Lewis survives van Barneveld fightback to move into 2016 William Hill World Darts Championship final

Adrian Lewis survived a scare to move into the final of the 2016 William Hill World Darts Championship with a 6-3 victory over Raymond van Barneveld.

The 2011 and 2012 winner remains on course for a third world title after edging past Barney at London’s Alexandra Palace tonight.

Jackpot was quick out of the blocks to take the first set 3-0, before van Barneveld responded with a 161 checkout to force the next set into a deciding leg.

Lewis finished off 100 with two double tops to go 2-0 up in sets, and then punished Barney’s missed double attempts to win the third set in straight legs.

Van Barneveld came back from three sets down to beat Michael Smith 5-4 in the quarter-finals last night, but there would be no similar comeback in the semi-finals as Jackpot won a deciding leg in the fourth set to go further ahead.

Lewis won the fifth set 3-1 to go 5-0 in front, before Barney kept his hopes alive by checking out 112 to take the next set by the same scoreline.

After missing six darts at a double to win the first leg of set seven, Lewis found himself 2-0 down and facing another set against the five-time world champion.

The reigning Auckland Darts Masters champion fought back to take the next two legs, before van Barneveld fired in a brilliant 134 checkout to pull another set back.

Barney continued the fightback with 117 and 100 checkouts to open up a 2-0 lead in set eight, and despite Lewis forcing a decider, a 14 dart leg enabled him to reduce his arrears to 3-5.

In the end though the Dutchman just left himself too much to do, as Lewis secured his place in the final by taking the ninth set 3-1 in legs.

It was a disappointing end to the tournament for van Barneveld, but his heroics this week have helped him climb back into the top 10 of the PDC’s Order of Merit.

Jackpot’s win has moved him provisionally up to third, and as a result has knocked 16-time world champion Phil Taylor down to fourth.

Lewis has dropped five sets so far in the tournament and will play either defending champion Gary Anderson or 2006 Lakeside winner Jelle Klaasen in tomorrow night’s final.

MATCH STATS