|
|
|
Sunday, 24th October, 1999Staffordshire's Phil Taylor beat Shayne Burgess emphatically in the final of the 1999 PDC World Grand Prix to successfully defend his title at Rochester's Casino Rooms, Kent on October 24th.
Taylor started the game well, winning the opening set convincingly, and already it looked as if Sussex player Burgess might well be buckling under the pressure which had helped his opponent to see off Peter Evison in a 3-0 ( and 9 legs to 0) whitewash in the quarter-finals.
But then "Bulldog" Burgess discovered his composure, and with that some stable treble-hitting and double-finishing, to level at 1-1. With the winner needing 6 sets, it looked as if the Kentish crowds could be in for a lengthy evening.
But then came the turning point in the fourth set. 2 sets to 1 down, Shayne stepped up for a crucial 153 finish. Having pinned both treble 20 and treble 19, he had only to hit his favourite, double 18, to draw level, but the dart found the outside wire, to the dismay of the roaring "Bulldog" supporters.
Although it was a valiant effort at a tough out-shot, missing his favourite double seemed to affect the World Number Four, and from then on it was all Taylor."The Power's" superhuman double starts, 180's and deadly accurate checkouts helped him on his way to a comfortable 6-1 victory.
"I think the match was harder than it looked for me" he said on stage afterwards, "Shayne played excellently for a first final. He will certainly be back in the future".
Undoubtedly the biggest challenge that Phil had faced to retaining his title had been his heart-pounding semi-final against "The Prince of Style" Rod Harrington the night before, Saturday 23rd October, 1999.
Many people felt that the reigning World Matchplay champion would not be able to live with the favourite's awesome firepower, but in front of a capacity crowd at Aaron Stone's complex he put on one of the bravest fights of his life.
Harrington took the first set, only to concede the following two courtesy of extraordinary doubles from his opponent, but the Chelmsford ace kept his mind on the task, and cheered on by his wife Dawn, his daughters and friends, he crucially won legs in which he had the throw and evened out the scoreline at 2-2.
Expectedly, Phil did the same in the next set, before Rod once again did it in the sixth, and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense as the game hung in the balance at 3-3.
Essex fans really did fear the worst when Phil took the lead again at 4-3, but his opponent simply did not know when he was beat. The perspiration was all too present on both player's faces in the 8th set, but it was Rod who kept coolest and for the third time in the match won a set to level, now at 4-4.
The final set saw the pressure get to both competitors, but it was eventually Rod's opening missed doubles in the first and third legs which allowed "The Power" to take control, and he won the crucial set 3-0 to settle a 5-4 victory over his friend and rival.
"Rod just doesn't know when he's beat" he said afterwards."Most players feel the pressure when keep scoring heavily and finishing well, but not Rod. He just keeps fighting back".
Burgess defeated Peter Manley in his semi-final, which was also full of tension and surprise. Shayne rocketed to a 4 sets to 1 lead, only to then concede the next three sets.
It looked all over when Manley was 2-1 ahead in legs in the final set, but then Shayne drew level and produced some devastating scoring in the final leg to reach his first ever major televised final.
It was undoubtedly a week of ultimate drama and top quality darts, as anticipated, but the tournament belonged to Taylor. Perhaps, as "the biggest game in darts history" approaches, his head-to=head with Dutch BDO champion Ray Barneveld, the match which will be on the minds of "Barney's" supporters will be Taylor's devastating destruction of Peter Evison. A 101.84 average meant that, despite Evison having a 90+ average he was not even allowed a dart at a double.
"If I can", Taylor said on finals night, "I am going to give Ray a very tough game".
Rod meanwhile, has already written off Barneveld's chances. "Taylor is the best player at the moment" he said. "He is really up for this challenge".
The match takes place on Sunday November 7th, 1999.
by Matt Gilbert
Previous Articles by Matt Gilbert:
|
|
|
