IAN WHITE 5-4 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD

IAN WHITE stunned five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld in the opening night of the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts with a dramatic deciding-leg victory.

White, who finished in third place in the Grand Slam of Darts Wildcard Qualifier earlier this month, was invited to compete in Wolverhampton after Simon Whitlock was forced to withdraw from the tournament with an ankle injury.

"It's a brilliant win against a player of Raymond's calibre," said a delighted White, who will take on Dean Winstanley on Sunday evening.

White made a confident start to the match by hitting double top at the first time of asking to hold throw and win the first leg.

Van Barneveld, whose best performance at the Grand Slam is a semi-final appearance in 2009, held throw to win the second leg but wasted two opportunities to break throw in the third, allowing White to lead again.

White then won the fourth leg with the aid of a maximum and an 82 finish to lead 3-1 but the Dutchman broke back by winning the fifth leg on double four.

Van Barneveld won the sixth leg to level the match at three apiece, but White took the lead again with a superb 90 finish on the bullseye to lead 4-3 after his opponent had missed four darts at double top.

White put the pressure on the five-time World Champion in the eighth leg after he left just 36 after 12 darts, but Van Barneveld kept his cool to slot home a two-dart 70 finish and set up a deciding leg.

Van Barneveld had the advantage of throw in the final leg, but White produced the more consistent scoring to set up a finish first.

The Dutchman fired a maximum to keep in it, but White hit double 19 at the second attempt to record a famous win.