Oliver's Sports Blog

Steve 'The Bronzed Adonis' Beaton, back to winning ways with a first round victory over Fallon Sherrock (photo from PDC) Yesterday saw the last action at the World Darts Championship before the Christmas break, with the final second round matches being held. Play will resume on the 27 th , but before then it is worth looking at the best games we’ve seen in the tournament so far. I’ve ordered these matches from the earliest to most recent and chosen them both on the standard of darts and the entertainment they provided. Of course, any list like this is bound to be subjective – everyone will have their own favourite matches. With that said, though, here are my picks:   Willie Borland vs Bradley Brooks (17 December) Following on from a lacklustre start to the evening session by Joe Murnan and Paul Lim, Willie Borland and Bradley Brooks would produce perhaps the greatest first round game the World Championship has seen. The first two sets were one-sided affairs, with Brooks...

In 2007, Raymond van Barneveld won one of the greatest darts matches of all time to take  the world title. Now, he is making his World Championship return after a year out of the sport. (Photo from Getty Images) Tonight, former world champion Raymond van Barneveld will make his return to the Alexandra Palace stage, facing the Philippines’ Lourence Ilagan in a first-round tie. No doubt Barneveld, or ‘Barney’ as he is known to the darts world, will be received enthusiastically by the crowd, just as he was before he seemingly retired from darts for good in 2020. When Barneveld’s walk-on music of ‘Eye of the Tiger’ begins, the cries of ‘Barney Army’ will start. But, of course, Barneveld did not reverse his retirement decision simply to take part. Rather, this seems to be the Dutchman’s quest for redemption, after his career, which reached its pinnacle at the 2007 World Championship with his 7-6 victory over Phil Taylor in a sudden-death leg, ended the way it did. Before the 201...

Gary Anderson on his way to a 3-1 victory over Adrian Lewis (photo from Getty Images) Day two of the 2022 World Darts Championship finished with one of the standout ties of the second round, as Gary Anderson and Adrian Lewis faced off. Both double world champions (Lewis in 2011 and 2012, Anderson in 2015 and 2016), the two had twice faced each other in world championship finals. In 2011, it was Lewis who came out on top, beating Anderson 7-5 to win his first world title. In 2016, Anderson had his revenge, beating Lewis in an exact reversal of the scoreline (7-5) to secure his second title. There was therefore much anticipation by the time the two players’ walk on songs began. When the match began, Anderson, using new darts, initially had the upper hand, taking out a 116 checkout to go 2-1 up in legs. And, leaving himself with 57 in the next leg, it looked as though Anderson would have a good chance to take the first set. However, Lewis then checked out 96 (treble 20, double 18) to br...

Ritchie Edhouse, giving defending champion Price a scare on the last match of the night (photo from PDC) The William Hill World Darts Championship kicked off last night from its home of Alexandra Palace in London. Even before the first players toed the oche, the atmosphere was already alive, as fans returned to Ally Pally after last year’s tournament was forced to go behind closed doors. With plenty of Santa hats, ‘180’ signs, and chants ('Stand up, if you love the darts!'), it was clear that the jovial, boisterous atmosphere of the darts was back. And how we’ve missed it! First on the stage was Ritchie Edhouse, qualifying via the Pro Tour, against Peter Hudson, who, having been third reserve, only received the call-up a day before after China’s Lihao Wen was forced to withdraw due to visa issues. The game proved to be a tale of missed doubles for Edhouse, who, although taking the first set, soon found himself 2-1 down as he faced difficulties checking out. This left Hudson, ...

A champagne-soaked Christian Horner (left) and Max Verstappen (right) celebrate their success on the podium after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Yesterday Max Verstappen won the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship title in a last-race decider, bringing one of the most thrilling seasons in the sport’s history to a close. The final showdown between Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, and his Mercedes rival, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, began on Saturday with qualifying. The practise sessions earlier seemed to indicate that Mercedes had the edge. Yet it was Verstappen who clinched pole, setting the fastest lap through excellent coordination with his teammate, Sergio Perez, who gave Max a tow to boost his speed. However, when the race began, Hamilton got the better start and moved ahead. Verstappen stayed with the Mercedes, though, and on turn six seized on an opportunity to retake the lead, moving ahead on the inside of Hamilton. This prompted Hamilton to go off track and rejoin ah...