DUTCH DUO WIN BETWAY WORLD CUP THRILLER
THE Netherlands' Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld survived a Doubles shoot-out against Australia to reach the Betway World Cup of Darts semi-finals alongside England, Northern Ireland and Belgium on Sunday afternoon.
The two-time World Cup winners were pushed all the way by Simon Whitlock and Kyle Anderson in a quarter-final of the highest quality in Frankfurt before progressing to the last four of the £250,000 event.
World number one van Gerwen had defeated Whitlock 4-1 in their Singles clash - although the Australian led 1-0 and missed doubles in three other legs - before Anderson edged out van Barneveld 4-3 in their Singles game.
The Doubles decider ebbed and flowed as the Dutch opened with a 12-darter, Whitlock finished a 13-darter on double 18 and Anderson took out 65 to move Australia 2-1 up.
Back-to-back 14-dart legs from the Dutch, which included two 180s from van Barneveld, moved them ahead before Australia threatened a nine-darter by opening with two maximums in leg six, as Whitlock missed treble 15 for an eighth perfect dart before Anderson's double 16 sent the tie all the way.
The Dutch pair, though, responded by teeing up a nine-darter themselves as van Gerwen and van Barneveld opened with 180s, and though they also missed out on a perfect leg it was the five-time World Champion who finished an 11-darter to snatch a dramatic win.
The Netherlands will now meet Belgium in the semi-finals, after the 2013 finalists saw off Scotland in another Doubles decider.
Kim Huybrechts defeated World Champion Gary Anderson 4-2 in their Singles tie before Robert Thornton's 4-1 win over Ronny Huybrechts took the tie all the way, but younger brother Kim hit the winning double for Belgium in all four legs as they took the Pairs game 4-2 for victory.
Reigning champions England cruised into the semi-finals with a 2-0 defeat of Austria, with Phil Taylor whitewashing Mensur Suljovic 4-0 with a 100 average before Adrian Lewis saw off Rowby-John Rodriguez 4-1 by averaging 103 and hitting finishes of 117 and 110.
England now play Northern Ireland in the last four, after Brendan Dolan and Daryl Gurney overcame Canada 4-1 in their Doubles decider.
Three-time World Champion John Part came from 3-2 down to defeat Dolan 4-3 in their Singles tie, but Gurney whitewashed Ken MacNeil 4-0 before helping his partner reach a second semi-final in three years.
The Betway World Cup of Darts will conclude on Sunday evening with the semi-finals and final at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt.
Watch through Sky Sports and the PDC's series of international broadcast partners listed below.
Betway World Cup of Darts
Quarter-Final Draw Bracket
England (1) v Austria (8)
Canada v Northern Ireland (4)
Scotland (2) v Belgium (7)
Australia (6) v Netherlands (3)
Betway World Cup of Darts
Sunday June 5
Afternoon Session
Quarter-Finals Order of Play
Canada 1-2 Northern Ireland
England 2-0 Austria
Scotland 1-2 Belgium
Australia 1-2 Netherlands
Evening Session (8pm local time)
Semi-Finals
England v Northern Ireland
Belgium v Netherlands
Final
England/Northern Ireland v Belgium/Netherlands
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MATCH INFORMATION
Canada v Northern Ireland
Singles One: John Part v Brendan Dolan
1-0 - Part hits a 180 before finishing double eight to win the opening leg.
2-0 - Dolan misses seven darts at doubles, and Part steps in on double 16 to break throw and move two legs up.
2-1 - Dolan regains his range by finishing 48 on double 16 to respond.
2-2 - Another double 16 finish sees the Northern Irish ace level.
2-3 - Dolan opens with 180 and 140, and when Part misses tops for a 118 checkout the former World Grand Prix finalist takes out tops to complete a 14-darter for another break to move ahead.
3-3 - Dolan sees four match darts go begging, as he misses the bull for a 170 finish and two darts at double 16, and Part lands double 16 to send the game into a decider.
4-3 - Part, with the advantage of throw, is first to a finish and lands double 16 to secure the opening Singles win for Canada.
Averages: John Part 81.47, Brendan Dolan 79.46
Singles Two: Ken MacNeil v Daryl Gurney
0-1 - Gurney lands double ten to win the opening leg.
0-2 - Gurney hits a 180 before finishing double ten to break throw, after MacNeil is unable to finish 100.
0-3 - A sensational 151 checkout moves Gurney three legs clear.
0-4 - Gurney finishes double one as he seals the win, sending the game into a Doubles decider.
Averages: Ken MacNeil 73.17, Daryl Gurney 82.36
Doubles: Part/MacNeil v Dolan/Gurney
0-1 - Canada open with a 180 from Part, but Dolan wins the opening leg by finishing a 13-darter on double 16.
1-1 - Dolan misses three darts to win the leg for Northern Ireland, and Part capitalises with a two-dart 68 finish to level for Canada.
1-2 - Gurney hits a 180 and wins the leg on double 15 to move Northern Ireland back ahead.
1-3 - Dolan takes out 70 on double eight to move Northern Ireland a leg away from the semi-finals.
1-4 - All four players miss darts at doubles before Dolan returns on double five to seal triumph for his nation.
Averages: Canada 77.93, Northern Ireland 88.06
Final Score: Canada 1-2 Northern Ireland
England v Austria
Singles One: Phil Taylor v Mensur Suljovic
1-0 - Suljovic misses double seven to win the opener, and Taylor breaks throw with double 16.
2-0 - Taylor again lands double 16 to move two legs up.
3-0 - The pair trade 180s, with Suljovic missing one double to hit back as Taylor returns to hit a third-dart double top and claim a third leg.
4-0 - Another double top finish sees Taylor complete victory with a 100 average.
Averages: Phil Taylor 100.20, Mensur Suljovic 92.15
Singles Two: Adrian Lewis v Rowby-John Rodriguez
1-0 - Lewis finishes eight to win the opening leg.
2-0 - Rodriguez opens with 180 and 140 but pays for five missed doubles as Lewis takes out double two to break throw.
3-0 - Rodriguez lands another maximum, but Lewis finishes 117 to move three legs up.
3-1 - Rodriguez finishes a third-dart double four to hit back for Austria, keeping his nation's hopes alive.
4-1 - Rodriguez fires in a 174 score, but Lewis lands a 180 and then takes out 110 to secure victory and a semi-final place for England.
Averages: Adrian Lewis 103.24, Rowby-John Rodriguez 102.59
Doubles: Taylor/Lewis v Suljovic/Rodriguez
Not Needed
Final Score: England 2-0 Austria
Scotland v Belgium
Singles One: Gary Anderson v Kim Huybrechts
0-1 - Both players land 180s, with Huybrechts initially missing five darts at doubles before returning on double two, after Anderson misses double 16 for a 143 finish to break throw.
1-1 - Anderson levels with double four.
1-2 - Anderson fires in a 180, but Huybrechts finishes 89 to edge back ahead.
2-2 - Anderson takes out 68 on double two as he squares the game again.
2-3 - Anderson hits his third 180, but misses three darts at doubles across two visits as Huybrechts steps in on double four.
2-4 - Huybrechts takes out 81 on double 12 to claim the opening Singles win for Belgium.
Averages: Gary Anderson 96.52, Kim Huybrechts 96.03
Singles Two: Robert Thornton v Ronny Huybrechts
1-0 - Both players land 180s, with Huybrechts missing three darts at double four to see Thornton hit double nine for the opener.
2-0 - Thornton lands another maximum before taking out 104.
3-0 - Thornton hits a third 180 as many legs before double ten continues his charge.
3-1 - Huybrechts lands his second maximum before hitting double 16 to respond.
4-1 - Huybrechts misses a dart at tops, and Thornton hits double two to seal the win and force a Doubles decider.
Averages: Robert Thornton 89.89, Ronny Huybrechts 86.04
Doubles: Anderson/Thornton v Huybrechts/Huybrechts
0-1 - Anderson opens with a 180 for Scotland, but Kim Huybrechts finishes double eight for a 14-darter to give Belgium the lead.
0-2 - Both Scottish aces miss three darts at doubles, and the younger Huybrechts brother lands tops to double the Belgians' lead.
1-2 - Anderson finishes 54 on tops to hit back for Scotland.
1-3 - Kim Huybrechts and Anderson trade 180s, but two misses at tops from the World Champion are punished as the Belgian hits the same bed to complete a 14-darter.
2-3 - Anderson fires in a 180, with Ronny Huybrechts leaving his brother 40 for the match only to see Thornton finish 81 for an 11-darter to keep Scotland's hopes alive.
2-4 - Kim Huybrechts lands a 177 score before returning to finish double top for another 14-darter to move the 2013 finalists into the semi-finals.
Averages: Scotland 94.70, Belgium 96.34
Final Score: Scotland 1-2 Belgium
Australia v Netherlands
Singles One: Simon Whitlock v Michael van Gerwen
1-0 - van Gerwen fires in a maximum only to miss three darts at doubles as Whitlock steps in on double ten to win the opener.
1-1 - Both players land 180s before van Gerwen delights the Frankfurt crowd with a showpiece 132 finish of two bullseyes and double 16.
1-2 - Whitlock misses two darts at double 19 to finish 98, and van Gerwen takes out 100 to lead.
1-3 - Another miss from Whitlock, at double 18, allows van Gerwen in to take out 60 to open up a two-leg cushion.
1-4 - Whitlock lands a 180, but three further missed doubles allow van Gerwen in to complete a 14-darter as he gives the Netherlands the opening Singles win.
Averages: Simon Whitlock 94.15, Michael van Gerwen 98.49
Singles Two: Kyle Anderson v Raymond van Barneveld
0-1 - van Barneveld takes out 96 on double eight to win the opening leg.
1-1 - Double 16 sees Anderson level.
2-1 - Three missed doubles from van Barneveld allow Anderson in to break throw with a third-dart double 12.
3-1 - Anderson finishes 49 on double 16 to move two legs clear - as he seeks to force a Doubles decider.
3-2 - van Barneveld finishes 116 on double 18 to hit back.
3-3 - van Barneveld takes out 81 for an 11-darter to send the game into a deciding leg.
4-3 - van Barneveld is first to a finish, but misses five darts to put the Netherlands into the semi-finals, and Anderson takes out 70 on double four to take the tie into a Doubles decider.
Averages: Kyle Anderson 94.62, Raymond van Barneveld 91.44
Doubles: Whitlock/Anderson v van Gerwen/van Barneveld
0-1 - van Gerwen opens with a 180 and van Barneveld hits a 140 before landing double 16 to complete a 12-darter in the opening leg.
1-1 - Australia respond with a 13-dart leg as Anderson fires in a maximum and Whitlock finishes double 18.
2-1 - Anderson's 65 checkout on tops moves Australia ahead.
2-2 - van Barneveld posts a 180 before van Gerwen finishes tops for a 14-darter to level.
2-3 - Another van Barneveld 180 is followed by double six for a 14-darter to move the Dutch duo ahead.
3-3 - Whitlock and Anderson set up a possible nine-darter by both landing 180s, with Whitlock hitting a seventh treble 20 only to miss the treble 15 on the 141 combination - but Anderson finishes double 16 for a 12-darter to send the match into a one-leg shoot-out.
3-4 - The Dutch also threaten a nine-darter as both players hit 180s, and though van Gerwen is unable to complete a perfect leg he sets up van Barneveld to finish 76 for an 11-darter to claim victory from a brilliant contest.
Averages: Australia 96.77, Netherlands 107.77
Final Score: Australia 1-2 Netherlands