ANDY HAMILTON 6-5 SIMON WHITLOCK (3-0, 2-3, 3-1, 3-1, 0-3, 2-3, 0-3, 0-3, 3-2, 3-1, 4-2) Andy Hamilton secured a place in his first Ladbrokes World Darts Championship final, after overcoming Simon Whitlock 6-5 in a titanic semi-final, at Alexandra Palace.

Hamilton, who defeated Whitlock in dramatic fashion at the World Matchplay in Blackpool, last July, held the advantage in the early stages of the contest as he led 3-1.

However, Whitlock then produced some superb darts to take 12 of the next 14 legs in the process of moving 5-3 ahead.

That put the 2010 runner-up a set away from his second final in the space of three years, but Hamilton, who held pre-tournament odds of 125/1  with sponsors, Ladbrokes, hit back to claim the next three sets to seal an amazing triumph.

Hamilton, who was impressive in defeating Belgium’s Kim Huybrechts, in the quarter-finals, hit double eight to take the first leg, before hitting tops at the first time of asking to break throw.

The Stoke ace then took out a 68 finish to take third leg, and seal the set, to make an ideal start to his first World Championship semi-final since 2007. Both players held throw in the opening two legs of the second set and the Australian, who triumphed over Gary Anderson, in the last eight, hit double 20 to take the third leg.

Whitlock missed three chances to win the set, in the fourth leg, allowing Hamilton take it on double top, with his first dart. The deciding leg saw Whitlock hit a 170 score to leave double top, but three missed attempts at doubles allowed Hamilton a chance to nick the set. However, Hamilton was just off-target with his attempt at bullseye for a 2-0 lead, and Whitlock returned to hit double 10 to level the match.

Hamilton took the first leg of set three, which featured a 177, but the Stoke man missed a dart at double six to take the second, which Whitlock won on double two. Whitlock hit a maximum in the next, but Hamilton won it with a clinical two-dart 84 finish, before winning the set on double four. Whitlock hit double eight to win the first leg of the fourth set, and had a chance to take the second. But a missed attempt at bullseye for a 170 checkout proved expensive, as Hamilton took out a 118 finish to win it.

Both players failed with attempts at bullseye claim the first leg of the fifth set, before Whitlock hit double eight to secure a break of throw. The deciding leg saw Whitlock hit his seventh 180, and that followed by a 74 finish to win the set, and square the match at three sets all. Whitlock hit-back to win the third leg on double eight, before recording an excellent 14-darter to claim the fourth against the darts.

Hamilton hit his sixth 180 of the match in the next, but Whitlock won it with a fantastic 170 checkout to go 2-0 up. Whitlock then hit an excellent 13-dart finish in the third leg, to win the set comfortably, and reduce the deficit to 3-2. Hamilton broke throw to make a positive start to set six, by landing double top at the first time of asking, before taking out 89 in two-darts to win the second.

The Australian kept up the momentum in the seventh set, as he broke throw to take the first leg, before the second followed with a 13-dart finish. Hamilton hit a 180 in the third leg, but it was not enough as Whitlock landed double 18 to win his sixth leg in a row, and lead the match for the first time. The 2010 runner-up was now in full cry as he hit a 101 checkout to open the eighth set, before taking the second leg with a 13-dart finish.

The third leg saw Whitlock off-target with two attempts at double 16, but Hamilton was unable to hit the bullseye, allowing Whitlock to return and hit double 16 with his first dart to move a set away from the final. Hamilton held throw to take the first leg of the ninth set, after Whitlock was guilty of wasting four darts at double 16. Whitlock hit his tenth maximum in the process of winning the second leg, but Hamilton recorded an excellent 130 checkout to take the third.

Whitlock hit double 16 to move a leg away from victory, after both players had traded 180s, before Hamilton hit an excellent 13-dart finish in the deciding leg to take the set and keep the match alive. Whitlock missed three shots at doubles at the beginning of set 10, but Hamilton was unable to capitalise as he missed two chances of his own to claim it. Whitlock hit double 10 to take an early advantage, before Hamilton registered a 115 checkout to take the second, and then won the next, after the Stoke star landed double eight with his last dart.

The fourth leg saw Whitlock miss three darts at doubles, which proved costly as Hamilton hit a superb 110 finish to send the match into a deciding set. Both players held throw at the start of the final set in the opening two legs, and Hamilton continued that trend by winning the third on double 10, to move a leg away from the match. Whitlock converted a pressure 68 finish, by landing double 16 with a pressure third dart, before Hamilton hit a 13-dart finish to lead for the third time in the set.

Whitlock kicked-off the sixth leg with a 180, but Hamilton produced the more consistent scoring, and the Stoke star landed double eight his last dart, to seal a place in the final.