Barneveld digs deep for title

Darts:   Raymond van Barneveld staged a magnificent fightback from three sets down against Phil Taylor to win the World Championship…

Darts:  Raymond van Barneveld staged a magnificent fightback from three sets down against Phil Taylor to win the World Championship final in Purfleet last night .

The showdown between the two best players on the planet had been billed as the dream final and that was completely justified as the Dutchman prevailed 7-6 to deny Taylor a 14th world title.

But he needed a dramatic sudden death leg to do it, finally hitting double top with his sixth match dart to end Taylor's reign and collect the £100,000 first prize.

No darts match had ever been more eagerly anticipated, with Van Barneveld having been lured to the Professional Darts Corporation to provide a credible challenge to the sport's dominant force.