Here’s the report from Alexandra Palace:
Michael Smith speaks: “I’m sorry I didn’t put on a better show,” he says. “I’m gutted at the minute.” He goes on to say he will definitely win the title in the future.
Michael van Gerwen speaks: “This is the best feeling you can have,” he says on Sky. “I have worked for this so long and everyone knows I’ve had a difficult year. I’ve played good but I haven’t performed as well as I could have done so to win this trophy it’s phenomenal. This means a lot to me.”
It was far from a classic final: Both players seemed extremely nervous and neither gave a decent account of themselves. While there’s no shame in losing to Van Gerwen, Michael Smith will be extremely disappointed that he didn’t play anywhere near as well as he could have this evening. He had chances at doubles to win more sets, but he just couldn’t hit them.
They’re not hanging about: Barry Hearn comes on and presents Michael Smith with his runner-up cheque for £200,000. He’s applauded by the crowd. Moments later, Michael van Gerwen receives the trophy for the third time and holds it aloft under an explosion of ticker-tape.
Michael van Gerwen is World Champion
Michael Van Gerwen 7-3 Michael Smith
Michael van Gerwen leaves himself double 16 and nails it on his second – or was it third – attempt to take the title!!!
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Sets: Van Gerwen 6-3 Smith. Legs: 2-1*
Van Gerwen misses a match dart on double 16 and Smith keeps himself in the contest with an arrow into tops.
Sets: Van Gerwen 6-3 Smith. Legs: *2-0
A 180 from Smith leaves him on 49 for the leg, but he misses his 26th, 27th and 28th darts at doubles. Van Gerwen punishes him accordingly to leave himself one leg from victory.
Sets: Van Gerwen 6-3 Smith. Legs: 1-0*
Van Gerwen wins the opening leg of the 10th set against the throw to put himself in the box-seat.
Sets: Van Gerwen 6-3 Smith. Legs: *2-3
Smith takes the set!!! He had missed double seven and that looked the end. But unable to find the treble he needs, Michael van Gerwen is unable to put himself on a double and Smith takes advantage at the second time of asking. He’s still swinging.
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Sets: Van Gerwen 6-2 Smith. Legs: 2-2*
Smith hangs in there with a magnificent 72 checkout just after his 11th 180. Brave darts, but perhaps too little too late.
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Sets: Van Gerwen 6-2 Smith. Legs: 2-1*
Crikey! Van Gerwen wins the leg before I’ve finished typing up the last one. It was a massacre and he nails double 12 at the first time of asking.
Sets: Van Gerwen 6-2 Smith. Legs: 1-1*
Michael Smith takes this one with an accidental double 20 followed by double 10. Even he doesn’t look too interested any more. All he can do is keep trying to win one log after another. “If he thinks he has to win the next five sets he’ll just drive himself crazy,” says Wayne Mardle.
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Sets: Van Gerwen 6-2 Smith. Legs: *1-0
Van Gerwen has the throw in what could be the final set of the match. He wins the opening leg at his leisure. There’s barely a murmur from the crowd, who seem to have lost all interest.
Sets: Van Gerwen 6-2 Smith. Legs: 3-2*
Having been let in when Van Gerwen missed a double to take the set, Smith fails to spear the bull, double 10 and double 5 to nick it!!! AAAAGGHHHH!!! HOW MANY CHANCES DO YOU NEED?!?!?!?!? Michael van Gerwen eventually puts him out of his misery and finds himself one set away from winning his third world title.
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Sets: Van Gerwen 5-2 Smith. Legs: *2-2
Van Gerwen wins with a minimum of fuss, but Smith now has the throw in the final leg of the set.
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Sets: Van Gerwen 5-2 Smith. Legs: 1-2*
A 93-out gives Smith the leg, but on Sky Sports, Wayne Mardle is criticising him for his poor choice of trebles. “You can’t go for the wrong treble and hope you get two of them,” he says. “Set up play is as important as any other play.”
Sets: Van Gerwen 5-2 Smith. Legs: *1-1
Van Gerwen misses four at double 10 before winning the leg at his fifth attempt.
Sets: Van Gerwen 5-2 Smith. Legs: 0-1*
With both players performing well below their best, Van Gerwen finds himself just two sets from victory. Having taken a flurry of punches, he played his best darts of the match for that seventh set and quietened a crowd that had been briefly awoken from its slumber. Smith misses a double nine to take the opening leg, but Van Gerwen doesn’t punish him. Smith nails his third attempt at double 18 to take the leg.
Sets: Van Gerwen 5-2 Smith. Legs: 3-1*
A mightily relieved looking Michael Van Gerwen takes the seventh set to leave himself two away from victory. Smith had him under the cosh, briefly, but was unable to capitalise on his run of four massive legs. He’ll need to dig extremely deep to mount another comeback.
Sets: Van Gerwen 4-2 Smith. Legs: *2-1
Van Gerwen continues to weather the storm, albeit unimpressively. He misses two doubles before taking double eight to go ahead in the set.
Sets: Van Gerwen 4-2 Smith. Legs: 1-1*
Apologies - I was a leg ahead of myself there. Smith wins leg two of set No7 with a 66 checkout on double top.
Sets: Van Gerwen 4-2 Smith. Legs: *1-0
Smith misses a double 13 to take five legs on the spin and Van Gerwen stops the tide for now.
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Sets: Van Gerwen 4-2 Smith. Legs: 0-3*
Averaging 110 in the set, Smith wins No6 with double top. The fightback is on and he looks a player transformed!!!
Sets: Van Gerwen 4-1 Smith. Legs: *0-2
Interesting! Very interesting! Back to back three-figure out-shots and bullseye finishes from Smith leave Van Gerwen visibly rattled and get the crowd on their feet. This time he checks out on 124.
Sets: Van Gerwen 4-1 Smith. Legs: 0-1*
Having clawed back one set, Smith has the throw as he tries to win a second. Michael van Gerwen is not - repeat, not - playing well tonight and is under huge pressure to win this final. If Smith wins another set, his opponent will be sweating. Smith takes out 127 , finishing on the bull to take first blood in this set.
Van Gerwen 4-1 Smith. Legs: *2-3
Hallelujah! Smith gives himself a chance, however slim, by taking the fifth set with an excellent checkout of 124. Each of his final three darts were roared home by the crowd and he turns to milk their applause accordingly. They’ve woken up and finally he has too - can he mount some sort of comeback? We’ll find out soon enough.
Sets: Van Gerwen 4-0 Smith. Legs: 2-2*
Van Gerwen comes up short on an 170 outshot, hitting 25 when in need of the bull after consecutive treble 20s. Smith keeps himself in the set.
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Sets: Van Gerwen 4-0 Smith. Legs: *2-1
Van Gerwen takes the leg at his first attempt, spearing double 16. He has now won two-thirds of the 21 legs that have been played in this very dreary, flat final.
Sets: Van Gerwen 4-0 Smith. Legs: 1-1*
When your luck’s out, your luck’s out. Smith knocks one of his own darts out of the T20 bed with another and both hit the floor. He gets away with it and takes the leg. Neither player is anywhere near their best here, but Van Gerwen is still bossing proceedings.
Sets: Van Gerwen 4-0 Smith. Legs: *1-0
With more than half his night’s work done, Van Gerwen is rubbing the Bully Boy’s nose in the dirt. Without playing particularly well, Mighty Mike is giving him at absolute pummelling on the Alexandra Palace oche. He missed four darts at double 12 in the last leg of set No4 and needs a massive improvement. Van Gerwen wins the first leg of set No5 as the crowd threaten to fall asleep.
Sets: Van Gerwen 4-0 Smith. Legs: 3-2*
Van Gerwen pulls one well wide of the bull and lets in Smith. He gives himself a chance with double 12, but misses. Between them, the players miss six consecutive darts at doubles before Van Gerwen wins the leg and his fourth consecutive set. Smith is doing himself no favours whatsoever here. His nerves look shot. He’s been ahead just twice in one of the four sets we’ve played thus far.
Sets: Van Gerwen 3-0 Smith. Legs: *2-2
Van Gerwen has missed more doubles than Smith and is chugging along with a low - by his standards - average of 102.5. Nevertheless, he’s completely dominant and spears another double 20 to restore parity in this set.
Sets: Van Gerwen 3-0 Smith. Legs: 1-2*
Smith has a 116 outshot but pulls all three darts. Van Gerwen fails to capitalise and leaves him three shots at double 20. He sinks the second one.
Sets: Van Gerwen 3-0 Smith. Legs: *1-1
The crowd amuse themselves with a sing-song as another fairly boring leg ends with Van Gerwen spiking double 20. He is in complete control of this match.
Sets: Van Gerwen 3-0 Smith. Legs: 0-1*
Smith holds his throw to lead in a set for the first time. It’s a start ... and a long overdue one at that.
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Sets: Van Gerwen 3-0 Smith. Legs: 3-1*
Michael van Gerwen leaves himself double top and takes it out on his second attempt after more appalling darts from Smith, who just can’t find his rhythm.
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Sets: Van Gerwen 2-0 Smith. Legs: 2-1*
Smith keeps the set going after Van Gerwen missed double 16 to take three in a row.
Sets: Van Gerwen 2-0 Smith. Legs: *2-0
Smith loses another leg and continues to look nervous. He pulled three dartas in a row below the treble 20 wire in that leg.
Sets: Van Gerwen 2-0 Smith. Legs: *1-0
Van Gerwen throws six poor early darts, but once again Smith fails to punish his inaccuracy. He has a 134 outshot and leaves himself tops. He gets it with his third dart. Another leg in the bank and he has the throw in this set - it’s already looking ominous for Smith, who is shanking arrows all over the place. The atmosphere at Ally Pally is very flat, as the crowd were expecting more bang for their buck.
Sets: Van Gerwen 2-0 Smith. Legs: 3-1*
Three poor darts from Van Gerwen let Smith in but he misses with two darts at double 10. Not good enough - he has missed a shocking 10 darts at doubles in the opening two sets and they’ve cost him dearly.
Sets: Van Gerwen 1-0 Smith. Legs: *2-1
Van Gerwen scores his second maximum of the match, but misses the bull for the leg. Smith bangs one into double 16 at the second attempt to keep himself in the set.
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Sets: Van Gerwen 1-0 Smith. Legs: *2-0
This final has failed to ignite thus far, but if Smith can win an early set, the place will erupt. It’s crucial he doesn’t fall too far behind. Van Gerwen takes the leg with another three-figure outshot of 126, finishing on double 18.
Sets: Van Gerwen 1-0 Smith. Legs: 1-0*
Having left the stage for a brief interval, the players return for the second set. After throwing a few warm-up darts, Michael Smith opens with 60, but isn’t punished. He misses the bull to take the leg and is left with 25 after Van Gerwen fails to take out 170. Not good enough and a double 10 for Van Gerwen is enough for the Dutchman to win the leg against the throw.
Sets: Van Gerwen 1-0 Smith. Legs: 3-2*
Van Gerwen takes the opening set. He missed another dart for it, this time missing double 12. Another dart sails into the 12 bed but he makes no mistake on double six and takes the set by the odd leg of the five.
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Sets: Van Gerwen 0-0 Smith. Legs: *2-2
Smith takes consecutive legs, nailing double three after Van Gerwen had missed his second shot for the set in the opening set.
Sets: Van Gerwen 0-0 Smith. Legs: 2-1*
Van Gerwen misses double four, letting in Smith to hit bullseye and take his first leg of the match with a 90 outshot. The pair had exchanged 180s earlier in the leg.
Sets: Van Gerwen 0-0 Smith. Legs: *2-0
Smith throws the first maximum of the match but loses the leg. Van Gerwen gets two shots at a double and after missing 16s, hits 8s after Smith had missed a 70 checkout.
Sets: Van Gerwen 0-0 Smith. Legs: 1-0*
A great start by Van Gerwen, who finishes on a bull to take out a 129 checkout and take the first leg.
Game on! Michael van Gerwen has the throw in the first leg and throws 174 with his second three darts. “Stand up if you love the darts!” roars the crowd, rising to their feet.
Mighty Michael van Gerwen joins him: The Dutchman walks on to a chorus of Seven Nation Army from the White Stripes and boos from a boozed up crowd who have obviously decided who they want to win. Everyone loves an underdog and Michael Smith is undoubtedly in that role tonight. Van Gerwen looks a little bit nervous, Smith to the manor born.
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Michael “The Bullyboy” Smith makes his entrance: He makes his way to the stage and blows kisses to the crowd as the stage dancers do their thing to the accompaniment of a pyrotechnic show.
Not long now: Master of Ceremonies John McDonald, who I’m obliged to say once saw me throw 100 and said “good darts, mate” when I pulled them out of the board, is introducing the players ...
Gary Anderson speaks: Having admitted he “got an awful whupping” from MVG in the semi-final, the Flying Scotsman, two-times world champion and massively good egg says he’s confident his friend Michael Smith can beat the Dutchman tonight. “Tonight is the night the boy becomes a man,” he tells Sky’s Laura Woods. “This is the night he’s been waiting for for 10 years.”
Is it just me, or does @BullyBoy180 resemble Walter Olkewicz, who so memorably played Jerome “Romey” Clifford in The Client? In any case - #GameOn #pdcworldchampionship #pdcdarts pic.twitter.com/6fyFVp3f8r
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) January 1, 2019
The players are at the Palace: Michael Smith turned up dressed casually, looking relaxed with a rucksack slung over one shoulder and a young mini-me who I’m guessing is his son by his side. Father and son were sporting identical fin haircuts and looking like they meant business. On Sky Sports, the pundits reckon he has every chance of beating tonight’s favourite. “He has to stay with Van Gerwen in the first two sets,” says Rod Harrington.
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Michael Smith
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Age: 28
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Ranking: 10
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Career TV titles: 2
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Non TV titles: 9
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2018 titles: 3
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Tournament average: 101.19
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Tournament 180s: 51
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Tournament doubles hit: 78/174
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Tournament checkouts of 100+: 11
Michael van Gerwen
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Age: 29
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Ranking: 1
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Career TV titles: 45
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Non TV titles: 71
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2018 titles: 18
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Tournament average: 103.72
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Tournament 180s: 32
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Tournament doubles hit: 74/160
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Tournament checkouts of 100+: 7
PDC World Darts Championship final
Lets play darts! Or at the very least, let’s watch darts! Or read about somebody else watching darts! Happy New Year everyone and welcome to the Guardian’s leg-by-leg coverage of this year’s PDC World Championship final, a decider that will be contested by Michael van Gerwen and Michael Smith.
Ranked No1, Van Gerwen is hoping to win his third world title, having previously triumphed in 2014 and 2017. The Dutchman is the red-hot favourite to prevail over Smith, from St Helens and ranked nine places below. Before this year, Smith had never advanced further than the quarter-final he lost against Raymond van Barneveld in 2016. Tonight’s match begins around 8.20pm (GMT) and it’s the best of 13 sets.
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