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Semi-Finals

Niederlande v Spanien

Raymond van Barneveld made a brilliant start to the semi-final, averaging 103 in a 6-2 win over Antonio Alcinas to give the Netherlands a Singles point.
The Dutchman began superbly to win four of the opening five legs, hitting double 16 to win the opening leg after the Spanish newcomer missed the bull for a 170 finish and then firing in an 11-darter which was begun with back-to-back maximums. Alcinas took the third on tops, but van Barneveld took legs of 13 and 12 darts to move 4-1 up, hitting another 180 in one leg and a 170 to leave a 92 finish in the next.
The Spaniard won the sixth on double top, but van Barneveld replied with a 180 in a 12-darter, before sealing victory in style with a 132 checkout of bull, bull and double 16.


Co Stompe followed van Barneveld's lead to defeat Carlos Rodriguez 6-3 in their opening Singles game. Stompe opened with back-to-back 13-dart legs before Rodriguez won the third to get off the mark. After the pair traded double top finishes, Stompe took out 97 before punishing six misses from his Spanish opponent to lead 5-2.
Rodriguez hit a 180 and a 79 finish to pull back to 5-3, but Stompe wrapped up victory on double ten.

Rodriguez returned to the stage to take on van Barneveld in their second game, but despite a valiant effort went down 6-4 as the Dutch took a three-point lead. Van Barneveld finished 56 for the first leg and stepped in with a 112 checkout in the second, after Rodriguez hit a 180 but missed his chance to level. Van Barneveld added a 104 finish for a 3-1 lead, and shared the next four to move 5-3 up, hitting an 11-darter in the process.
Rodriguez took out double four to stay in the game, but a 76 finish from van Barneveld sealed his second win of the afternoon.

That result left Antonio Alcinas needing to defeat Co Stompe in the fourth Singles game to keep the match alive and force a Doubles contest, and the 31-year-old from Majorca pushed his opponent all the way to a deciding leg. Although Stompe took the opener, Alcinas finished 66 to level and took out a 13-darter to lead 2-1, before the pair traded 180s in the fourth as the Dutchman squared the game.
A 92 finish edged Stompe in front, only for Alcinas to take the next two and move 4-3 up. Stompe levelled, only for Alcinas to take out 120 in moving a leg away from the win - but he would not get a dart to take victory as Stompe hit tops to force a decider in which he landed a 180 and double five to end Spain's challenge.

"It's a great relief to have won because Spain have been great, they beat England and Scotland," said van Barneveld. "I played a good game with a 103 average but Co played well too and we're on course to win this title now."

Stompe added: "That last result shows you can never give in, because I didn't play well during the game but I did my best and came good in the end."

Spain had overcome Japan and England on Friday before taking wins over the USA and Scotland in Saturday's Group Stage to reach the semis in the inaugural PDC World Cup, giving their emerging nation a huge boost.
"It's been a fantastic tournament for us both and we have really enjoyed it," said Rodriguez. "There are a lot of good players in Spain and this will encourage them."

Wales v Australia

Mark Webster edged a deciding leg to take victory over Paul Nicholson in the opening Singles game of Wales' semi-final against Australia. The left-hander never led until he won the final leg of the game, as Nicholson produced a strong display but failed to close out victory.
Although Webster opened the game with a 180, Nicholson took the leg on double four and moved 2-0 up on tops, before the Welshman finished 68 for the third. Nicholson checked out 64 for a 3-1 lead, but Webster hit maximum scores of 177 and 180 in taking the next two to level the game, with Nicholson paying for misses in the sixth leg.
A 121 finish edged the Australian back ahead, and after Webster won the eighth a double 16 gave him a 5-4 lead and put him to the brink of victory. Nicholson hit a 180 in the tenth, but Webster replied with a 168 which set up double ten to force a decider, and after the Australian missed double top for a 110 game shot he stepped in on double ten again to sneak the win.

Simon Whitlock produced the performance of the tournament to defeat a battling Barrie Bates 6-4 - hitting six 180s and a 107 average in a brilliant display.
Whitlock hit three 12-darts for his first three winning legs in the game, landing a maximum in each and finishes of 170 and 124 - but found himself level with Bates, who shared the opening six legs.
Whitlock won the seventh with an 11-darter, and after Bates missed his chance to level he posted double nine for a 5-3 advantage. Double top pulled the Welshman back to within a leg, but another 180 from Whitlock pushed him clear in the tenth and double eight sealed a point to level the match.

Whitlock returned to the stage for the third Singles match, and defeated Webster by the same scoreline with another ton-plus average, as he also took out finishes of 164 and 130.
Webster himself posted a 119 checkout for the opening leg, before Whitlock posted double eight to level and a brilliant 164 finish to lead. Webster hit back on double six and also led by winning the fifth - before also moving 4-3 up by taking the seventh.
Double eight in the eighth levelled the game, after Whitlock hit a 180 and Webster posted a 177 score, and an 84 finish pushed the Australian in front 5-4 before he took out 130 on the bull to seal the win.

Paul Nicholson won the fourth Singles game 6-3 against Barrie Bates, ensuring the tie would go into a decisive Doubles contest. Nicholson won three of the opening four legs to take command of the game, with Bates finishing 120 to get off the mark and taking out 80 to pull back to 3-2.
The next two were shared before Nicholson landed double ten for a 5-3 cushion, and when Bates missed tops for another 120 finish the Australian completed the win by hitting the same bed.

Australia went into the Doubles game 3-1 up in the semi-final, but it was Wales who brilliantly forced a sudden-death leg with a 6-5 victory.
Wales led 2-0 before Whitlock hit a 171 score and double six to win the third, but Bates landed double nine for a 3-1 cushion. Australia hit back to level, and traded double top finishes with Wales to join them at four-all before Webster opened the ninth with a 180 and finished it with a 106 checkout to move his side 5-4 up - and to the brink of forcing a sudden-death leg to win the semi.
Nicholson checked out 100 for the tenth leg to ensure a decider in the tie, with Webster and Whitlock trading 180s before Webster held his nerve to land double ten, taking victory for his team and two points to level the tie.
Whitlock won the bullseye to give Australia the throw in the sudden-death leg, but Wales stayed on their tails with a pair of 140s before Bates took out 116 to incredibly snatch victory.

"To be 3-1 down then win the Doubles match and a sudden-death leg was unbelievable," said Webster. "The checkout at the end was quality darts from Barrie and it was an unreal feeling. It mans a lot to play for my country and it would be a massive achievement for us to win this tournament. We think we can win it, and after this win there's no reason we can't we go all the way. Raymond and Co are great players and did a good professional job against Spain earlier, but me and Barrie may have the momentum now and we'll take the same attitude into the final that we've had throughout this event."

Final

The inaugural Cash Converters World Cup of Darts was won by the Netherlands, as Raymond van Barneveld and Co Stompe took a 4-2 victory against Welshmen Mark Webster and Barrie Bates in Sunday's final. After the pair had shared the four Singles matches in the final with Wales, for whom Mark Webster won both his games with ton-plus averages, the Netherlands ran out 8-5 winners in the decisive Doubles game to take glory.

"On Thursday when our flight was cancelled we thought we might not even make it to the tournament so it's incredible for us to win the World Cup," said van Barneveld. "I'm so proud, both to win the event and to play with Co. He has been brilliant throughout the weekend and he has been telling me for three weeks that he had a dream we would win the tournament. He's getting better all the time and he showed his quality in this tournament. It's a huge honour to have won this with him."

Stompe added: "I was privileged to play with Raymond and it's an amazing achievement. I've played darts for 20 years but this is my first televised world title, and it means so much to me. We've been great as a team and we were determined to come here and enjoy ourselves, which we've done."

The Netherlands had ended the hopes of giant-killers Spain in the semi-finals, as Carlos Rodriguez and Antonio Alcinas failed to produce the form which had seen them knock out Japan, England and Scotland on their way to the last four.

Wales ended Australia's hopes in the other semi-final, which saw the teams locked at three points each following the Welsh stars' 6-5 Doubles win. The match went to a sudden-death leg which Whitlock, who was paired with Paul Nicholson, opened with a 180, only for Bates to hit a 116 finish for what he described as the best moment of his career.

"It's been a great weekend and we were close to winning, but I'm really proud," said Bates. "It's the first time I've played alongside Mark and it was a real pleasure because he's a fantastic player who showed his true colours this weekend. I was disappointed I didn't win any of my Singles games in the final and maybe it would have been different if I had, but the semi-final was fantastic and the 116 was the best shot I've ever hit."

Raymond van Barneveld 8-4 Barrie Bates

Raymond van Barneveld secured first blood for the Netherlands in the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts final, defeating Barrie Bates 8-4 in their Singles game.
Although Bates took the opening leg on tops, van Barneveld won the next five without reply, hitting two 180s and a 100 checkout in the process as he took command of the game.
Bates won the next two, stepping in to punish a missed double 16 from the Dutchman in the seventh and hitting an 81 bullseye finish to pull back to 5-3. Bates hit a maximum in the next, but missed his chance to reduce the gap to one leg as van Barneveld landed double eight for a 6-3 cushion.
Both players saw their doubles desert them in the tenth, with Bates landing double one to edge a scrappy leg, only for van Barneveld to be swift in wrapping up victory. He first set up a double 14 finish with a 180, before completing an 11-darter in the next to seal the point.

Mark Webster 8-6 Co Stompe

Mark Webster produced some finishing of the highest order in taking an 8-6 victory against Co Stompe in their opening Singles game of the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts final.
The duo shared the opening six legs with some fine darts, trading 91 finishes at one stage before Stompe edged 4-3 up with a 62 finish. Webster, though, found another gear to win the next four without reply, twice punishing misses from Stompe before landing checkouts of 160 and 130 to brilliantly lead 7-4.
Stompe replied with a fine 128 checkout, and a 64 finish for a 14-darter pulled him back to within a leg at 7-6, only for Webster to seal victory in 13 darts on tops.

Mark Webster 8-6 Raymond van Barneveld

Mark Webster completed a Singles 'double' over the Netherlands with a 8-6 win over Raymond van Barneveld as his sensational form in the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts final continued. Having seen off Co Stompe with a 100 average, he bettered that with eight 180s and a 104 average to defeat the world number three in style and give Wales a 2-1 lead.
Van Barneveld was restricted to just six darts at a double in the game, hitting all six and including a ten-dart leg, but Webster's heavy scoring and clinical finishing proved too good.
Webster hit two 180s in the opeing leg, which he won on double two, only for van Barneveld to land checkouts of 76 and 96 to lead 2-1. The Dutchman also hit a 180 in the fourth, but Webster checked out 72 and then 76 in regaining the lead. The see-saw nature continued with van Barneveld taking the next two despite further maximums from Webster to move 4-3 up.
Webster, though, found another gear to win three without reply and take command before van Barneveld hit the best leg of the tournament with a ten-darter of 180, 140, 145 and double 18 to pull back to 6-5. Webster hit a 180 and double top to win his seventh leg before missing the bull for the win in the next, as a 97 finish from van Barneveld pulled him back to 7-6.
Van Barneveld then kicked in with a 180 to start the next leg, only for Webster to hit a maximum of his own to leave 72, which he checked out on tops.

Co Stompe 8-5 Barrie Bates

Co Stompe ensured that the Cash Converters World Cup of Darts will be decided by the Doubles contest with Wales after defeating Barrie Bates 8-5 in the final Singles game.
After sharing the opening eight legs, Stompe found an extra gear to hit 180s in five successive legs as he swept to victory. The pair traded double top finishes to open the match before Stompe led on double ten and Bates hit a 180 in winning the fourth, and also swapped double six and double 18 finishes in the next two.
Stompe set up a double top finish with a 162 score in the seventh, while Bates hit a 76 checkout to take the eighth, and the pair exchanged 180s as the Dutchman edged 5-4 up. Stompe landed another maximum but missed a dart at double 12 for the next, we Bates hit double eight to level at five-all with double eight in what proved to be his last chance to win a leg.
He could only watch on in the next three, as Stompe piled home further 180s in winning legs of 13, 12 and 14 darts to take the point and square the final.

Netherlands 8-5 Wales

Raymond van Barneveld ensured Cash Converters World Cup of Darts glory alongside Co Stompe for the Netherlands, as they defeated Wales 8-5 in their Doubles clash at the Rainton Meadows Arena.
The inaugural PDC World Cup went all the way to the deciding Doubles game, with the scores tied at two-all after the four Singles contests. The Dutch took a 3-1 lead, only for Mark Webster to win two successive legs for Wales to level.
Van Barneveld's 69 finish in the seventh was bettered by a 136 from Barrie Bates to level, and double tops from Stompe and Webster left the scores tied at five-all as the tension rose.
Stompe hit double 14 for the 11th leg, and secured the key break with double nine for a 7-5 lead, before he hit a 180 and van Barneveld fittingly posted double four to seal the win.

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