DARTS: Back to normality as Taylor makes it fourteen World Titles

In a very one-sided PDC World Darts Final at Alexandra Palace in London on Sunday, Phil Taylor won his fourteenth World Title, further cementing his place as the most succesful man in the sport.

This was one of the most eagerly awaited final in years, especially as the last time Raymond 'Barney' Van Barneveld met Phil 'The Power' Taylor in the final, in 2007, the match went to a sudden death leg at 6-6 in sets and is regarded by some as the greatest darts match ever.

Taylor started well in this match-up, breaking Van Barneveld's throw in the first set and then holding his own to take a 2-0 lead in the First to 7 match. It looked ominous for Barney; Taylor was scoring heavily and taking the doubles with ease.

But after the break, one of many awarded to the players between sets by the numerous advert breaks on Sky Sports, Van Barneveld came out and took the third set comfortably. At 2-2 in legs the fourth, and on Taylor's throw, Barney had the chance to break with two shots at double. He missed and The Power went 3-1 up.

Taylor offered mere scraps to van Barneveld thereafter, as he threw a new three-dart average record for a major final of 110.94, and closed out the match without van Barneveld taking another set.

What a difference a year makes. Taylor was knocked out in this very tournament 12 months ago by Wayne 'Hawaii 501' Mardle in the quarter finals and went on a few weeks later to lose his first Premier League darts match in three years. Since then, The Power won all but one of the televised tournaments in 2008 and must already be very strong favourite to make it 15 World Titles at the Ally Pally next year.

DARTS: Taylor safely through while van Barneveld creates history

Raymond van Barneveld made darts history on Friday by becoming the first man to throw a nine-dart finish in a PDC World Championship. The extraordniary feat was part of a 5-1 demolition of fellow Dutchman Jelle Klaasen in the quarter final at the Alexandra Palace, London.

Van Barneveld, who has won the BDO World Title four times, and the PDC version once, came into the match with a couple of shaky performances in the earlier rounds, particularly against Ronnie Baxter in the third round, where the match required a sudden death leg, reminiscent of van Barneveld's famous win over Phil Taylor in the 2007 final.

But van Barnevld was back to his best, throwing a perfect nine-dart leg in the sixth set, which drew little more than a smile from the determined 'Barney,' but sent the crowd into raptures. Like a 147 break in a snooker final, the audience were aware quite how special a moment this was. History had been made.

Earlier on Friday, the other quarter final that night, between James Wade and Paul Nicholson, had no such quality. Wade, world no. 3, struggled against the world no. 126, eventually outclassing his opponent 5-3, but averaging only 81.75 with three darts. It was not much of a support act for what was to come.

In Thursday's quarter finals, 13 times World Champion, Phil 'The Power' Taylor, ended Co Stompe's good run in the tournament. Dutchman Stompe, switched from the BDO to the PDC, the two rival Darts organisations, in July 2007. In his first PDC finals, Stompe caused a couple of upsets, beating both Alan Tabern in the second round, and last year's semi-finalist Wayne 'Hawaii 501' Mardle in the third. But he was thoroughly outclassed here by 'The Power,' 5-0.

Taylor will play Mervyn King, another who switched from the BDO to the PDC in the last couple of years. He was not thoroughly convincing against Welshman Barry Bates, but King, who has already qualified for the lucrative 2009 Premier League of Darts, will be a stern test for Taylor in the second semi final.

Semi finals are to be played on Saturday 3rd January.