Painter brushes off Barney's bid to retain crown

The player known as The Artist triumphed 4-2 to reach today's quarter-finals — and almost won the match with a nine-dart leg.

Masterstroke: Painter celebrates after dethroning champion Van Barneveld

As it was, Painter still produced gloss finish with just 10 darts to send Dutchman Barneveld home to Holland and no doubt back to bed to clear up a bout of flu.

Painter, 40, the runner-up in 2004, has been producing the most impressive darts of the tournament.

And even if Van Barneveld had not been ill, he would have been troubled by the Daventrybased player's consistency.

Painter hit nine 180s, leading 2-1 and then 3-2, breaking the throw in that fifth set as he headed towards thrilling triumph.

It was 2-2 in legs as Painter began with a 180 in what became that final leg. Next time to the oche he did the same. An amazing finish was on and although he missed that, when he returned he needed just one more dart to progress to the last eight.

Van Barneveld, 40, a five-times world champion, won the first set but the match changed when Painter found his rhythm.

The Dutchman was too upset to speak afterwards but Painter, who will meet Adrian Lewis tonight, said: "It's the best win of my career. I am delighted. A nine-darter would have been nice, but it is great to win.

"Only 18 months ago, I would have said it would be a miracle for me to beat Raymond but I have been playing some superb darts over the past year so I am not surprised. Barney has been a great champion but now it is someone else's turn.

"After 2004, I heard a lot of people saying I would never get another chance, but I know what I am capable of doing."

Wayne 'Hawaii 501' Mardle will be using a boxing computer game in his bid to remove Phil Taylor from the Ladbrokes.com PDC World Championships tonight.

Taylor squeezed into the quarter-finals with a 4-3 defeat of St Helens caretaker Alan Tabern and now he faces another tough clash with Mardle, of Romford.

Mardle, who has lost twice to Taylor in the semi-finals, plans to use the Nintendo Wii game his niece and nephew were given for Christmas.

He said: "I bought them the boxing game. I have played on it already and though it makes your arms ache with the movement and actions, it takes your mind completely off what is ahead and that is important before a match like this one. I intend to keep Phil under pressure all the time. If I can do my job properly then I will win because he is not buzzing.

"I'm not saying I'm different to the players he has met but if I am in front, I don't think he will get back at me. I don't know why Phil is not doing it but I can guarantee there is going to be a point in this tournament where he hits everything. I just hope he does it on the practice board before I play him. The key to beating Phil is to stick with him and let him know you're there."

Peter Manley, a three-times runner-up in the world championship, will do his best to wind up opponent Kirk Shepherd if he has to in this afternoon's quarter-finals.

Shepherd, 21, a qualifier who was 500-1 to win the title before the start of the tournament, has been on a tremendous run to the last eight. He beat No 13 seed Barrie Bates 4-2 yesterday while Manley, 45, the No 5, defeated Dutchman Jan van der Rassel 4-1.

Manley said: "The young lad's played well and all credit to him, but he's not just going to have to play darts against me, he's going to have to deal with everything.

"If he gets in front, I'll do anything within the laws of the game to stop him playing."