World Darts Championship: Michael van Gerwen produces greatest performance of his career to set up final meeting with Gary Anderson
Proud Scot set a new win record of 17 matches in succession at the Ally Pall on Sunday
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN smashed the world championship three-dart average record with the greatest performance of his career.
And the World No.1 has vowed to REPEAT his spectacular achievements in tonight’s “dream” final with defending champion Gary Anderson.
The Dutchman was at his mesmeric best, crushing his fellow countryman Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 in a historic semi-final of the William Hill PDC World Darts Championships.
Van Gerwen, 27, hit a stunning average of 114.05, breaking the 15-year-old record of 111.21 set by Phil Taylor.
Van Barneveld more than played his part with an average of 109.34 – the highest achieved by a losing player at this level.
Van Gerwen laughed: “I showed I was the boss on that stage. That was a phenomenal performance.
“Everyone in this venue needs to realise that things like that is not normal. Anything is possible.
“I only have one goal and that is to hold the trophy in the air. Gary awaits and he is a tough opponent but I will probably have to do the same again to beat him.
“For the audience, this is the UK and Holland, this is a final to dream of.”
Over the course of eight sets, the 3,000-strong Ally Pally crowd, including Tottenham defender Danny Rose, were treated to one of the best matches ever.
It was exhibition stuff at times – with 29 180s between the two men as well as several exceptional checkouts.
The highlights were Van Gerwen’s 114 in the second set and Van Barneveld’s 160 finish in the next set.
Barneveld was a crushed man afterwards and, in what could potentially be a kneejerk reaction, the five-time world champion revealed he might hang up his arrows.
Van Barneveld, 49, said: “It’s so hard playing over Christmas and New Year. My family miss me. My grandson turned one last week. My daughter was crying down the phone to me. It costs a lot of energy.
“But I’m not good enough anymore. So maybe in a couple years I will pack in it.
“My average doesn’t matter. Who cares? I lost. When you lose, you have nothing.
“There is no other trophy, this is the one. Now I have to wait another year. I am gutted.”
For the first time since 2009, when Taylor beat Barney 7-1, Othe world No.1 and No.2 will contest the Sid Waddell Trophy.
Proud Scot Gary Anderson had earlier extended his Hogmanay celebrations by an extra day to move into a third successive world final.
In the clash of the darting tartans, the Flying Scotsman knocked out fellow countryman Peter Wright 6-3.
Anderson, 46, has not won a major PDC darts title since lifting donning the world crown for the second time 12 months ago.
Yet in the confines of Ally Pally he remains an invincible figure, winning a record 17 matches in succession.
And the father-of-three will fancy his prospects of becoming just the third man to complete a hat-trick of world titles, as well as receiving the record £350,000 winners’ cheque this evening.
Anderson said: "To win it twice, I am proud about. I wanted to get past the first round and then see what would happen.
"For some strange reason, I feel comfy up here. I knew I was scoring well. The 180s are coming back. A few mistakes tonight. But I am glad to get over the winning line."