Darts: Adams holds off dogged rookie to win world title

(GETTY IMAGES)

Martin Adams prevailed after a thrilling duel with BDO World Championship debutant Dean Winstanley to secure his third title in last night's final at Frimley Green.

The 54-year-old Londoner, a BDO world champion in 2007 and 2010, appeared in trouble on a number of occasions before running out a 7-5 winner. "I had to dig deep," Adams told BBC Sport afterwards. "Deano had me in all sorts of problems. I thought, 'What do I have to do now?'

"It means it's No 3 and that equals one or two records. I want to win a third one next year for the hat-trick."

Adams' win lifted him level with John Lowe's three world titles with only Raymond van Barneveld (four wins) and Eric Bristow (five wins) ahead of him.

After Adams opened up a 2-0 lead, the final looked like descending into a one-sided rout, with the more experienced thrower threatening to run away with proceedings. But Adams blew a 120 checkout, which would have put him 3-0 up, and Winstanley capitalised to force his way back into the contest, hitting double-eight with his second dart to pull back a set before levelling the match in the fourth set with double-top.

Adams managed to halt Winstanley's momentum, though, recovering to go 3-2 ahead. Winstanley failed to win a leg and Adams could well have extended his lead to 4-2 but missed eight doubles before the Yorkshireman's double-five saw the players head into the break with the scores tied at 3-3.

Winstanley went ahead for the first time in the match when he took the next set but Adams rallied, as though sensing the threat, and levelled it at 4-4, only for Winstanley to again pull ahead.

Adams' composure in the home straight was decisive, though; he won the opening leg of the 10th set against the throw and double-16 edged him 2-0 ahead before levelling the match at 5-5. A nerveless two-dart 62 finish, completed on double-16, put Adams 6-5 ahead and Winstanley's challenge fell away from there, leaving him little choice but to bow to Adams' greater experience.

"The better man won on the night, he deserves it. But it was nice to see the man with the beard shake," Winstanley said.