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Wales 1 – 5 England

Wales bowed out the World Cup in the semi-final stage at the hands of an England team containing the world’s top two players.

Mark Webster’s chances of reaching the final for a second consecutive year were ended when he and Richie Burnett fell at the final hurdle.

The pair played fantastic darts throughout the tournament but were unable to overcome the favourites in the last four.

Photo: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

Richie Burnett 4 – 1 Phil Taylor

Richie Burnett inflicted more misery on world number one Phil Taylor by condemning ‘The Power’ to defeat with a stunning performance. The Welshman averaged 108 in his win over the 15-time world champion.

Burnett started well by winning the first leg against the throw. He hit his first 180 in the following leg before taking out 60 to double his advantage. Taylor pulled a leg back before Burnett hit double top to move within a leg of victory.

‘The Prince of Wales’ took out 76 to complete a brilliant win, which gave Wales the first point of the match.

MARK WEBSTER 0 – 4 Adrian Lewis

Mark Webster suffered a defeat at the hands of world champion Adrian Lewis, who produced a brilliant display to beat the Welshman.

Webster hit a 180 in the opening leg but Lewis won all four legs with a strong performance. The reigning World Champion posted a 104 average and levelled up the match for England.

MARK WEBSTER 1 –  4 Phil Taylor

Mark Webster became the victim of a Phil Taylor backlash, when the world number one returned to form to win his first singles match of the tournament.

Taylor won the first leg before checking out 66 to double his lead. Webster stormed back by hitting double ten after setting it up from 170. ‘Spider’ just missed double top in the next leg though, and Taylor hit double three to restore his advantage.

‘The Power’ hit an eleven darter to put England a point in front in the match.

Richie Burnett 3 – 4 Adrian Lewis

Richie Burnett was beaten by Adrian Lewis in his second singles match of the semi-final despite another impressive performance.

It took an almighty effort from Lewis to win the first leg as he checked out 155 with Burnett waiting on his double. ‘The Prince of Wales’ hit double ten to restore parity. He followed that up with his second maximum before producing a sensational 93 finish of 25, 18, Bull to edge in front.

Burnett hit another 180 to kick off the fourth leg but ‘Jackpot’ drew level. Lewis then took the lead with a 111 checkout before Burnett forced a deciding leg.

The world champion hit double top to deny Burnett the victory, meaning that Wales would have to win the pairs to force a sudden death decider.

Photo: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

WEBSTER & Burnett 2 –  4 Taylor & Lewis

Mark Webster and Richie Burnett were denied a place in the World Cup final after suffering defeat at the hands of the two highest ranked players in the World.

Lewis hit double top to give England the lead. Burnett responded with the first 180 of the showdown before hitting double ten to draw level.

Taylor took out 111 to restore England’s, and Lewis doubled it by hitting double 16. Burnett hit another 180 as Wales attempted to fight back, before hitting double two to leave them in with a chance.

It wasn’t to be for Wales though, as Lewis took out 65 to send England through to the final.

By Chris Murphy

Australia  5 – 1 Netherlands

Australia powered their way through to the World Cup final with an impressive victory in Hamburg.

Simon Whitlock and Paul Nicholson produced another stunning performance in the pairs to eliminate defending champions Holland.

Photo: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

SIMON WHITLOCK 4 – 3 VINCENT VAN DER VOORT

Simon Whitlock continued his strong run of form in Hamburg as he beat Vincent van der Voort in the first singles match of the semi-final.

The world number five edged out his opponent in a last leg decider to give Australia an early lead in the match.

Both players missed doubles in the first leg before van der Voort held his throw. Whitlock hit double top at the first attempt in leg two to go level, and he took the lead by hitting double eight to win the third leg.

‘The Wizard’ hit his first maximum in the next leg before checking out 64 to edge closer to victory. Van der Voort fired in a 180 on his way to reducing the deficit to a single leg, and a 174 helped ‘The Dutch Destroyer’ force a decider.

Whitlock triumphed by taking out 60 to get a point on the board for Australia.

PAUL NICHOLSON 0 – 4 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD

Raymond van Barneveld claimed a comfortable win over Paul Nicholson to pull Holland level in the match.

Photo: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

Van Barneveld continued his unbeaten record against ‘The Asset’ as he beat his opponent in straight legs.

‘Barney’ hit double top to take the first leg before checking out 62 to double his lead. The Dutchman hit double 16 to move within a leg of winning the game.

The five-time world champion finished the job in style by producing a sensational 148 checkout to complete the whitewash.

SIMON WHITLOCK 4 – 2 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD

Simon Whitlock maintained his perfect record in singles matches by inflicting Raymond van Barneveld’s first defeat.

The Australian raced three legs in front of his opponent before holding off a mini fight-back to seal his second win of the semi-final.

Van Barneveld started the game in style with a 180 but Whitlock fought back and hit double nine to snatch the leg. ‘The Wizard’ hit double ten to win the second leg.

Whitlock hit a 180 and followed it up by checking out 44 to go three legs in front. ‘Barney’ hit double 13 to pull a leg back, before getting himself right back in the game with a brilliant 87 checkout on the bull.

Whitlock just missed the bull for a 124 checkout but cleaned up the 25 to win the match and put Australia back in the overall lead.

PAUL NICHOLSON 4 – 2 VINCENT VAN DER VOORT

Paul Nicholson recovered from his earlier defeat by producing a fantastic performance to beat Vincent van der Voort.

Nicholson showed his class, posting a couple of fabulous legs to beat the Dutchman 4-2.

Van der Voort won the first leg before Nicholson hit double top to grab his first leg of the session. ‘The Asset’ hit double eight to take the lead but ‘The Dutch Destroyer’ pegged him straight back by hitting double sixteen.

Nicholson then posted a solid leg, with back to back 140’s followed by a ton, before setting up and hitting double 16. The Australian then secured victory with a brilliant eleven dart leg.

Nicholson’s victory gave his team a 3-1 advantage going into the decisive doubles game, which was worth 2 points.

WHITLOCK & NICHOLSON 4 – 0 VAN BARNEVELD & VAN DER VOORT

Australia took charge when Whitlock hit double ten to take the opening leg. Nicholson found the same bed to double the lead, before his teammate produced a stunning 105 finish to move within a leg of the final.

‘The Wizard’ then took out 110 to finish the job in style and secure the first spot in tonight’s final.

Australia will play either Wales or England for the World Cup title.

By Chris Murphy

Netherlands 4 – 0 Northern Ireland

The Netherlands moved a step closer to retaining their World Cup title after beating Northern Ireland in the quarter-final.

Vincent van der Voort and Raymond van Barneveld both won their singles matches before joining forces to win the pairs to set up a semi-final clash with Australia.

VINCENT VAN DER VOORT 4 – 3 Brendan Dolan

Photo: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

Vincent van der Voort produced a brilliant fight-back against Brendan Dolan to claim Holland’s first point of the quarter-final.

The fastest player in the world had to win three consecutive legs, two of which were against the throw, to claim victory from the jaws of defeat.

‘The Dutch Destroyer’ took out a neat 76 checkout to level after Dolan had won the first leg. The Irishman won the next two legs to open up a 3-1 lead in the race to four.

Van der Voort hit double sixteen in consecutive legs to force a decider. The Dutchman hit a 180 in the final leg before hitting double three to win the match, giving the Netherlands a one point lead overall.

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 4 – 2 Michael Mansell

Raymond van Barneveld produced another strong display to overcome Northern Ireland’s Micky Mansell. The defending champion trailed twice in the quarter-final tie but hit back to make it two wins out of two for Holland in the singles.

Photo: Lawrence Lustig/PDC

Mansell won the first leg before ‘Barney’ hit tops to draw level. The Irishman then hit the same double to go back in front. Van Barneveld restored parity with a tidy 97 finish. He followed it up with a maximum and then hit double eight to take the lead for the first time.

The five time world champion hit double sixteen to seal the win and double his nation’s overall lead, meaning the best Northern Ireland could hope for from the doubles was to force a sudden death leg.

VAN DER VOORT & VAN BARNEVELD 4 – 3 Dolan & Mansell

Raymond van Barneveld and Vincent van der Voort made it four points out of four in the quarter-final with victory in the pairs.

The Dutch team won a final leg decider against Northern Ireland’s Brendan Dolan and Michael Mansell to secure their place in tomorrow’s semi-finals.

Van Barneveld opened with a 180 and his teammate hit double ten to put Holland in front. Their opponents drew level with a 14 dart leg before van der Voort took out 76 restore his team’s lead.

Northern Ireland won the fourth leg to level up once more. ‘Barney’ hit another maximum in response, and then hit double six to edge back in front.

Dolan hit double three to force a deciding leg, which Holland won when van der Voort produced a clinical 90 finish.

The Netherlands will play Australia in tomorrow’s semi-final.

By Chris Murphy