PHIL TAYLOR produced a scintillating night of darts to claim glory in the inaugural Zipang Casino Japan Darts Masters as he defeated plucky Peter Wright 8-7 in a thrilling final in Yokohama on Sunday.

Taylor followed up Saturday's win over Masumi Chino with victories over Raymond van Barneveld, Gary Anderson and Wright to pick up his fourth PDC World Series of Darts title.

However, Taylor was pushed all the way at the Osanbashi Hall in Yokohama as the PDC's inaugural televised event in Japan produced a sensational second night of action.

The quarter-finals had initially seen Michael van Gerwen defy a ten-dart finish from Stephen Bunting to average 106.34 in a superb 8-5 victory, before Wright averaged 103 and hit two 121 checkouts in seeing off Adrian Lewis.

Taylor then saw off great rival Raymond van Barneveld 8-3 - aided by taking the game's opening five legs without reply - before Anderson was at his clinical best to overcome James Wade 8-1.

The semi-finals proved dramatic as Wright firstly edged out van Gerwen 8-7 in a classic to win through to his second World Series of Darts final.

The Scot leg 3-0 before van Gerwen hit back to move 6-4 up - but Wright drew back level and took the game into a decider before finishing a spectacular 141 checkout to emotionally snatch victory.

The second semi-final proved equally dramatic, with World Champion Anderson leading 3-1 against Taylor before the Stoke legend hit back to move 4-3 and 6-5 up in a see-saw contest, taking out a party-piece 125 checkout which included two bullseyes before the Scot took out 140 with two double tops.

As the game headed into a decider, Taylor landed a crucial 180 before finishing double seven for a 13-darter to move into the final.

Taylor continued that momentum as he took a two-leg lead over Wright, who hit back to level at two-all with the aid of a brace of 180s in an 11-darter.

Taylor, though, took the next five legs in ruthless fashion, including a 120 checkout, as he moved to the brink of the title at 7-2 - only for Wright to mount a fightback which brought the 1,000-strong crowd to its feet.

Wright took out finishes of 108, 121 and 129 to keep his hopes alive and then finished double eight and tops as Taylor was punished for missing three match darts.

Taylor, though, again proved too strong in a deciding leg as he recovered from two further missed match darts - at tops - by landing double ten to gleefully claim the trophy.

"It's very special to be the first winner in Japan and I've put a huge amount of effort in this week," said Taylor. "The semi-finals and finals were two of the toughest games I could have had and it shows how darts is progressing now.

"The Gary Anderson game was an incredible match and the win over Peter was very special and very tough. He did brilliantly to beat Michael van Gerwen and gave me a real run for my money in the final.

"When he was coming back at me in the final, even though I was trying to win every leg it was in my mind that I had the throw in the final leg, and it went to the last leg!"

Taylor's win added to his previous World Series of Darts double in Sydney and last year's Perth triumph, as he claimed glory in Japan for the first time.

"I've loved every minute of it and the crowds were brilliant," he added. "I didn't think they'd be as animated as they were and it was like a rock concert at times, and they gave every player fantastic support."

Wright's loss means that he has now been defeated in all four televised finals he has reached, but he is aiming to bounce back to silverware in August's treble-header of World Series of Darts events in Australia and New Zealand.

"I can't be too disappointed - I'll get Phil next time!" he said. "I'm getting closer to a big trophy and hopefully it can be when the World Series visits Australia.

"I started off too slowly in the final and when I was 7-2 down I didn't want to roll over because I knew I was better than that and I deserved to be in the final. I never gave up and I came back at Phil, but it was a little bit too late."

Wright had received incredible support from the Japanese crowd throughout the event, and broke down in tears as he celebrated his stunning semi-final triumph.

"It was a fantastic crowd and the support they gave me was like nothing I've ever received before," he added.

"The 141 was one of the best shots I've ever hit. I knew I was going to get it, and I just wanted to get a shot and I did it - and that was for the fans really.

"They picked me up when I went behind against Michael. He played some fantastic darts after I went 4-2 up and showed what a great player he is but the fans carried me through."

World Champion and Premier League champion Anderson missed out on a World Series of Darts win for the second successive event in the semi-finals to Taylor, but said: "I enjoyed it.

"I didn't give James a chance in the quarter-finals and that was a good performance, and Phil just edged it in the semis.

"It's been a good tournament but I made a couple of mistakes against Phil - miscounting being one of them - and he punished me. The miscount put me off for a couple of legs but in the last leg I had the throw and made a mess of it, and Phil did what he does."

Anderson added: "We didn't know what to expect coming over here, but the crowd has been absolutely fantastic. I very much hope we come across here again, and hopefully it will encourage more Japanese people to play the game too.

"The Japanese players did really well. Yuki Yamada, who I played in the first round, is a classy player who's played soft-tip and is now on the steel-tip, and he's talking about playing in Q School. If you give him a year we could have another professional Japanese darts player."

Van Gerwen had been bidding to continue his amazing 2015 by following up his recent Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters win with another title, but was left to rue his narrow semi-final defeat to Wright.

"The tournament was fantastic but I wanted to win here and I didn't do that," said van Gerwen. "I wasn't good enough tonight.

"The fans were great but I feel like I let them down and I need to play better next time we're here."

Zipang Casino Japan Darts Masters
Sunday June 28
Quarter-Finals
Michael van Gerwen 8-5 Stephen Bunting
Peter Wright 8-4 Adrian Lewis
Phil Taylor 8-3 Raymond van Barneveld
Gary Anderson 8-1 James Wade

Semi-Finals
Peter Wright 8-7 Michael van Gerwen
Phil Taylor 8-7 Gary Anderson

Final
Phil Taylor 8-7 Peter Wright
All games are the best of 15 legs

MATCH INFORMATION
QUARTER-FINALS
Michael van Gerwen v Stephen Bunting
0-1 - Bunting makes an explosive start with an outstanding ten-dart leg, scoring 125, 180 and 180 before hitting double eight - with van Gerwen firing in a 171 score in vain.
1-1 - van Gerwen levels by finishing double 16 for an 11-dart finish.
2-1 - Bunting misses the bull to take out 123, and van Gerwen breaks throw with double 18 for a 13-darter.
3-1 - van Gerwen's superb opening continues as he lands a 177 and double four to take a two-leg lead.
3-2 - Double 16 sees Bunting win his first leg in four.
4-2 - Bunting lands another 180, but van Gerwen finishes another 13-darter on tops.
4-3 - van Gerwen misses double 12 for a 144 finish, allowing Bunting in on double ten for a 14-darter.
4-4 - Bunting levels the game, hitting two 180s in the leg and double three to square the contest.
5-4 - The pair trade 180s - Bunting with his sixth, van Gerwen his first of the game - before van Gerwen edges back ahead.
6-4 - Double 18 sees van Gerwen regain a two-leg cushion.
6-5 - Bunting responds in style to hit back with the throw.
7-5 - van Gerwen moves one leg away from the semi-finals with a superb 124 finish on the bullseye.
8-5 - Bunting opens with his seventh 180 before van Gerwen lands a 180 and 177 to raise hopes of hitting a nine-darter - but he is unable to take out the 144 finish. However, Bunting misses double 16 to keep his hopes alive, and double eight seals van Gerwen's semi-final spot with a brilliant 106.34 average.

Peter Wright v Adrian Lewis
1-0 - Wright's miss at tops is given a let-off when Lewis is unable to land double 12, and the Scot returns to finish double ten for an immediate break.
2-0 - Lewis lands a 180, but Wright is first to a double as he lands double eight to move two legs up.
2-1 - Lewis hits seven perfect darts, with two 180s and another treble 20, but misses out on a possible nine-dart finish when he is unable to land the treble 19 on the 141 finish - although he eventually takes the leg on double four.
2-2 - Lewis hits double 16 to level the game.
3-2 - Wright finishes 121 on the bull to regain the lead.
4-2 - Tops gives Wright a two-leg cushion.
5-2 - Wright fires in a 180 before hitting the bull for a second 121 finish in three legs.
5-3 - Lewis responds in style with a 120 checkout.
6-3 - Lewis misses tops, allowing Wright in for a key double 18.
7-3 - Wright moves a leg away from the win by finishing tops, after a further two missed doubles from Lewis.
7-4 - Lewis lands a 180 and tops to keep his hopes alive.
8-4 - Wright seals victory in style, opening with two 180s and responding to missing out on a nine-darter by finishing 86 on the bull to seal a semi-final place.

Phil Taylor v Raymond van Barneveld
1-0 - Taylor holds throw to claim the game's opening leg.
2-0 - An edgy second leg is eventually taken by Taylor on double one as he breaks.
3-0 - Taylor lands a 180 and double 16 to claim a third successive leg.
4-0 - van Barneveld lands a 180 but fails to give himself a dart at a double when needing 80, allowing Taylor in to clinicaly finish 72 for a fourth straight leg.
5-0 - van Barneveld misses double five to finish 130, and Taylor's charge continues with double 16 to move five legs clear.
5-1 - Double 16 for a 52 finish sees van Barneveld finally get off the mark.
5-2 - The Dutchman's revival continues as he takes out 116 on tops to break throw.
5-3 - van Barneveld wins a third successive leg, initially missing five darts at doubles only for Taylor to miss the bull and two further doubles to allow his rival back in on double two.
6-3 - Taylor takes out 68 on double four to claim his first leg in four.
7-3 - Four missed doubles from van Barneveld are punished as Taylor clinically finishes 98 in two darts on double 19.
8-3 - Taylor initially misses the bull for a showpiece 167 finish, but returns to land double eight for a 14-darter to move into the semi-finals.

James Wade v Gary Anderson
0-1 - Anderson takes out 76 on tops to claim the opening leg.
0-2 - Wade misses the bull to punish two misses from Anderson, who returns on double one.
0-3 - Double six gives Anderson a third successive leg.
0-4 - The World Champion breaks throw by finishing 32 to take a fourth leg.
0-5 - Anderson lands a 180 before finishing tops to move five legs clear.
0-6 - Wade's opening 180 is followed by a maximum from Anderson, who returns from a missed bullseye to take the leg on double 12, after the left-hander is unable to hit tops to complete a 117 combination.
0-7 - Wade kicks off the leg with another maximum, but can only wait on a finish as Anderson takes out 78 on double six to move a leg away from victory.
1-7 - Wade finally gets off the mark with a fine 113 finish, ending on tops with only his third dart at a double in the contest.
1-8 - Anderson's 180 is followed by a 162 score from Wade, who is unable to take out 140 to allow the World Champion back from a missed bullseye to seal victory.

SEMI-FINALS
Michael van Gerwen v Peter Wright
0-1 - Wright finishes 96 on double 12 to break throw in the opening leg.
0-2 - van Gerwen lands a 180, but Wright finishes double four to claim a second leg.
0-3 - van Gerwen misses double 14 to finish 121, allowing Wright in on tops.
1-3 - van Gerwen hits a 180 and then takes out 120 on tops to claim his first leg of the game.
1-4 - Wright misses the bull to finish 90 but returns to land double four to restore his three-leg cushion.
2-4 - Wright's 180 is followed by back-to-back maximums from van Gerwen, who posts double 16 to claim his second leg.
3-4 - van Gerwen finishes 66 on double 18 to claim a third leg.
4-4 - van Gerwen levels in style, following a 177 score with a 124 bullseye finish.
5-4 - van Gerwen hits a 180 before finishing 92 on double eight to lead for the first time.
6-4 - The world number one wins a fifth successive leg, punishing a miss at tops from Wright by landing double ten.
6-5 - Misses from van Gerwen at double 18 and nine allow Wright in to finish 76 in two darts to hit back.
6-6 - Wright levels superbly, hitting a 180 before taking out 64 on double eight.
7-6 - Wright hits a 180 to leave 81, but misses the bull to break throw as van Gerwen returns on double 18 for a 13-darter.
7-7 - van Gerwen hits his seventh 180 of the game, but Wright finishes 66 on double 16 to send the game into a deciding leg.
7-8 - van Gerwen leaves 44 but can only watch on as Wright takes out a stunning 141 checkout to claim the victory and a place in the final - before tearfully celebrating his victory in front of the Japanese crowd.

Phil Taylor v Gary Anderson
0-1 - Anderson lands a 180 and tops to kick off the game with a 13-darter.
1-1 - Taylor levels in 13 darts, hitting a maximum of his own and double 16.
1-2 - Anderson takes out 104 to regain the edge.
1-3 - Taylor opens with a 180 but pays for three misses at double 18 and nine, allowing Anderson in on double 13 to break.
2-3 - Tops sees Taylor break back immediately.
3-3 - Anderson misses a golden chance to regain his two-leg lead when needing 83 - miscounting and finishing treble 17 and double 18, instead of double 16 - and Taylor takes out 108 on tops to level the game.
4-3 - Taylor moves ahead for the first time as he follows a 180 with a sensational 125 checkout of bullseye, 25 and bullseye.
4-4 - Anderson hits a 180 before replying with a showpiece finish of his own, stepping in after Taylor misses the bull for a 121 checkout to take out 140 with treble 20 and two double tops
4-5 - Anderson moves back ahead by taking out 80 on double ten.
5-5 - A third-dart double 18 from Taylor sees him level.
6-5 - Taylor scores 180 and 170 during the leg before punishing misses at double 12 and six from Anderson with double 16 to move back ahead.
6-6 - Anderson lands a 180 before returning on double 12, after both players initially miss the bullseye.
6-7 - Anderson hits a 180 before finishing double five to wrestle back the lead and move a leg away from the final.
7-7 - Taylor finishes double eight for a 14-darter.
8-7 - A score of 41 from Anderson is followed by a 180 from Taylor, who is first to a finish before taking out double seven for a 13-darter to win another brilliant contest.

FINAL
Peter Wright v Phil Taylor
0-1 - Taylor holds throw to take the final's opening leg.
0-2 - Double four sees Taylor break throw to claim a second leg.
1-2 - Taylor wires tops for a 120 checkout, and Wright lands double three to get off the mark.
2-2 - Wright lands back-to-back 180s before finishing 81 on double 12 for an 11-dart leg.
2-3 - Taylor moves back ahead by landing tops.
2-4 - Taylor lands a 180 before finishing 84 on double 12 to regain a two-leg cushion.
2-5 - Taylor posts another 180 before taking out 120 to move three legs clear.
2-6 - Taylor wins a fourth successive leg as he finishes 86 on the bull.
2-7 - Taylor opens with a 180, and though Wright responds with a maximum he is unable to prevent the Stoke great finishing double 16 to move a leg away from the title.
3-7 - Taylor sees two match darts, at double top and ten, go begging before Wright finishes a superb 108 on double 16 to keep alive his hopes.
4-7 - Wright's revival continues with a 121 checkout as he lands double 14.
5-7 - The Scot hits a third successive ton-plus finish, defying a 180 to take out 129 with treble 19, double 16 and tops.
6-7 - Wright misses double 16 to finish 101 for another big checkout, but when Taylor misses double five to finish 90, he returns to land double eight to win a fourth straight leg and cut the gap to one.
7-7 - With Taylor waiting on 32, Wright lands tops to send the game into a decider by winning his fifth successive leg.
7-8 - Taylor initially misses two more match darts, at tops, but Wright is unable to finish 156 as his fightback is ended by double ten from the 54-year-old, who claims the title.

THE draw for the Zipang Casino Japan Darts Masters has handed Michael van Gerwen a clash with Chikara Fujimori, while Phil Taylor will take on Masumi Chino when the PDC World Series of Darts event begins on Saturday.

The PDC's first visit to Japan will see eight top stars joined by eight Japanese representatives competing across two days at the Osanbashi Hall in Yokohama.

World number one Michael van Gerwen, who won last month's opening World Series of Darts event at the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters, will play 31-year-old Chikara Fujimori in Saturday's first round.

Phil Taylor, the 16-time World Champion and the winner of last year's World Series of Darts events in Perth and Sydney, has drawn Tokyo's Masumi Chino, who was the runner-up in the PDJ's World Championship qualifier last year.

Leading Japanese ace Haruki Muramatsu, the 38-year-old who has played in four World Championships and holds a PDC Tour Card, will take on Peter Wright in a tasty first round contest.

Muramatsu's recent World Cup of Darts team-mate Morihiro Hashimoto has drawn eight-time major champion James Wade in another high-profile clash.

Sho Katsumi, who played in the 2013 World Cup of Darts for Japan, will take on Adrian Lewis - who he defeated 4-3 when they met during that tournament.

World Champion Gary Anderson is up against Fukuoka's 31-year-old Yuki Yamada, while Raymond van Barneveld will play Kanagawa's Katsuya Aiba and Stephen Bunting plays Tokyo's Shintaro Inoue.

PDC Chairman Barry Hearn launched the tournament in Yokohama on Friday, and said: "We're delighted to be in Japan for the first time and this is a very exciting event for us all at the PDC.

"The Zipang Casino Japan Darts Masters will give Japanese fans their first chance to see the world's best players live in Yokohama, as well as the cream of the crop from Japanese darts.

"Japanese players have been emerging on the international stage over the past decade, and this is their chance to shine in front of their home fans. The live crowd are in for a fantastic tournament!"

The Zipang Casino Japan Darts Masters will be televised by JSport in Japan, as well as worldwide through the PDC's series of broadcast partners and online through www.LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers.

Zipang Casino Japan Darts Masters
First Round Draw & Tournament Draw Bracket
Michael van Gerwen (1) v Chikara Fujimori
Stephen Bunting (8) v Shintaro Inoue
Peter Wright (5) v Haruki Muramatsu
Adrian Lewis (4) v Sho Katsumi
Phil Taylor (2) v Masumi Chino
Raymond van Barneveld (7) v Katsuya Aiba
James Wade (6) v Morihiro Hashimoto
Gary Anderson (3) v Yuki Yamada

First Round - Best of 11 legs
Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, Final - Best of 15 legs

First Round Order of Play
Stephen Bunting v Shintaro Inoue
Raymond van Barneveld v Katsuya Aiba
Adrian Lewis v Sho Katsumi
Phil Taylor v Masumi Chino
James Wade v Morihiro Hashimoto
Gary Anderson v Yuki Yamada
Michael van Gerwen v Chikara Fujimori
Peter Wright v Haruki Muramatsu

Television Coverage
JSport - Japan
ITV4 - UK (Delayed)
Setanta - Ireland
OSN - Middle East & North Africa
Fox Sports - Australia
Sky - New Zealand
RTL7 - Netherlands
Fox Asia
PPTV Online - China
www.LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers outside of UK, Ireland & Netherlands.

Coverage of the Zipang Casino Darts Masters on ITV4 will be shown delayed at 6.30pm-11.30pm (BST) on Saturday June 27 and from 6.15pm-11.15pm (BST) on Sunday June 28.

THE qualification criteria for the 2015 SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts has been confirmed, with 24 PDC stars set to be joined by eight BDO players in this year's tournament in Wolverhampton.

Following eight hugely successful years of the tournament, which is held across nine days at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall, the SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts will become a PDC ranked event in 2015, with prize money won to count on the main PDC Order of Merit.

Players from within the PDC system will be able to qualify automatically by winning, or reaching the final of, major PDC tournaments throughout 2015 - plus the 2014 Grand Slam, Players Championship Finals and World Youth Championship - up to a maximum of 16 spots.

The automatic qualifiers would currently include PDC World Champion and Premier League champion Gary Anderson, 2015 Masters winner and UK Open champion Michael van Gerwen as well as reigning Grand Slam champion Phil Taylor and his World Cup of Darts-winning partner Adrian Lewis.

World Youth Champion Keegan Brown will also compete in the event, with Dave Chisnall, Peter Wright, Raymond van Barneveld and Rowby-John Rodriguez standing by to compete from the list of major finalists.

Alongside the 16 automatic PDC qualifiers, eight players will come from a PDC Qualifier which will be held on October 23 in Coventry.

In addition, eight players will represent the BDO system in the tournament, with invitations being issued to BDO Lakeside World Champion Scott Mitchell, runner-up Martin Adams, 2015 World Trophy champion Geert De Vos and the 2014 World Masters winner Martin Phillips.

A further four BDO Qualifiers will also compete in Wolverhampton, with two to come from a UK qualifying event on Tuesday October 6 and two from a European qualifying event, which will be held on Sunday October 18. Full details will be available in due course.

The SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts was first staged in 2007 and has been won six times by Phil Taylor, with Scott Waites taking the 2010 title and Raymond van Barneveld claiming glory in 2012.

The SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts will be played from November 7-15 at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall and televised live on Sky Sports. Ticket information will be confirmed in due course atwww.pdc.tv/tickets.

2015 SINGHA Beer Grand Slam of Darts
Invitations & Qualifying Criteria In Full
One-Year Invitations to be issued to a maximum of 16 players from the events below in the order of automatic qualifiers listed (players who have already qualified listed in brackets):
2015 PDC World Champion - Gary Anderson
2014 Grand Slam of Darts Champion - Phil Taylor
2015 Premier League Champion - (Gary Anderson)
2015 World Matchplay Champion
2015 World Grand Prix Champion
2014 Players Champion - (Gary Anderson)
2015 UK Open Champion - Michael van Gerwen
2015 European Champion
2015 Masters Champion - (Michael van Gerwen)
2014 World Youth Champion - Keegan Brown
2015 World Series of Darts Ranking List Leader
2015 World Cup Champions - Adrian Lewis (& Phil Taylor)
2015 PDC World Championship Runner-Up - (Phil Taylor)
2014 Grand Slam of Darts Runner-Up - Dave Chisnall
2015 Premier League Runner-Up - (Michael van Gerwen)
2015 World Matchplay Runner-Up
2015 World Grand Prix Runner-Up
2014 Players Championship Finals Runner-Up (Adrian Lewis)
2015 UK Open Runner-Up - Peter Wright
2015 European Championship Runner-Up
2015 Masters Runner-Up - Raymond van Barneveld
2014 World Youth Championship Runner-Up - Rowby-John Rodriguez
2015 World Series of Darts Ranking List Runner-Up
2015 World Cup Runners-Up (Gary Anderson & Peter Wright)
Should the list above produce 16 players in the order of events listed, no further players shall qualify automatically.

Should the list above produce fewer than 16 players, then additional places up to a total of 16 players shall be filled from the reserve list in the following order:
2015 PDC European Tour event winners (in ProTour Order of Merit position order at cut-off date)
2015 Players Championship event winners (in ProTour Order of Merit position at cut-off date)

If the automatic qualifiers list and reserve list as stated above produces less than 16 players, then additional places shall be awarded to the PDC Qualifier.

The remaining 16 places shall be filled with eight players from a PDC Qualifier and eight players from the BDO system.

The four BDO invitees are:
2015 Lakeside World Champion - Scott Mitchell
2015 Lakeside World Championship Runner-Up - Martin Adams
2014 World Masters Champion - Martin Phillips
2015 World Trophy Champion - Geert De Vos

In addition, the BDO will stage two qualifying tournaments, one in the UK (Tuesday October 6 in Hull) and one in Europe (Sunday October 18, venue TBC), which will each produce two players.

Should any of the four BDO invitees decline their invitation, additional places will shall be awarded to the BDO UK qualifying tournament.

The four BDO Invitees shall be drawn, along with the four BDO qualifiers, randomly for the main event, with one player drawn per group.

Eight seeds will be allocated as one per group based on the PDC Order of Merit on the date of the last player qualifying for the event.

ENGLAND'S Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis claimed a third bwin World Cup of Darts title in four years with a thrilling victory over Scotland's Gary Anderson and Peter Wright in the final at Frankfurt's Eissporthalle on Sunday night.

In a final night of high drama in Germany, the English pairing overcame Belgium with two superb individual displays as Taylor defeated Ronny Huybrechts 4-3 and Lewis overcame Kim Huybrechts 4-2 in their semi-final.

Scotland then knocked out reigning champions Netherlands in a thrilling Doubles decider to put themselves into the final for the first time in the 32-nation pairs event.

Wright had initially lost a high-quality clash 4-3 to Michael van Gerwen - as the Dutchman topped a 106 average and sealed victory with an 11-darter - before World Champion Anderson swept aside van Barneveld 4-1.

Despite van Gerwen firing in a 126 bull finish to win the second leg of the Doubles contest, Scotland claimed a 4-1 victory to move through to face England as an old sporting rivalry took to the darting stage.

Taylor kicked off the final with an amazing 113.43 average - an individual record for the World Cup of Darts - in a 4-0 whitewash of Wright, only to see Anderson see off Lewis 4-1.

The Doubles clash then went the way of England as Taylor took out 101 to win the deciding leg for a 4-3 triumph - only to then see himself beaten by a sublime Singles display by Anderson, who averaged 108 and took out finishes of 150 and 110 in a 4-1 win.

That sent the final to a decisive Singles tie between Lewis and Wright, and it was the two-time World Champion who rose to the occasion.

Lewis recorded checkouts of 87, 70 and 74 to take a 3-0 lead, and though Wright responded with an 11-darter, the Englishman took the next in 14 darts to give England the title.

"It's absolutely fantastic and I'm a little bit lost for words," admitted Lewis, who shares a £50,000 first prize with Taylor.

"That last game against Peter was probably harder than playing in a World Championship final because it was the first to four legs and you've got the nation's hopes on you, and I pulled through.

"We did it as a team and that's the third time in four finals that we've won, but it's my first trophy of the year so it's special on that front."

England had defeated Denmark, Japan and Germany in reaching Sunday night's final stages, and Lewis added: "It's a massive win for us because the standard now is fantastic.

"Hong Kong won through to the quarter-finals and it shows how good the players are who are coming through now and we'll be expecting a lot more from countries like that in years to come."

The triumph saw 16-time World Champion Taylor add yet another title to his glittering roll of honour, and he added: "It's absolutely fantastic - this is more special than any other World Cup I've played in and I've really enjoyed it.

"I think the final was probably the best we've had and I couldn't be any proud of Adrian with how he played in that last game against Peter. He's a confidence player and he got off to a great start, and that was it from there.

"Those finishes were some of the biggest he's done in his career but all the players were pulling the stops out because Gary Anderson was brilliant against me there too.

"To see Adrian win it was extra special for me. I've enjoyed every minute of it with Adrian this weekend and it's helped us relax."

Scottish pair Anderson and Wright had produced their nation's best finish in the five-year history of the tournament, and picked up £13,000 each as the beaten finalists.

Anderson had been bidding to add the World Cup of Darts title to the World Championship, Premier League and Players Championship Finals crowns he has claimed in the past seven months, and he conceded: "It wasn't to be tonight but we gave it everything.

"Peter was in brilliant form throughout the weekend and I had my moments too, and we loved it. It's been a fantastic tournament and we had a great time, and hopefully we can go one better next year."

Wright added: "It's great to have reached the final and we both really enjoyed the weekend.

"The crowds were great and the support they gave us was fantastic, and though it's disappointing that we couldn't quite win that final it's an achievement to be there."

bwin World Cup of Darts
Sunday June 14
Semi-Finals
England 2-0 Belgium
Scotland 2-1 Netherlands

Final
England 3-2 Scotland

MATCH INFORMATION
ENGLAND v BELGIUM
Singles One: Phil Taylor v Ronny Huybrechts
1-0 - Taylor makes a statement of intent with a 180 in an 11-darter to open the game.
1-1 - Huybrechts responds superbly with a 142 checkout to level.
2-1 - Taylor finishes a 14-darter on double ten.
2-2 - Huybrechts opens with a 180 and is given a let-off for a miss at tops when two misses from Taylor allow him back in to level.
3-2 - Both players miss the bull to take the leg before Taylor returns on double eight to hold throw.
3-3 - Huybrechts finishes 70 on double eight with a fine two-dart combination to take the game into a deciding seventh leg.
4-3 - Taylor produces a final leg, scoring 100, 140 and 180 before finishing 81 on double 16 to take the win for England.

Singles Two: Adrian Lewis v Kim Huybrechts
1-0 - Double 18 gives Lewis the opening leg in 13 darts.
2-0 - Lewis fires in six perfect darts with two 180s, and after missing out on a nine-darter he eventually takes the leg on double ten.
3-0 - Huybrechts misses the bull to finish 90, and Lewis lands double eight to move England a leg away from the final.
3-1 - Huybrechts keeps his hopes alive with an excellent 14-darter, hitting a 180 and double eight.
3-2 - Lewis misses double 16 to claim victory with a 101 finish, and Huybrechts steps in to land double 16 and continue his revival.
4-2 - Lewis finishes 71 on tops to secure England's place in a fourth successive bwin World Cup of Darts final.

Doubles: Not Needed
Final Score: England 2-0 Belgium

SCOTLAND v NETHERLANDS
Singles One: Peter Wright v Michael van Gerwen
1-0 - van Gerwen misses a dart at tops, and Wright hits the same bed to win the opening leg.
1-1 - The pair trade 180s, with Wright missing two darts at double 16 to allow van Gerwen back in to level.
2-1 - Wright lands a 180 before finishing 61 on double nine.
2-2 - van Gerwen finishes 86 on double seven to square the game again.
3-2 - van Gerwen lands a 180 but misses double 12 to finish 141, allowing Wright in to take out another 61 checkout.
3-3 - The pair trade 180s for the second time in the game, with Wright unable to take out 121 to allow van Gerwen in for a two-dart 98 finish.
3-4 - van Gerwen kicks off the deciding leg with a 180 against the throw, before finishing 82 with a bullseye, double 16 combination to snatch a brilliant win for the Netherlands in the opening Singles game.

Singles Two: Gary Anderson v Raymond van Barneveld
1-0 - Anderson makes a brilliant start, hitting a 180 in a 12-darter to kick off the game, finishing tops.
1-1 - van Barneveld posts double 16 to finish 91 as he levels.
2-1 - Anderson initially misses eight darts at a double across three visits, but van Barneveld misses the bull and two darts at double 16 to capitalise, allowing the Scot back on double two.
3-1 - van Barneveld hits a 180, but Anderson takes out double ten for a 14-darter.
4-1 - Anderson scores 180, 140 and 135 before finishing double ten for a 13-darter to seal the win and send the tie into a Doubles decider.

Doubles: Peter Wright & Gary Anderson v Michael van Gerwen & Raymond van Barneveld
1-0 - van Gerwen misses tops for a 116 finish to break throw, and Anderson pins double top to give Scotland the lead.
1-1 - van Gerwen levels for the Netherlands, scoring 174 during the leg before finishing 126 on the bull.
2-1 - Wright lands a 180 before Anderson sets him up for tops as Scotland regain the edge with a 13-darter.
3-1 - van Barneveld misses tops to finish 64, and Anderson lands double ten to move Scotland to the brink of victory.
4-1 - Wright opens with a 180 before van Gerwen lands a maximum, with Wright finishing 61 on tops to put Scotland into the final.

FINAL
ENGLAND v SCOTLAND
Singles One: Phil Taylor v Peter Wright
1-0 - Taylor finishes 24 for a 14-darter to open the game in style.
2-0 - Taylor lands a 180 before finishing 81 on the bull to double his lead.
3-0 - Taylor takes his average to 118 in-running with a 13-darter, finishing double eight after another 180.
4-0 - Taylor seals the win in style by taking out 130 on double five, ending the game with a 113.43 average to give England the opening match.
England 1-0 Scotland - First To Three

Singles Two: Adrian Lewis v Gary Anderson
0-1 - Anderson finishes double 16 to win the opening leg.
0-2 - A brilliant leg sees Anderson land two 180s and Lewis fire in one maximum before the Scot finishes double ten to move two legs up.
0-3 - Lewis lands a 180 but misses one dart at double 16, allowing Anderson in to finish double 12 to move three legs up.
1-3 - Lewis opens with a 180 before finishing 60 on double ten to win his first leg of the contest.
1-4 - Anderson lands double ten for a 14-darter to claim the win and level the final with a 103.14 average.
England 1-1 Scotland - First To Three

Doubles: Phil Taylor & Adrian Lewis v Peter Wright & Gary Anderson
1-0 - Taylor lands double 12 to complete a 13-darter for England to open the game.
1-1 - Anderson fires in a 180 before hitting double 16 to level for Scotland.
2-1 - Both Taylor and Lewis land 180s before Taylor finishes double six for a 14-darter to move England back ahead.
2-2 - Scotland level with a 13-dart leg, as Wright's 180 is followed by a maximum from Lewis before Wright lands double top to square the game.
3-2 - Lewis leaves Taylor 32 to allow the 16-time World Champion to finish double 16 for a 14-darter to nudge England back into the ascendancy.
3-3 - Wright takes out 70 on tops to level matters and force a deciding leg.
4-3 - Wright's 134 is followed by a 135 from Anderson, but both Englishmen land 140s before Taylor takes out 101 on double four to move England back ahead in the final.
England 2-1 Scotland - First To Three

Singles Three: Phil Taylor v Gary Anderson
0-1 - Anderson finishes 61 on double 18 to claim the opening leg.
1-1 - Anderson hits a 180, but misses tops to finish 80 as Taylor returns from an earlier missed bullseye to claim the leg.
1-2 - Taylor leaves 40 to break throw, but Anderson takes out a brilliant 150 to move back ahead.
1-3 - Taylor lands a 180 but misses three darts at tops, and Anderson steps in to finish 110 in superb fashion on double 15.
1-4 - Anderson seals a fine win with a 108.04 average, hitting three 140s before taking out 81 on double four for a 12-darter.
England 2-2 Scotland - First To Three

Singles Four: Adrian Lewis v Peter Wright
1-0 - Lewis kicks off with a 14-darter, landing a 180 before finishing 87.
2-0 - Lewis doubles his lead with another 14-dart finish, taking out 70 on double eight.
3-0 - Wright fires in a 180 to leave 59, but can only watch on as Lewis finishes 74 in two darts to move a leg away from the title.
3-1 - Wright scores another 180 before finishing 46 for an 11-darter to keep the final alive.
4-1 - Lewis opens with 140 and 180 before finishing double ten for a 14-darter to claim glory for England for the third time in four years.

TENSIONS reached boiling point in the bwin World Cup of Darts as Belgium won through to the semi-finals with a Doubles win over Australia on Sunday afternoon, as Scotland, England and holders Netherlands also enjoyed quarter-final wins.

Belgian brothers Kim and Ronny Huybrechts emerged victorious from a fiery and dramatic last eight clash with fellow former finalists Australia, for whom Simon Whitlock and Paul Nicholson suffered an agonising loss.

The Australians had seemed set to power into the last four when Whitlock defeated Ronny Huybrechts 4-2 in their Singles tie and Nicholson took a 3-0 lead against the younger brother in the second contest.

However, Kim Huybrechts clawed his way back into the game before punishing Nicholson for six missed match darts across two legs to force a decider, which he won on double eight to take the clash into a Doubles decider.

With both nations fired up, Belgium held throw twice only for Nicholson to twice land the winning double as Australia levelled, but Kim Huybrechts took out 105 for a 3-2 lead before Ronny Huybrechts finished 86 on the bull to claim victory.

"In the Doubles I know me and Ronny can do serious damage and it was an emotional Doubles game, so tense, but we're on top of the world," said Kim Huybrechts.

"Paul is very similar to me, we're both emotional when and very enthusiastic when we play. He was giving it loads when he went 3-0 up and I needed to get the crowd on my side and I think it got to him a bit and he missed match darts.

"In the Doubles, Ronny was brilliant and the 86 was a massive shot for the match, so big respect for that.

"Now we have to focus on the next game because we have to play this evening, so we have to relax now, forget about this and prepare for the semis now."

Belgium will now face England in a repeat of the 2013 World Cup of Darts final, after Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis produced two superb individual displays to knock out hosts Germany.

Taylor averaged over 104 in his 4-1 win over Jyhan Artut, whose only leg came with a fine 12-darter, before Lewis posted a 105 average in his brilliant 4-0 whitewash of teenager Max Hopp, which was book-ended by two 13-darters.

"That's a good win for us," said Lewis. "Jyhan played great against Phil and I had a tough contest against Max Hopp, but I hit him early on and kicked on from there.

"We're through to the business end of the competition and we're practising really well, so if we can put it all together there's no reason why we can't win it."

The other semi-final will see reigning champions Netherlands face Scotland, who won through to their first semi-final in the five-year history of this event with a 2-0 defeat of Hong Kong.

World Champion Gary Anderson kicked off the tie with a 4-2 win over Ting Chi Royden Lam, before team-mate Peter Wright matched that score in his defeat of Scott MacKenzie.

"I've been making hard work of things but hopefully I'll come good tonight," said Anderson. "I don't think I've played Royden before and he was nervous before the game, but he did alright and he'll learn from that.

"It's been a tournament where we've been playing against players we don't know, but in the semi-finals we know what to expect."

Dutch pair Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld needed a Doubles decider in their tie against Northern Ireland, but repeated last year's 4-0 win at the semi-final stage against Brendan Dolan and Mickey Mansell with another superb whitewash.

Van Gerwen had defeated Dolan 4-2 in their Singles tie before Mansell produced a superb display to overcome van Barneveld in a deciding leg, but the Northern Irish pair had no answer to a 107 average from their opponents in the Doubles game.

The £250,000 tournament concludes on Sunday night, with the semi-finals followed by the final at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt, as four of the top five seeds in the tournament compete for the title.

bwin World Cup of Darts
Sunday June 14Afternoon Session
Quarter-Finals
Belgium 2-1 Australia
Scotland 2-0 Hong Kong
England 2-0 Germany
Northern Ireland 1-2 Netherlands

Evening Session (8pm local time)
Semi-Finals
England v Belgium
Scotland v Netherlands

Final
England/Belgium v Scotland/Netherlands

FORMAT
Semi-Finals
The Semi-Finals will be played as two best of seven leg 501 Singles matches, with both nations nominating the order in which their players play. In the event of both nations winning one Singles match apiece, a best of seven leg 501 Doubles match will be played to decide the tie.

Final
The Final will be played as two best of seven leg 501 Singles matches, with both nations nominating the order in which their players play the first two matches, followed by a best of seven leg 501 Doubles match and then Reverse Singles matches. The first team to win three games is the winner.

NEW ZEALAND, Hong Kong and Hungary caused upsets in the bwin World Cup of Darts first round on Friday night, as reigning champions Netherlands and number two seeds Scotland enjoyed opening victories at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt.

The second day of the £250,000 tournament saw the first round conclude with eight Pairs games, with three seeded nations exiting in the opening three games on a night of shocks.

New Zealand's Rob Szabo and Warren Parry kicked off the drama by knocking out Canada's three-time World Champion John Part and Ken MacNeil with a narrow 5-4 game in a see-saw opener.

The Canadians hit back from a 2-1 deficit with an 80 finish from Part and a 120 checkout from MacNeil as they moved ahead, only for Szabo to move the Kiwis ahead by taking out 102.

Part forced a deciding leg, but Parry finished 92 to give New Zealand a 5-4 win for their first World Cup victory since the inaugural event in 2010.

"It was a great battle," said Szabo. "We'd been discussing what our game plan was going to be during the week and it worked in our favour and I'm grateful that we got the win.

"The feedback we've been getting over the last few days from home has been phenomenal and they were getting up early in the morning to watch this game, so to get the win is the icing on the cake.

"We look forward to the second round and we've got room to improve and we can do better, but we'll enjoy this moment and then see what happens tomorrow."

That success was followed by a superb display from Hungary as they knocked out Sweden 5-2 to claim their own maiden World Cup victory, as left-hander Nandor Bezzeg and debutant Gabor Takacs.

Sweden's Magnus Caris and Daniel Larsson had led 2-1 early on, but Bezzeg's 67 checkout levelled after two misses from their rivals, before Takacs landed the winning double in the next three legs to record a memorable win.

Hong Kong's Ting Chi Royden Lam and Scott MacKenzie then knocked out a third seeded nation of the evening as they overcame Welsh duo Mark Webster and Jamie Lewis 5-3.

Webster - part of the Welsh team which reached the 2010 final - took out 72 and 95 to help his nation into a 2-1 lead, only for Hong Kong to take the next three, including a 131 checkout from Lam, to move 4-2 up.

Tops from Webster saw Wales hit back, but Lam landed double ten in the next to seal Hong Kong's progression to the last 16.

"We're delighted to win this game," said Lam. "I was so nervous that my hand was shaking - but that shows what it means to us and also all our supporters who stayed up during the night in Hong Kong to watch us."

Holders Netherlands, meanwhile, booked their spot in the second round with a strong display as Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld overcame American pairing Darin Young and Larry Butler 5-2.

Van Gerwen kicked off the game with a 150 finish before checkouts of 105 from Young and 100 from Butler saw the Americans pull back to 4-2, but van Barneveld applied the finishing touch with double 16.

"America was one of the toughest draws which we could have got so it's a good result for us," said van Barneveld, a two-time World Cup winner.

"It's totally different to any Singles competition but we know what we can do and we'll play well in the next round. We're used to playing Singles matches so that will suit us on Saturday but we play well as a team too."

The Dutch pair now take on South Africa in the second round, after Devon Petersen and Graham Filby prevailed 5-4 in a deciding leg against Finland.

The Finnish pair of Kim Viljanen and Marko Kantele led 2-0 and 3-2 - despite checkouts of 75 from Petersen and 93 from Filby, who also hit the winning double in back-to-back legs to move South Africa 4-3 up.

Viljanen levelled on double four, but Kantele missed one dart at tops for the match in the final leg - to complete a 120 finish - before Petersen stepped in to take out double ten for victory.

Number two seeds Scotland, represented by World Champion and Premier League winner Gary Anderson and world number five Peter Wright, overcame Singapore's Paul Lim and Harith Lim 5-1 to move through to face Hungary.

The game was unique for Wright hitting all five winning doubles for the Scots, who led 4-0 before experienced ace Paul Lim finished double top, and a second 180 of the game from Wright helped the Scots seal their last 16 spot.

Ireland's William O'Connor and Connie Finnan recorded the night's only whitewash as they knocked out Polish debutants Tytus Kanik and Mariusz Paul to set up a second round date with Hong Kong.

Last year's semi-finalists Northern Ireland, represented again by Brendan Dolan and Mickey Mansell, overcame a slow start against Thailand before recording a 5-2 triumph.

The Thai pairing of Attapol Eupakaree and Thanawat Gaweenuntawong shared winning doubles as they took a 2-1 advantage, but Dolan finished 58 and 61 to move Northern Ireland ahead before taking out 61 to claim a fourth successive leg as they set up a second round tie with New Zealand.

The second round sees the ties kick off with two Singles games over the best of seven legs. In the event of both nations winning one Singles match apiece, a best of seven legs Doubles match will be played to decide the tie.

Saturday's afternoon session will begin as 2013 finalists Belgium play Spain before 2012 runners-up Australia come up against Gibraltar.

Two-time champions England are in action during the evening session against Japan before host nation Germany take on Austria.

Live Television Coverage
Sky Sports - UK & Ireland
RTL7 - Netherlands
Sport1 - Germany
Fox Sports - Australia
Sky - New Zealand
Viasat - Scandinavia, Bulgaria & Baltic States
OSN - Middle East & North Africa
PPTV Online - China
Nova - Czech Republic & Slovakia
ESPN3 - America
www.LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers outside of UK, Ireland & Netherlands

2015 bwin World Cup of Darts
Friday June 12 
First Round
Canada (11) 4-5 New Zealand
Sweden (15) 2-5 Hungary
Wales (7) 3-5 Hong Kong
Republic of Ireland (10) 5-0 Poland
Northern Ireland (6) 5-2 Thailand
Scotland (2) 5-1 Singapore
Netherlands (3) 5-2 United States of America
South Africa (14) 5-4 Finland

Saturday June 13
Afternoon Session (2pm local time, 1pm BST)
Second Round
Belgium v Spain
Australia v Gibraltar
Northern Ireland v New Zealand
Hong Kong v Republic of Ireland

Evening Session (8.30pm local time, 7.30pm BST)
Second Round
Scotland v Hungary
Netherlands v South Africa
England v Japan
Austria v Germany

THE bwin World Cup of Darts kicks off on Thursday night, as 32 nations bid to claim the title in the annual Pairs tournament at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt.

The tournament will see 32 teams do battle across four days from June 11-14 to claim the title in the fifth staging of the PDC's World Cup of Darts.

The £250,000 event begins with the first round split across Thursday and Friday evenings, with the two-player teams doing battle in a Doubles format over the best of nine legs.

Thursday's opening games will be headlined by two-time champions England - represented for a fourth successive year by Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis - taking on Denmark's Per Laursen and Per Skau.

The 2012 and 2013 champions were defeated in last year's final by the Netherlands, but are aiming to reclaim their title this weekend in Frankfurt.

"I'm really looking forward to the World Cup and I know Adrian is too because it's a great honour for us to be representing our country and we love this event," said Taylor.

"We've done well in previous years but that counts for nothing this weekend and we've got to make sure that we play well, especially in the first round because it's a short format and in Doubles anything can happen.

"Per Laursen's been in the World Championship a few times and I played against Per Skau over 20 years ago, so they've both got plenty of experience."

Thursday's opening session will also feature former finalists Australia and Belgium taking on Russia and the Philippines respectively.

Spain - who were shock semi-finalists in 2010 - kick off against Russia and Japan take on China before Austria play the Czech Republic, Gibraltar face Italy and hosts Germany come up against India.

Holders Netherlands will again be represented by world number one Michael van Gerwen and five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld, who was also one half of their 2010 World Cup-winning pairing.

They face the American pair of Darin Young and Larry Butler in the first round on Friday night, with van Gerwen in top form after winning the Dubai Duty Free Darts Masters and Dutch Darts Masters over the past fortnight.

"Winning the World Cup last year was very special and I can't wait for this event," said van Gerwen. "I've had a great year so far and I want to retain it.

"I think we're going to be one of the favourites but we're both playing really well and our confidence is there.

"This is a different type of pressure to other tournaments because it's not just for me but I'm playing with Raymond and representing our country, but I love it and I hope we can have another successful tournament."

Number two seeds Scotland - represented by World Champion Gary Anderson and world number five Peter Wright - also enter the fray on Friday night as they take on Singapore's Paul Lim and Harith Lim.

Anderson has come into the team this year after leapfrogging Robert Thornton in the world rankings, and is aiming to add the World Cup after his treble of major wins in the Players Championship Finals, World Championship and Premier League since November.

"I've had a great six months or so and it would be brilliant to add the World Cup title too, not just for me but because we're representing Scotland too," said Anderson.

"As a country we've not had a good record in the past in this event but Peter's been in great form recently and if we can put it together this weekend then hopefully we've got a good chance.

"It's going to be tough in the first round, though, because Paul Lim's a great player who's been around for so many years, and he's got loads of experience in playing Doubles."

Friday's first round also sees Wales, the 2010 finalists, taking on Hong Kong, while Canada play New Zealand, Sweden meet Hungary, the Republic of Ireland face Poland, Northern Ireland up against Thailand and South Africa's clash with Finland.

The tournament continues into the weekend with a mixture of both Singles and Doubles matches during the second round - which is split across two sessions on Saturday - and Sunday's quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.

2015 bwin World Cup of Darts
Schedule of Play
Thursday June 11 - Evening Session (20:00-00:00 local time)
First Round 
Spain (12) v Norway
Japan (16) v China
Austria (8) v Czech Republic
Gibraltar (13) v Italy 
Belgium (5) v Philippines
England (1) v Denmark
Germany (9) v India
Australia (4) v Russia

Friday June 12 - Evening Session (20:00-00:00 local time)
First Round
Canada (11) v New Zealand
Sweden (15) v Hungary
Wales (7) v Hong Kong
Republic of Ireland (10) v Poland
Northern Ireland (6) v Thailand
Scotland (2) v Singapore
Netherlands (3) v United States of America
South Africa (14) v Finland

Saturday June 13
Afternoon Session (14:00-18:00 local time)
Second Round 
Belgium/Philippines v Spain /Norway
Australia /Russia v Gibraltar/Italy
Northern Ireland/Thailand v Canada/New Zealand
Wales/Hong Kong v Republic of Ireland/Poland

Evening Session (20:30-00:30 local time)
Second Round 
Scotland/Singapore v Sweden/Hungary
Netherlands/USA v South Africa/Finland
England/Denmark v Japan/China
Austria/Czech Republic v Germany/India

Sunday June 14
Afternoon Session (14:00-18:00 local time)
Quarter-Finals
Order of Play TBC

Evening Session (20:00-00:00 local time)
Semi-Finals 
Final

Format
First Round
Best of nine legs Doubles
Players will be required to nominate their order of throw to the PDC's Tournament Director upon arrival at the venue on Friday before their first round games.

Second Round, Quarter-Finals & Semi-Finals
The Second Round, Quarter-Finals & Semi-Finals will be played as two best of seven leg 501 Singles matches, with both nations nominating the order in which their players play. In the event of both nations winning one Singles match apiece, a best of seven leg 501 Doubles match will be played to decide the tie.

Final
The Final will be played as two best of seven leg 501 Singles matches, with both nations nominating the order in which their players play the first two matches, followed by a best of seven leg 501 Doubles match and then Reverse Singles matches. The first team to win three games is the winner.

Draw Bracket
England (1) v Denmark
Japan (16) v China
Austria (8) v Czech Republic
Germany (9) v India
Belgium (5) v Philippines
Spain (12) v Norway
Australia (4) v Russia
Gibraltar (13) v Italy
Scotland (2) v Singapore
Sweden (15) v Hungary
Wales (7) v Hong Kong
Republic of Ireland (10) v Poland
Northern Ireland (6) v Thailand
Canada (11) v New Zealand
Netherlands (3) v United States of America
South Africa (14) v Finland

World Cup of Darts schedule confirmed, watch the event live on Sky Sports

Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis will represent England at the World Cup of Darts

Hosts Germany, two-time winners England and former finalists Australia will be in action on the opening night of the World Cup of Darts, following the confirmation of the schedule of play for June's four-day pairs event, which is shown live on Sky Sports.


The £250,000 tournament will be held from June 11-14 at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt, with 32 nations being represented by two-player teams who will compete in a knockout format for the title.

England's Phil Taylor and Adrian Lewis - the 2012 and 2013 champions - will be in action against Denmark on Thursday June 11 when the opening eight first-round games take place.

Raymond van Barneveld and Michael van Gerwen will represent the Netherlands at the World Cup of Darts

Spain, the semi-finalists in 2010's inaugural PDC World Cup of Darts, kick off the tournament against Norway, with the all-Asian battle between Japan and China to follow before Austria take on the Czech Republic and Gibraltar face Italy.

The first round concludes on Friday June 12, with holders Netherlands - the 2010 winners who regained the title last year - up against the United States of America as they begin their title defence.

Scotland, whose team includes the reigning World Champion and Premier League champion Gary Anderson, face Singapore and former finalists Wales play Hong Kong.

Friday's play kicks off with Canada up against New Zealand before Sweden meet Hungary, while the Republic of Ireland face Poland, Northern Ireland clash with Thailand and South Africa do battle with Finland.

The Bwin World Cup of Darts continues into the weekend with the second-round split across two sessions on Saturday June 13, including a potential European derby between neighbouring nations Austria and Germany.

Sunday June 14 then sees the event conclude with the quarter-finals in the afternoon session and the semi-finals and final in the evening session.
Friday June 12 - Live on Sky Sports 1 at 7pm

First Round x8

Canada (11) v New Zealand

Sweden (15) v Hungary

Wales (7) v Hong Kong

Republic of Ireland (10) v Poland

Northern Ireland (6) v Thailand

Scotland (2) v Singapore

Netherlands (3) v United States of America

South Africa (14) v Finland

Saturday June 13

Afternoon Session - Live on Sky Sports 1 at 1pm, then Sky Sports 3 at 4pm

Belgium/Philippines v Spain /Norway

Australia /Russia v Gibraltar/Italy

Northern Ireland/Thailand v Canada/New Zealand

Wales/Hong Kong v Republic of Ireland/Poland

Evening Session - Live on Sky Sports 1 at 7.30pm

Scotland/Singapore v Sweden/Hungary

Netherlands/USA v South Africa/Finland

England/Denmark v Japan/China

Austria/Czech Republic v Germany/India

Sunday June 14

Afternoon Session - Live on Sky Sports 1 at 1pm

Quarter-Finals

Evening Session - Live on Sky Sports 1 at 7pm

Semi-Finals

Final