Darts: Gary Anderson wins in Crawley
Saturday 13 September 2014 22:01, UK
Gary Anderson was in imperious form as he won his sixth PDC ProTour title of 2014 at Saturday's Players Championship 13 in Crawley, edging past Richie Burnett 6-5 in the final.
The Scottish star's superb form during the year continued as he claimed the £10,000 first prize at the K2 Centre, sweeping through the field to pick up the victory.
After wins over Richie Howson, Tony Newell and Steve Hine, Anderson was pushed all the way in the quarter-finals before edging out Kim Huybrechts, hitting an 11-darter in their deciding leg.
He then whitewashed Adrian Lewis in the semi-finals with a stunning 115 average - which he opened with legs of 13 and 12 darts which were bettered by closing legs of ten and 11 darts - before going all the way to a deciding 11th leg for the third time on the day by Burnett in a tight final.
Burnett took out 96, 114 and 80 as he opened up an early 3-1 lead, and he also added legs of 13 and 12 darts as he moved into a 5-3 cushion.
However, the Welshman paid the price for missing his chance to claim victory in the ninth leg before Anderson finished 70 to foce a decider, which he won in style as two 140s pulled him clear of Burnett before double 18 completed a 13-dart winning leg.
Burnett had claimed an 11th-leg victory in his semi-final against Brendan Dolan, as he took out 116 to book his place in the decider.
The Welsh ace also knocked out World Champion Michael van Gerwen, Dutch ace Vincent van der Voort and a fellow former Lakeside Champion, Steve Beaton, during a welcome return to form as he progressed through the field.
Northern Ireland's Dolan was denied his third PDC ProTour win of the year with his narrow semi-final loss to Burnett, having overcome Denis Ovens, John Henderson, Ryan Harrington, Benito van de Pas and Mervyn King along the way.
Lewis' run to the last four featured victories against Dan Russell, Dave Ladley, Kevin Painter, Keegan Brown and Gerwyn Price before his day was brought to a swift end by on-song Anderson.
Last weekend's European Darts Grand Prix champion King was unable to claim back-to-back titles as he exited in the quarter-finals, alongside Beaton, Huybrechts and emerging Welshman Price.
Price, a former rugby player, reached the last eight for the first time on the professional circuit since he came through Qualifying School in January, with Colin Lloyd, Aden Kirk, James Wade and Wayne Jones his victims on the day.
