BDO to join the PDC this year just to play Taylor, had achieved his aim.
The mission was completed when Van Barneveld — known as Barney — leapt into the smoke-filled air at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet to celebrate the double top which took the match in a final set shoot-out after a set that went to 5-5.
Taylor himself had missed a chance to win when he failed to complete a 148 check-out.
Taylor, the 13-times world champion, had started the match wearing the colours of Holland — orange.
Barney smiked but had the last laugh when he landed the £100,000 prize.
Van Barneveld, a four-times BDO champion, said: "I never thought I would win a leg. I kept missing darts for the match. The last leg was just fantastic."
The Englishman hit 10 180s, but Van Barneveld had an average of 101.06 as he hit 21 maximums — the most ever in a final. It was only the fifth time he has beaten Taylor in 17 years.
Taylor, 46, said: "He came back so well and it was the best final I have ever played in."
The future of world darts is indeed orange.
