Mighty Martin claims title number two 7-5 against brave Chisnall

England skipper Martin Adams was crowned world champion for the second time in four years, overcoming a huge challenge from twenty something Dave Chisnall 7-5 after a 139-minute absorbing encounter.

Adams, the oldest man in the tournament at 53, delivered a master class, drawing on 17 appearances in the tournament to topple the his talented 29-year-old opponent  to land his second world crown in four years to pocket the £100,000 first prize.

The England skipper from Peterborough hit a 31.67 average, four 180s and five 100 plus checkouts, including a 156 and the week’s top finish of 170.

Chisnall averaged slightly lower with 31.14, notching nine maximums to take his week’s tally to a remarkable 43. He also blasted out three 100 plus finishes.

Ironically it was Martin Adams’s debut performance in his first world final back in 1994, when he reached the last four, which had inspired the St Helen sharpshooter to take up the sport. He walked away with the consolation of the £30,000 runners-up prize and a lot of new supporters.

At the start of the final not even the bookies were able to select a winner  with both players placed at 5/6 to win with their contrasting styles – Adams slow methodical and steady, while Chisnall has a faster more jerky throw.

Chisnall, sporting his now familiar bright yellow shirt made an eye-catching start, blasting out two 180s in the opening leg, easing into a 2-0 lead but Wolfie came screaming back to level . After pounding in 140 and 125 scores, it was Adams who  - boosted with his first maximum - hit the double first after Chizzy uncharacteristically missed chances to defend his throw.

The Lancashireman had adopted a noticeably slower throwing style than previous matches and that seemed to affect his finishing, as Adams won the second against the throw winning the deciding fifth leg.

Despite a third 180 from Chisnall a 70 checkout finished on his favourite double 16 steered Adams into a surprise 33-minute 3-0 match lead.

Chisnall delighted his supporters – including Mum and Dad – in the opening leg of the fourth set with a 108 finish, topped off with double 16, against the throw, Adams immediately responding with 61 checked out on double 18.  The following legs went with the throw, Adams wiring bull for a set-winning 161 finish, Chisnall pouncing to exit on 86, finished on double 16 to reduce his opponent’s lead.

The opening two legs of the next went with the throw Adams hitting a 12 dart finish, completed on 156. Wolfie then blasted in his second 180 of the match and 29^th of the tournament to exit in 10 darts (140, 180, 145, 36 checkout) – the tournament’s best leg . Adams then missed three doubles for the set, Chisnall hitting double 10 to take them into the fifth leg, Wolfie missing double tops for an 80 finish, and the St Helens sharpshooter nipping in to hit double 20 to reduce the deficit to just one set.

Adams struck a psychological blow, annexing the opening leg against the advantage to exit on 170 – the tournament’s top finish – to put him in line for a £3000 prize for the week’s highest finish. But he failed to press home the advantage missing three for double tops. Chisnall missed double 18 for a 92 finish in the fourth leg and confident Adams stroked home 101, completed on double 18 for a 4-2 interval lead.

With the throwing advantage Chizzy, who was sporting a red streak in his hair to acknowledge his support for Liverpool,  annexed the next set 3-2 coolly exited on 66 with double 18 to reduce the deficit again to one set.

The eighth set went the full distance after Chisnall blasted in his fifth 180 of the match and 37^th of the week en-route to clinch the deciding leg to level the match at 4-4. And  the Adams blazed through the next unchallenged, firing out a 119 finish, completed on bull, after the man from St Helens missed bull for a set-saving 92.

He then cracked off his sixth 180 of the game to clinch the leg on 111 with double tops and then held his throw to move 2-0 ahead.  He hit another maximum in the next but Wolfie sent his fans into howls of delight as he hit double eight, following up with his fourth 180 of the game to level the set on double four.  Adams withstood pressure in the fifth but Adams coolly hit double six with his second double attempt to increase his match lead to two sets.

The 11^th set went to Chisnall with the throwing advantage 3-1 and included an 80 finish, clinched with double tops to reduce the lead to a single set for the fourth time in the match.

Chizzy charged into the 12^th set with his ninth 180 and taking double 18 against the throw but then failing to hold his throw as he missed three double attempts, Wolfie roaring in for double 16 and then hitting his favourite double 16 in the next.

Chizzy hit double 18 to level the set, Adams with the advantage powered in two 140s and  then missed three double tops for the title, Chisnall needing 126 missing the all-important treble 19 as cool hand Adams returned to fire home the winning double 20 for his second title.

The new champion  admitted: “I guess I have learned a lot over the years and have learned from the final in 2007 not to relax too much and also I did not practice too much before the final.

“After you win the title once you do not expect to win again because the guys you are playing are good.

“It was lovely to have the name on the trophy once but then you want to get it on again. And now I want to win it a third time because I just love breaking records but that’s what sport is all about, breaking records,” declared delighted Wolfie.

“I love playing darts and it appears that like a good bottle of win, I am maturing with age,” said the 53-year-old.

The defeated finalist – Chisnall – who was completely drained and overwhelmed after his first final appearance declared: “I am happy.  I missed a few double in the game but Martin’s 170 finish was great.”

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