Darts: Van Barneveld caps off memorable day for Dutchmen

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD was made to fight all the way before edging past Colin Osborne 4-3 to seal his place in the quarter-finals of Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship last night.

The Dutchman had it far from all his own way and found himself 2-1 and 3-2 down at Alexandra Palace.

But Van Barneveld kept his composure to draw level on both occasions to squeeze into the last eight, later putting his struggle down to having watched compatriot Vincent van der Voort's victory over Simon Whitlock.

"I was very proud of him and I forgot to focus myself," the 43-year-old said.

"I won that first set with a 104 finish. The second set I missed double 18 on the finish and then another two darts missed on double nine. From there I lost it.

"In the last break I was 3-2 down and I said to myself 'this is going to be a fight for your life now'.

"At the end I've seen now a 97 average - it wasn't that bad. I was thinking it was a lot worse than that."

Van Barneveld will play Gary Anderson tomorrow.

Van der Voort earlier came from a set down to beat last year's finalist Whitlock 4-2 and move through.

The 35-year-old Dutchman was superb after he lost the first set before winning three in succession and claimed victory in style. "I'm over the moon," Van der Voort said.