Luke Littler will face Gian van Veen in the final of the Paddy Power PDC World Darts Championship – after the Giant overcame Gary Anderson in the second semi-final at the Ally Pally.
Littler, 18, had done the business against Ryan Searle earlier in the evening, allowing him to kick up his feet and watch Anderson and Van Veen go blow-for-blow. The young Dutchman had been in flying form at the Palace.
But he was up against a man that was looking to roll back the clock and claim a third World Championship – a decade after he last got his hands on the Sid Waddell trophy.
Anderson started the better of the pair, taking the opening set with a checkout on tops – but he would soon be reeled in by his younger opponent.
Van Veen was breaking Anderson with 10, 11, and 12 dart legs as the Giant could barely miss on the outer ring. In the second set Van Veen averaged 113 – and he looked at home on the biggest of darting stages.
In the blink of eye, it was 2-1 to the Dutchman, who soon moved into a two set lead.
Anderson needed something huge, and in the fifth set he raced into a two leg lead with a spectacular big fish. However, Van Veen was in a mood to race to the finish line – and he pulled it back with a big fish of his own.
“A 10-darter followed by a Big Fish. Anderson is averaging 123 in this set,” Wayne Mardle said on Sky Sports. “This could be the greatest set of darts you have ever seen in your life….
“That was unbelievable. A set of darts from Gods. The 4-1 scoreline is unfair of Gary. Van Veen with one of the best sets wins I’ve ever seen. Anderson averaged 117 in that set and it was not good enough.”
Anderson did win the next set, and the Flying Scotsman was in the ascendance. However, he needed to break Van Veen and after two missed darts at tops, it seemed liked he’d missed the moment.
And yet, a brilliant 165 from Anderson allowed him to take out tops to end another incredible set. It was already an Ally Pally epic, and Anderson had the darts to draw level.
The averages were dropping – and both men were nervous on the outer ring. Van Veen held his nerve and moved within a set of the final.
Anderson’s doubling had started to abandon him – and he missed a golden chance to break Van Veen. However, the Flying Scotsman was still able to break him on the bull.
The Dutchman, however, continued to play with maturity beyond his years and took out 25 to move within one leg of the match. And with a D16, he set up the youngest final in history.
“An absolute worldie of a game. 170s, 25 180s. Van Veen moves through to set up a mouthwatering final against the world champion Luke Littler,” Mardle said.