GARY ANDERSON won his second successive World Series of Darts title with a thrilling performance as he overcame reigning champion Adrian Lewis 11-7 in the final of the 2016 Auckland Darts Masters, presented by TAB and Burger King.

World Champion Anderson had won last month’s Dubai Darts Masters title and claimed his first win in New Zealand in style. The Scot followed up his earlier wins over New Zealand’s Bernie Smith and world number five Peter Wright with a stunning 11-7 defeat of Raymond van Barneveld, with his 111.37 average being the second best in World Series history to accompany eight 180s.

He then produced another scintillating display to thrill the Trusts Arena crowd and take the title in the second Auckland Darts Masters. Lewis had won through to his second successive World Series of Darts final with a heavy-scoring 11-9 victory over James Wade, firing in a dozen maximums before coming from 7-6 down to claim five of the final seven legs.

Wade had performed wonderfully in Saturday’s quarter-final win over world number one van Gerwen, but was overpowered by Lewis’ 12 maximums in their semi-final as he missed out on reaching a second World Series of Darts final. Van Barneveld, meanwhile, missed out on reaching the final in Auckland for a second successive year, despite landing six 180s and achieving a 104.85 average in his tie with Anderson.

Sunday June 19th (7pm)

Semi-Finals (21)
Gary Anderson 11-7 Raymond van Barneveld
James Wade 9-11 Adrian Lewis

Final (21)
Gary Anderson 11-7 Adrian Lewis

MATCH INFORMATION

SEMI-FINALS

(111.37) Gary Anderson 11-7 Raymond van Barneveld (104.85) 0-1 – Anderson misses the bull to finish 161, and van Barneveld follows three 140s with an 81 finish on double 12 for an 11-darter to break throw immediately. 0-2 – Double 16 sees van Barneveld move two legs up. 0-3 – Anderson opens with 140 and 180, but van Barneveld replies with a maximum before finishing 121 on double 14 for another break of throw. 0-4 – van Barneveld continues his impeccable finishing by taking out 64 on double eight to win a fourth straight leg. 1-4 – Anderson fires in a 180 before landing double six to win his first leg of the contest with a 13-darter. 2-4 – Anderson scores 140, 180 and 145 before pinning double 18 for a superb ten-darter. 3-4 – A superb leg sees both players trade 180s before van Barneveld leaves 36 after nine darts – only to se Anderson take out 90 on double 15 for an 11-darter. 4-4 – Anderson fires in another maximum before punishing one miss from van Barneveld, at double 16, by taking out tops for a 13-darter to level. 5-4 – Double two sees Anderson win a fifth straight leg to move ahead for the first time in a high-quality contest. 5-5 – van Barneveld lands a 180 before hitting a third-dart double ten to level by winning his first leg in six. 6-5 – van Barneveld’s maximum is followed by a 174 score from Anderson, who takes out double 12 to regain the lead. 7-5 – Anderson opens with 180 and 140 before finishing 60 on tops to break throw and move two legs clear. 7-6 – van Barneveld breaks back by finishing 81 on double 13. 8-6 – Both players land 180s before Anderson pins double 12 again for a 13-dart leg. 9-6 – The World Champion opens with yet another 180 before finishing tops for an 11-darter to open up a three-leg lead. 9-7 – van Barneveld’s 180 is followed by tops as he hits back. 10-7 – van Barneveld fires in a 177, but can only watch on as Anderson takes out double four to move a leg away from the final. 11-7 – Anderson misses match darts across three visits as the tension rises, but van Barneveld also spurns three opportunities to keep the game alive before the Scot returns on double two to finally book his spot in the final. Anderson ends the game with a 111.37 average to van Barneveld’s 104.85, while the combined 14 180s – eight from Anderson and six from van Barneveld – took the tournament’s tally to 82, activating a Burger King special offer across New Zealand once the total passed 80.

(94.51) James Wade 9-11 Adrian Lewis (100.28) 0-1 – Lewis makes a sensational start, taking out 149 for a break of throw. 0-2 – Lewis wires the bullseye for a 161 finish, but returns to land double eight to move two legs up. 1-2 – Wade initially misses three darts at tops, with Lewis hitting a 180 in vain as he watches his rival return on double ten. 2-2 – Three missed doubles from Lewis allow Wade in on double ten to level the game. 2-3 – Lewis lands double eight to edge back ahead with a break of throw. 2-4 – Wade fires in a 180, but Lewis hits tops to move himself two legs clear. 2-5 – Lewis hits a maximum of his own before scrambling home double three to win a third successive leg. 3-5 – Lewis misses his chance to move four legs clear and gives a reprieve to Wade, who returns on double ten to win his first leg in four. 4-5 – Another double ten finish sees Wade cut the gap to one leg. 5-5 – Wade finishes 71 on tops to level the contest. 6-5 – Wade claims a fourth successive leg, with Lewis landing a 180 but being punished for failing to finish the leg as the left-hander posts tops. 6-6 – Lewis fires in two 180s in a 12-darter as double 12 sees him hit back to level. 7-6 – Lewis posts his seventh 180 to leave 24, but misses double 12, six and three to allow Wade back in on double ten to edge back ahead. 7-7 – Lewis hits another maximum before double 19 sees him square the match once more. 8-7 – Another double ten finish from Wade sees him regain the lead. 8-8 – Lewis’ ninth 180 gives him breathing space before he lands double 18 at the fifth time of asking to tie the contest. 8-9 – Lewis fires in his tenth maximum before both players miss doubles in two visits, before the reigning champion finally lands double two to break throw and regain the lead.

Final:

(99.90) Gary Anderson 11-7 Adrian Lewis (98.96) 0-1 – Lewis kicks off the final with a 177 score before landing tops to claim the opening leg. 1-1 – Anderson initially misses the bull for a 170 finish and two further doubles to win the leg, with a 162 score from Lewis coming too late as the Scot returns on double three. 1-2 – Anderson fires in a 180, but Lewis takes out 81 on double six for a 12-darter to regain the lead. 2-2 – Anderson misses double 16 to finish 149, but returns to take the leg at the second time of asking. 2-3 – Lewis receives a let-off for three misses at double 18 when Anderson is unable to land double eight and four, allowing his rival back in on double nine. 3-3 – The roles are reversed as Lewis misses double 18 for a 156 finish to break throw, and Anderson steps in on tops to level once again. 4-3 – Anderson lands a maximum, and when Lewis misses two further doubles, at double 12 and six, the World Champion finishes 68 on double ten to break throw and move ahead for the first time. 5-3 – Double top sees Anderson claim a third successive leg as he moves two clear of the reigning champion. 5-4 – The pair trade 180s before Lewis finishes a superb 121 checkout on the bull to cut the gap to one leg. 6-4 – Lewis lands another maximum, only to see Anderson finish 65 on double four to regain his cushion. 7-4 – Lewis hits his third 180 in as many legs, but a miss at tops for a 110 checkout allows Anderson in on double 16 to move three legs clear with a break of throw 7-5 – Lewis breaks back with a third-dart double nine under pressure, with Anderson having hit a 180 to leave 20. 7-6 – Lewis produces a superb 150 checkout to respond. 8-6 – Anderson kicks off the leg with six perfect darts of two 180s, and though he is unable to complete a nine-darter, the Scot finishes double four for an 11-darter to regain his cushion. 9-6 – Both players land 180s before Anderson takes out 70 on double five to break throw again and move three legs clear once more. 9-7 – The pair each miss doubles in two visits before Lewis’ double one sees him respond. 10-7 – Lewis misses double 12 to take out 144, and Anderson finishes 86 on the bull to move a leg away from the title. 11-7 – Anderson hits his eighth 180 of the final before landing double top to secure a second successive World Series of Darts title.