Darts biggest party is back as the Premier League roadshow heads to a venue near you! The SSE Arena in Belfast hosts the first of 17 individual venues from Thursday, February 2 with the Play-Offs returning to The O2 in London on Thursday, May 25 - live on Sky Sports
Wednesday 4 January 2023 06:58, UK
Michael Smith landed an incredible nine-dart finish on his way to claiming World Championship glory for the first time in a classic encounter against Michael van Gerwen at Alexandra Palace on Tuesday night.
In a final that lived up all the pre-match hype, Smith fulfilled his darting destiny by becoming world champion, defeating Van Gerwen 7-4 in an epic encounter.
Smith followed up his breakthrough win at last month's Grand Slam of Darts by claiming the sport's biggest prize, which also lifted him to world No 1 for the first time in his career.
The St Helens ace struck his perfect nine-darter in the third leg of the second set, just moments after Van Gerwen had missed double 12 for the holy grail himself.
"It sounds amazing, but I don't want to start getting into the crying and emotions," said Smith. "Michael let me off there and I finally took a chance I didn't deserve but I still got that chance.
"I told you when I got the Grand Slam, I will be a world champion and I want to do what this man (Van Gerwen) has done, I want to take over the sport but he is still here.
"It is 1-1 now in the Worlds and I took my chances, but he knows and I do, it is not going to be the last one here where we play each other.
"I have said it for years, he is the best player in darts and we have got to take our chances and I finally took it."
The start was everything a packed Ally Pally could have wished for with both players going at it hammer and tongs. However, the first set went the way of Van Gerwen 3-1 against the darts with a 99.3 average and two 180s.
The third leg of the second set saw absolutely astonishing scenes with Smith landing the first nine-darter of the tournament and 14th in the history of the tournament after Van Gerwen missed double 12 for one of his own.
Smith went on to level things up by taking the set 3-1 with an incredible 128.09 set average, winning it in just 34 darts, as MVG set a new record of the highest losing average in a set with 120.73.
The 32-year-old then hit the front for the first time in the contest just after wiring the bull for a spectacular 170 checkout.
In a real heavyweight clash Van Gerwen defied two 180s in the leg from Smith to complete a stunning 90 finish with two double 18s before Smith nailed his 11th 180 of the game to break the tournament record of 880. But it was Van Gerwen who made it 2-2 after sinking 83 for a whitewash set.
Van Gerwen then produced a stunning 10-dart leg to force a fifth set decider which he clinched against the throw in 14 darts to regain the upper-hand.
Back came 'Bully Boy' to clinch the sixth set 3-1 and restore parity with an impressive 13 maximums to his name in what was turning into a classic back and forth clash.
Smith, who won Grand Slam of Darts title in November to break his major TV title duck, pinned a pulsating 130 finish in the fourth leg of the seventh set at which point Van Gerwen packed his darts away before realising there was still a deciding leg to play.
He was putting them away moments later, though, after missing darts at doubles to allow Smith to take a 4-3 advantage.
Smith, featuring in his third world championship final in five years, opened up a cushion for the first time, moving two clear, before 'Bully Boy' made it four sets in a row when he reeled off another without reply to go within one of the world title.
MVG held his nerve to seal the 10th set to stop the rot and keep his title hopes alive, but the Dutchman squandered a two-leg lead in the next set with Smith taking out a big 106 finish and then sinking double eight to finally get his hands on the Sid Waddell Trophy.
"I wasn't playing too well in the last few sets, but you can only blame yourself for that. It doesn't take anything away from Michael, because I think he played brilliantly the whole game. Fair play to him. He deserved it," admitted Van Gerwen.
"I wasn't what I wanted to be but that's part of the game unfortunately and you have to take it on the chin."
Belfast will play host to the opening night of the 2023 Premier League, with the schedule confirmed for this year's roadshow.
The new season will begin at the SSE Arena in Belfast on Thursday, February 2, the first of 17 individual venues, which will be staged on Thursday nights from February to May.
It will retain the same Premier League format as introduced successfully in 2022, where the eight players compete each night in a knockout format before the top four players from the final league table progress to the Play-Offs which will return to The O2 in London.
