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NINE-DART HERO ANDERSON TO MEET LEWIS IN FINAL AS DUTCH DUO DENIED

REIGNING William Hill World Darts Champion Gary Anderson hit a nine-dart-finish on his way to a brilliant straight sets success over Jelle Klaasen to set up a repeat of the classic 2011 Alexandra Palace final against Adrian Lewis, who ended Raymond van Barneveld's hopes in Saturday's semi-finals.

Anderson reached his second successive World Championship final after a blistering performance in which he averaged over 107 as he continued his brilliant defence of the Sid Waddell Trophy, which he lifted 12 months ago. The Scottish sensation, who has dropped just two sets on his way to the final, executed a perfect leg to clinch the first set and never looked back, reeling off six consecutive sets to move within one more win of successfully defending his title.

"Beim Neun- Darter dachte ich, dieses Mal werde ich das Doppel aber treffen", sagte Anderson, der bei seinem "On the nine-darter I thought to myself 'I'm not going to miss it this time'," said Anderson, who had wired double 12 after eight perfect darts in his quarter-final win over James Wade on the previous day. "I played well, I'm feeling good and looking forward to a great final tomorrow. I'm ready for it and I'm enjoying this. I'm scoring well, my doubles are going well and I'm just one match away from winning it again."

Lewis looked like he was also coasting to a straight sets victory when he won the first five sets against van Barneveld in their race to six, despite a brace of 161 checkouts from the Dutch legend. The five-time World Champion, who had come back from three sets down against Michael Smith to reach the last four, threatened an even more incredible fightback when he won three sets on the spin before Lewis finally closed out the victory with a crucial 83 finish to reach his third Ally Pally final.

"I was cruising at five sets up," said Lewis, the 2011 and 2012 World Champion who hit 15 180s in his semi-final triumph. "I've never seen anything like Raymond's finishing under pressure. He was hitting me every time and I was under the cosh for the last four sets and I knew I had to win that last one. The 83 finish was massive. I think I'm good under pressure and I'm playing very well. This is the World Championship and I'm here to win it."

The semi-finals saw the end of Dutch hopes and van Barneveld's chance of winning a sixth World Championship title were put on hold after he failed to repeat comeback wins against Michael Smith, Michael van Gerwen and Stephen Bunting in previous rounds. The Netherlands's most successful player hit two 161 checkouts in his gallant attempt at a comeback after a memorable run which will see him return to the top ten in the PDC Order of Merit after the tournament.

Sunday's final will see Anderson and Lewis battle for darts' most prestigious title for the second time, with a record first prize of £300,000 on offer for the winner alongside the iconic Sid Waddell Trophy. Their 2011 final saw Lewis crowned as World Champion for the first time as he became the only player in the sport's history to hit a nine-dart-finish in a World Championship final - a record that still stands. World number two Anderson is looking to repeat Lewis' feat of successfully defending his first World Championship glory - an achievement that has only ever been matched by two other players in five-time World Champions van Barneveld and Eric Bristow.

Anderson's semi-final nine-darter - achieved in front of a star-studded crowd which featured One Direction's Niall Horan, Ryder Cup golfer Jamie Donaldson and international footballers Andros Townsend and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - sees him in line to claim the 15,000 pound bonus for a perfect leg, should Lewis not match the feat in the final to claim a share of the prize. In addition, tournament sponsors William Hill will donate 9,000 pound to the PDC's official charity, the Donna Louise Children's Hospice in Stoke, following the nine-darter.

Anderson enters the final as the 1/2 favourite with William Hill, with Lewis the 7/4 outsider to complete his World Championship hat-trick, while a nine-dart finish in the final is a 5/1 bet.

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