Darts: Practice pays off for Robinson

Harry Robinson, a former rugby union player from Cumbria, pulled off the biggest surprise of the Skol World Championship when he beat third seeded Alan Warriner last night to qualify for the quarter-finals.

Robinson, 28 last Saturday, had lost 3-2 to American-based Steve Brown in his opening group match and Warriner, who had beaten Brown 3-1, was a 1-9 favourite to win this evening.

Yet Robinson, showing no sign of nerves, won the first two sets by three legs to two and then cruised through the third set 3-0, clinching victory with an 86 check-out - treble 18 followed by double 16.

His victory meant that each man in the group had one win to his credit, but Robinson went through to the last eight on legs average.

What made his victory even more remarkable was that for the past five weeks Robinson has been practising with Warriner and has never beaten him.

"I've never even got close against Alan," Robinson said. "In one practice session he beat me by 10 legs to nil. But I know I can play good darts and I came good tonight.''