Review of the year

Barney and Wade bring an end to Taylor's supremacy

By Phil Jackson   Last updated: 24th December 2007

raymond van barneveld world championship 2007

Barney: Cream of the crop

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Two thousand and seven has seen a power shift in the world of darts with Raymond van Barneveld leading the threat to Phil Taylor's domination of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC).

The 13-time world champion's relatively indifferent year has paved the way for 'Barney' and a new generation of darting talents to emerge and stake their claims for the future.

Van 'The Man'

Four-time British Darts Organisation (BDO) world champion Van Barneveld crossed the divide to join the PDC's elite in February 2006.

And in his first World Championship he produced an unbelievable display of dartistry to defeat 'The Power' in an epic final in Purfleet.

Both darting demigods had demonstrated imperious form throughout the tournament, dropping just five sets between them in the run up to the final, before producing a fitting farewell for the Circus Tavern.

In the end it was 'Barney' who reigned supreme after staging an unbelievable comeback to edge a 7-6 thriller, which climaxed with a final leg shoot-out.

Van 'The Man' threw 21 maximums en route to victory after losing the first three sets and he deservedly claimed his place atop the darting world.

New Master

The Dutch supremo reinforced his growing reputation with a 7-0 whitewash of England's group winner Peter 'One Dart' Manley in the Masters of Darts final.

Dutch wonderkid 'Mighty Mike' Michael van Gerwen had earlier announced his arrival to the PDC with victory over a shaken Taylor, who fell at the tournament's first hurdle, and a nine-darter in his semi-final defeat to 'Barney'.

Power back on

'The Power' did bounce back with victory in the Premier League though with a 16-6 win over Van Barneveld's conqueror Terry 'The Bull' Jenkins in the final.

Success saw Taylor extend his incredible unbeaten record in the tournament to 44 matches, recording successive victories over 'Barney' in the process.

Brilliant Barney

Taylor picked up where he left off at the UK Open, hitting his fifth televised nine-darter en route to the quarter-finals, before his nemesis struck again to inflict an emphatic 11-4 defeat.

And Van Barneveld then went on to defend his title with a 16-8 mauling of compatriot 'Greased Lightning' Vincent van der Voort in the final.

Barney unbeatable

More pain was to follow for Taylor in the first round of the Las Vegas Desert Classic, and this time it was Mark 'Flash' Dudbridge who knocked three-time champion Taylor out.

Van Barneveld went on to claim his third major title of 2007, with Jenkins again the victim comprehensively beaten in the final, at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

One for Wade

But Adrian 'Jackpot' Lewis got the better of 'Barney' at the World Matchplay in July and Taylor was beaten by Jenkins in the last four as things went from bad to worse for the world number one.

'009' James Wade claimed his first major PDC title with an 18-7 final victory over Jenkins as a result and he has gone on to become world number three.

009 Doubles Up

Wade cemented his spot as the biggest rival to the top seeds, with Jenkins again the unfortunate runner-up, at the SkyBet World Grand Prix in October.

The man named 2006's Young Player of the Year produced a scintillating display to beat 'Barney' en route to the final while Taylor - in only his third defeat in the 10-year history of the event - was elimated by 'ThreeStyler' Adrian Gray in the first round.

Grand Slam Glory

But 'The Power' warmed up for his assault on Van Barneveld's world championship with success at November's inaugural Grand Slam of Darts.

Jenkins ended 'Barney's' hopes in the second round stage, leaving Taylor free to go on and beat Andy 'The Hammer' Hamilton 18-11 in the final and remind the doubters of his ability on the big occasion.

Follow the fortunes of the top two as they renew their rivalry live on Sky Sports in 2008.