King Wins Group 5

MERVYN KING produced a resilient display to win Group Five of Championship League Darts, defeating Simon Whitlock 6-3 in Wednesday's final.

King, appearing in his fourth successive day of the internet-streamed event, won six out of seven league matches to finish top of the table with some brilliant form, notably two ten-darters.

He then defeated Kevin Painter 6-2 in the semis before winning an exciting final 6-3 against Australian star Whitlock - who lost in a third group final of this year's tournament.

Whitlock took out finishes of 72 and 102 to lead 2-1 in the final, only for King to hit finishes of 120, 111, 105 and 80 to move 5-2 up.

He also missed double seven for an 86 finish in leg eight as Whitlock hit tops to keep the game alive, but the Australian was unable to land double 18 in the next as King booked his place in next Thursday's Winners Group on double 12.

"I'm really pleased with that," said King, who has battled tennis elbow in his throwing arm throughout 2011. "I played some lovely darts during the day and I'm delighted with how I played in the final.

"I've had my injury problems this year but my elbow is getting better and it's great to be back playing somewhere like I know I can. I can look forward to the Winners Group now and I'll be trying my hardest to win the tournament next Thursday."

Whitlock will now return to compete in Group Six on Thursday, after his hopes of finally taking a group victory were dashed at the final hurdle.

The Australian, who lost in Tuesday's semi-finals to Mark Walsh, was defeated in his first three group games but won four in a row to finish third, before defeating Andy Smith 6-3 in the semis.

There was satisfaction for Whitlock as he hit the first nine-dart leg of this year's event earlier in the day to win a clash with Jamie Caven, hitting scores of 177, 180 and finishing 144 with two treble 18s and double eight.

Smith and Painter - who narrowly missed double 12 for a perfect leg - also made the play-offs, with 2009 Championship League Darts winner Colin Osborne missing out on the top four on leg difference despite four successive wins in the middle of the league phase.

Holland's Vincent van der Voort joins them in returning to compete in Group Five, but Colin Lloyd and Jamie Caven were eliminated, with the latter ending the day without a victory in his seven league games.

Denis Ovens, Alan Tabern and Steve Beaton join the action on Thursday for the sixth of eight groups, with play continuing on Tuesday and Wednesday next week before the Winners Group is contested on Thursday October 20.

Championship League Darts is screened solely on the internet through LIVEPDC.TV and a series of 30 bookmakers' websites worldwide, and offers a potential total prize fund of over £200,000, plus places in the Grand Slam of Darts for the eventual finalists.

Played over nine days from September 27-29, October 11-13 and October 18-20, the event offers £50 per leg won prize money in the league phase and £100 per leg won in each group's Play-Offs, with prize money doubled in the Winners Group.