Darts: Burnett wins at first attempt

Richie Burnett of Wales won the Embassy World Darts championship at his first attempt by beating Raymond Barneveld, the first Dutch player to reach the finals, 6-3 in the final at Frimley Green, Surrey, last night.

Barneveld, a 27-year-old postman from The Hague, won the opening set before dropping to 1-3 down.

He pulled back courageously to 3-3, but Burnett, moving up a gear, took the next three sets for victory.

"I started nervously," the 27-year-old Burnett admitted. "I just got on with the job. Raymond made some marvellous finishes, but I just had to keep going whatever happened."

Barneveld, who beat the England captain, Martin Adams, in the semi-finals on Saturday, said of his second-seeded opponent: "Richie was just too good. He does not miss many doubles. But I'll be back."