Sunday 15 January 2017

Durrant v Noppert: Final FINAL (1645 GMT) TV Coverage: Channel 4 & BT Sport (from 1615)

Danny Noppert continued his fairytale run at the BDO World Darts Championship by beating veteran Darryl Fitton to reach Sunday's final where he will play Glen Durrant.



Just 24 hours after putting out defending champion Scott Waites, the Dutchman was too good for England's 10th seed Fitton as he ran out a 6-3 winner to reach his first world final on his Lakeside debut.
Durrant was even more impressive, thrashing Jamie Hughes 6-1 in the evening match.
Fitton had averaged 95.73 and landed 11 maximums but Noppert's consistency was the key, as the 26-year-old averaged 93.57 to condemn Fitton to a third Lakeside semi-final loss.
Noppert took the first set without dropping a leg and although Fitton improved in the second - including a 127 checkout - he was unable to stop his opponent opening up a 2-0 lead.
Some heavy scoring from Fitton in the third, including a 156 outshot, saw him get his first set on the board and he also took the fourth to restore parity.
The next two sets were traded before Noppert - who is still to be behind is sets in any match so far this week - went 4-3 ahead.
The eighth set was a high-quality affair, with all five legs going against throw.
Noppert landed his fourth maximum and found tops for a 15-dart break, but Stockport's Fitton fired straight back with his ninth 180 and a 14-darter via double eight. However, Noppert registered a third successive break by crashing in a 121 checkout on the bull for a 12-darter.
Despite this, Fitton, 54, responded again with an 81 finish for a 12-darter of his own to wrestle back the initiative. 'The Dazzler' had the advantage of throw to level up at four apiece but failed to convert an 82 finish on tops, as Noppert took out 101 to move to within a set of the final.
Noppert hit the front in the ninth set with a brilliant 81 finish to complete a 12-darter and saw out the third leg in 14 darts to end Fitton's run.
Meanwhile, Durrant will get the chance to show why he is the number-one ranked player after the Middlesbrough man destroyed Hughes.
After some nervous recent displays, 'Duzza' was back to his clinical best against the fourth seed, averaging 96.27, landing seven maximums and taking out a magical 170 to prevail.
Durrant never let Hughes get close, opening up a 4-0 lead in a hugely one-sided contest and seeing the match out with ease
Earlier in the day Lisa Ashton was crowned women's world champion for a third time after recording a comprehensive straight sets victory over eighth seed Corrine Hammond.
The underdog from Australia battled valiantly, but second seed Ashton was always in control and recorded an impressive 3-0 victory with an 81.81 average.
Pre-tournament favourite Glen Durrant can now be backed at to win Sunday's final against Dutch star Danny Noppert.
The Middlesbrough thrower has been below his best at Lakeside this week but then thrashed Jamie Hughes 6-1 in Saturday's semi-finals to suggest he could be hitting top form at the right time.

Noppert headed into his maiden World Championship as second favourite after an impressive season and is just having maintained his momentum throughout the week.

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