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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Barney stuns Taylor in epic final | Barney stuns Taylor in epic final |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Raymond van Barneveld claimed his first PDC World Championship title after defeating 13-time world champion Phil Taylor 7-6 in a thrilling final. | Raymond van Barneveld claimed his first PDC World Championship title after defeating 13-time world champion Phil Taylor 7-6 in a thrilling final. |
| The Dutchman had to come from behind after Taylor produced a storming opening to take a 3-0 lead. | The Dutchman had to come from behind after Taylor produced a storming opening to take a 3-0 lead. |
| But Van Barneveld, who defected from rival organisation the BDO in February, fought back to level the match at 5-5. | But Van Barneveld, who defected from rival organisation the BDO in February, fought back to level the match at 5-5. |
| The pair then traded sets before Van Barneveld edged a nervy sudden-death leg to take the crown in Purfleet. | The pair then traded sets before Van Barneveld edged a nervy sudden-death leg to take the crown in Purfleet. |
| The contest was billed as a dream final and that was how it panned out with both players producing stunning performances. | The contest was billed as a dream final and that was how it panned out with both players producing stunning performances. |
| Taylor, sporting a snazzy orange shirt, had won the right to throw first after getting nearest the bull backstage but, as usual, gave the honour to his opponent in a bid to make an early breakthrough. | Taylor, sporting a snazzy orange shirt, had won the right to throw first after getting nearest the bull backstage but, as usual, gave the honour to his opponent in a bid to make an early breakthrough. |
| And that is what the Englishman did as he recorded checkouts of 164 and 111 in an awesome start to leave Van Barneveld reeling 3-0 behind. | |
| It's an unbelievable start to the new year for me Raymond van Barneveld | It's an unbelievable start to the new year for me Raymond van Barneveld |
| The 39-year-old from The Hague finally got on the scoreboard with a whitewash in the fourth set with the help of a 170 checkout - the first time that had been achieved in the tournament. | The 39-year-old from The Hague finally got on the scoreboard with a whitewash in the fourth set with the help of a 170 checkout - the first time that had been achieved in the tournament. |
| Barney then took the next set but Taylor restored his two-set advantage at 4-2 before making it 5-3. | Barney then took the next set but Taylor restored his two-set advantage at 4-2 before making it 5-3. |
| Van Barneveld, a four-time winner of the BDO version of the world title, refused to buckle and levelled the match at 5-5. | Van Barneveld, a four-time winner of the BDO version of the world title, refused to buckle and levelled the match at 5-5. |
| 606 DEBATE: Your reaction to Van Barneveld's triumph | |
| He then took the lead for the first time after fighting back from 2-0 down but Taylor dug in as the tension mounted to take the match into a decider. | He then took the lead for the first time after fighting back from 2-0 down but Taylor dug in as the tension mounted to take the match into a decider. |
| The first 10 legs of the final set went with the throw but Taylor had to chase the game, and Van Barneveld had four darts for the match. | The first 10 legs of the final set went with the throw but Taylor had to chase the game, and Van Barneveld had four darts for the match. |
| The Dutchman missed them all but after winning the honour for the sudden-death leg, he produced some high scoring. | The Dutchman missed them all but after winning the honour for the sudden-death leg, he produced some high scoring. |
| He missed a double top at his first attempt but returned to the board with Taylor well adrift to seal a dramatic victory. | He missed a double top at his first attempt but returned to the board with Taylor well adrift to seal a dramatic victory. |
| "It's an unbelievable start to the new year for me," said Van Barneveld. | "It's an unbelievable start to the new year for me," said Van Barneveld. |
| "In the first three sets I hardly won a leg and I just wanted to get one or two sets. Taylor was just not missing any doubles. | "In the first three sets I hardly won a leg and I just wanted to get one or two sets. Taylor was just not missing any doubles. |
| I tried my hardest but couldn't quite get over the last hurdle Phil Taylor | I tried my hardest but couldn't quite get over the last hurdle Phil Taylor |
| "I missed darts for the match and Phil was unstoppable in the legs when he threw first, even though I put lots of pressure on him." | "I missed darts for the match and Phil was unstoppable in the legs when he threw first, even though I put lots of pressure on him." |
| Van Barneveld fired 21 maximum 180s and admitted producing a top-draw performance was his only chance of victory. | Van Barneveld fired 21 maximum 180s and admitted producing a top-draw performance was his only chance of victory. |
| "That says a lot about what you need to do to defeat this man," he added. "Maybe I was the better player today. | "That says a lot about what you need to do to defeat this man," he added. "Maybe I was the better player today. |
| "We are very close friends and I think when Phil stops playing a statue should be made of him because what he has done for the sport is unbelievable." | "We are very close friends and I think when Phil stops playing a statue should be made of him because what he has done for the sport is unbelievable." |
| Taylor said it was probably the finest match he had contested in 18 years of World Championship action. | Taylor said it was probably the finest match he had contested in 18 years of World Championship action. |
| "Of all the finals I've played in, I would probably put this one as the best," he said. | "Of all the finals I've played in, I would probably put this one as the best," he said. |
| "In the last leg, when I kicked in with 180, I thought 'I've got you now', but he hit a 180 back. | "In the last leg, when I kicked in with 180, I thought 'I've got you now', but he hit a 180 back. |
| "It was probably the best final leg I've ever played in. | "It was probably the best final leg I've ever played in. |
| "He has got loads of bottle and came back well. I was cruising at 3-0 up but fair play to him. | "He has got loads of bottle and came back well. I was cruising at 3-0 up but fair play to him. |
| "There's nothing I could do. I tried my hardest but couldn't quite get over the last hurdle." | "There's nothing I could do. I tried my hardest but couldn't quite get over the last hurdle." |