Lloyd & Van Barneveld To Meet In IDL Final

COLIN LLOYD and Raymond van Barneveld will contest the final of the Topic International Darts League after victories over Roland Scholten and Simon Whitlock on Saturday night.

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Topic International Darts League
Semi-Finals

Colin Lloyd 9-8 Roland Scholten
Raymond van Barneveld 9-7 Simon Whitlock

COLIN LLOYD 9-8 ROLAND SCHOLTEN
(0-2, 2-1, 2-0, 0-2, 0-2, 0-2, 0-2, 2-0, 2-0, 1-2, 2-1, 0-2, 2-1, 0-2, 2-0, 2-1, 2-0)

COLIN LLOYD produced an amazing fightback to win a place in the final of the Topic International Darts League with a 9-8 victory over Roland Scholten.

Lloyd trailed the game from the fourth set, when Scholten hit back to level the game at two-all before moving 5-2 ahead.

The Dutchman even had a dart to win the match in the 16th set, missing one dart at double nine for a 138 finish.

Lloyd took out a pressure double 16 to stay in the game, and won the set's deciding leg to take the game into the 17th and final set.

But maximums from Lloyd in both legs gave him enough cushion to close out the victory and move into the final.

"It was a really tough match," said Lloyd, who landed 16 maximums to Scholten's ten in the match.

"Roland's a very good friend of mine but he ripped me apart at times!

"I had to try and hang in there - Roland doesn't give you many chances so I knew I had to take them if they came.

"I managed to get the result and I'm looking forward to playing in the final on Sunday now."

Scholten began strongly, hitting maximums in the opening two legs to win the first set with legs of 11 and 14 darts.

Lloyd hit back to level the game in a deciding leg in the second set, and won the third 2-0 against the darts to move in front.

The Dutchman then reeled off eight successive legs to leave Lloyd shell-shocked - and 5-2 behind.

He took the two sets either side of the break without reply to reduce the arrears to 5-4, but an intriguing game of cat-and-mouse ensued as the next seven sets went against the throw.

That left Scholten 8-7 up and within sight of the match before Lloyd found his final push.

"I'm disappointed to lose but happy with how I played overall," said Scholten.

"I had good patches and I'm pleased with the way I've played. For a long part of the game, I played as I can and I've enjoyed the week.

"I shouldn't have lost this from being 5-3 and 8-6 up, but Colin dug in when he needed to and hit his shots - which I didn't.

"I was sure after hitting the second treble 20 that the double nine for the match was going in, but it was just on the wire.

"That's the game and I'll focus on the next tournament, the World Series of Darts next weekend, now."

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 9-7 SIMON WHITLOCK
(1-2, 0-2, 1-2, 2-1, 2-1, 2-1, 2-0, 0-2, 2-1, 0-2, 2-1, 2-1, 1-2, 2-1, 0-2, 2-1)

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD came from behind to overcome Simon Whitlock 9-7 and win a place in the final of the Topic International Darts League.

The Dutchman trailed Whitlock 3-0 early in the match, with the Australian taking six of the opening eight legs in continuing the form which saw off Phil Taylor on Friday.

Although van Barneveld hit back to move 4-3 up, Whitlock battled to stay with the four-time World Champion.

Even when the home favourite moved 8-6 he battled to stay in the game, but van Barneveld found his way successfully to the finish line.

Whitlock opened the game in brilliant fashion, hitting seven treble 20s to set up a possible nine-darter before missing the treble 15 in the first leg.

He took the first set 2-1 and then won the second without reply - despite maximums in both legs from van Barneveld.

A superb 144 finish gave Whitlock the third set and a shock lead, but van Barneveld stormed back to win the next three sets 2-1 to level the game.

He then edged clear by taking the seventh set 2-0, with the next three going with the throw to leave the pair locked at 5-5.

Van Barneveld hit an 11 darter during the 12th set as he once more move clear, and set up a two-set cushion by landing two maximums in the deciding leg of the next.

Whitlock won the 13th set 2-1 with an 86 finish, while van Barneveld continued to pepper the treble 20 in the next.

His missed darts at double 16 allowed Whitlock to take the opening leg, before the Dutchman replied with seven perfect darts in the next, levelling the set with a 96 finish for a 12-darter.

He coolly took out the same checkout to secure the set and an 8-6 cushion, but Whitlock once more took back-to-back legs to stay in the game.

Van Barneveld landed double top with his first dart to move 1-0 up in the next, with Whitlock then taking out a 143 finish to stay in the contest.

But scores of 174 and 140 gave the Dutchman the edge in the deciding leg, and he took out double eight for another 12-dart leg and the victory.

Van Barneveld will now meet Colin Lloyd in Sunday's final, with the winner taking home ?30,000.

"At 3-0 down, I was scared it would become 9-0," said van Barneveld. "I watched his game against Phil yesterday and he carried that on, he was brilliant.

"But this format, best of three legs in a set, means that things can change very quickly. Even when I got ahead he was still there on my heels!

"It was tough but enjoyable and I know I'll have another great game to go in the final against Colin."