PDC World Championship: Littler wins, Cullen and Humphries produce epic

The clash of the generations between Raymond van Barneveld and Luke Littler is the main course of this final day of play in 2023, with Gary Anderson and Luke Humphries also aiming to book their places in the quarter-finals.

Catch up on the action from Ally Pally as the round of 16 concludes:

Brendan Dolan (28) 4-3 Gary Anderson (21)

In the first encounter of the evening, it was the turn of Northern Irishman Brendon Dolan to start against Scot Gary Anderson.

Dolan, who wiped Gerwyn Price out of the tournament in his previous outing, started with a steady first leg for 1-0. Dolan then broke his opponent who left one arrow on a double: 2-0. In the third leg, Dolan comfortably won his own set via double 8 to put Anderson under some early pressure.

After handfuls of darts on the doubles in the second set's first leg, Anderson eventually retained the advantage via double 4. The Scot has already played 52 quarter-finals at a major in his career, including nine at the World Championship, against only seven major-quarter-finals for Dolan, who won the second leg via double 10.

Two-time winner Anderson was still unable to find the triples sufficiently and so lost the initiative: 2-1. In the fourth leg, the Flying Scotsman finally got up to speed, but a nasty 5 score in a regular turn was a major frustration for him.

Dolan did pop 100 in two arrows for 3-1 in legs making it 2-0 in sets.

In the third set, Dolan also just got back to 1-0 in his own set. In the second leg, Anderson again gave his opponent a chance and also failed to hit his tenth dart on double 16.

Dolan took advantage and got to throw for the next set in the third leg.

A flying comeback

Anderson had made a material change in the break between the second and third set but continued to hover around 83 in his average. Still, the Scot managed a rebreak, which came about via double 20: 1-2.

Dolan got one arrow for the set and had to watch as Anderson threw out his own leg after all: 2-2. In the fifth leg, Anderson was suddenly awake and completed the comeback: 3-2 in legs and 1-2 in sets.

The venue came alive again. After the 13-darter at the end of the third set, Anderson now came up with a 14-darter and seemed to have found his feet. Dolan did not allow himself to be completely blown away just yet and managed to end a streak of four lost legs via a double 16 finish to make it 1-1.

With his second 180, Anderson escaped via double 3 to take a 2-1 lead. Also in Dolan's leg, Anderson gained the initiative with a maximum score and of the six darts for 81, he needed only two: 3-1 in legs and 2-2 in sets.

In the first leg of set five, a 102 finish in the fifth turn was needed to maintain the advantage. The second leg was unchallenged for Anderson (1-1) and the third leg looked like the perfect opportunity to post a break.

He also took the initiative but still failed to cash in on a chance on the bullseye. Anderson now took advantage of double 8 and was allowed to cash in on the set himself in a phase where he had the momentum completely on his side.

An 80-out in two arrows made it 3-1 in legs and 3-2 in sets.

In set six, Dolan once again shook off the trepidation and came 'against the darts' on an 81 throw, for which he was allowed to use five arrows: 1-0. In the next leg, he narrowly missed the bull for a 170-out throw but then went out immediately after to make it 2-0 in legs.

Anderson stepped up the pace and fought back to make it 2-1 but Dolan got six arrows for 105 and needed six of those to clinch the sixth set.

Dolan decisive

The decisive seventh set started with a throw from Dolan, who came through 64 to take a 1-0 lead. Anderson recovered with an 82 check-out where including taking out a bullseye.

Dolan seemed impressed and the Scot took the initiative. Dolan had a chance at 144, saw Anderson miss an 11-out throw and then managed to take his own leg via double 12.

Thus, Anderson had to throw himself to force a tiebreak. Anderson missed a double 10 on a 128-out throw. Dolan had to go to double 12 and double 6 via triple 13 and somehow left the Scot alive. 

Anderson painfully failed to hit double 5 meaning Dolan got three arrows at double 3 - and hit at the first attempt to win the match: 3-1 in legs and 4-3 in sets.

The Northern Irishman will face the winner of Van Barneveld and Littler in the quarter-final.

Raymond van Barneveld (29) 1-4 Luke Littler

In the first leg, Littler was allowed to start and maintained the advantage in the first set. The 180s fell nicely for both players right from the start.

Van Barneveld had a quiet time for 139 and eventually needed seven to make it 1-1.

Littler also made it 2-1 unchallenged and took the initiative in the Dutchman's leg. Via a 14-darter, the teenager took the first set 3-1.

In set two, Littler immediately put the full pressure on Van Barneveld and broke the five-time world champion via a 170-out throw in five arrows.

The Englishman was close to a 144 throw-out straight after, missed but was kept alive by the Dutchman. Via 6 and double 3 it was then 2-0.

Barney put in his own leg via 177 behind a double 12, which went out in one arrow.

Ally Pally stunned

Littler then threw for the set himself. With seven triples from nine arrows, Littler hit 48, which went out in three arrows: 3-1 in legs and 2-0 to the good in sets.

In the third set, Littler was at it again and once again impressed with a single 20, double 20, double 20 throwout from 100.

Van Barneveld's leg featured a spirited 127 throwout via bullseye for 1-1, after which Littler was back on it. He then had six arrows for 85, which he missed. Van Barneveld hit back with an 80-out throw and was now allowed to throw for the set himself, but saw Littler leave himself on 135.

That did not go out, after which Van Barneveld failed on 71. Littler did get 65 out in two arrows and came back to 2-2.

In the decisive fifth leg, Littler popped through with his triples and reached 94 after nine arrows. With six arrows for that action, it was a hit at arrow four for 3-2 in the set and 3-0 in sets for the 16-year-old, stunning Alexandra Palace.

Van Barneveld had to pick himself up before the eventual third break and won the first leg of the fourth set unchallenged: 1-0. Littler didn't really look the part and watched as he fell behind 5-6 in 180s.

With a 90 ejection, the Englishman had no trouble at all: via double 15 to 1-1 in the set. The 30-WC difference between the two players was in no way apparent.

Also in Van Barneveld's leg, Littler took the initiative and left 170 to miss the bull but after a failed 146 it was the Dutchman who did throw out 41 and came back to 1-2. Littler continued to hit triples and put himself away first on 148.

The 92 also failed to go out and Barney failed to take advantage on 141.

Via double 18, it then became 2-2 anyway and it was set point for the 16-year-old. A cheeky 180 from Littler produced a chance at 128. That didn't go out yet, after which Barney kept himself alive via double-6: 3-2 in legs and down 3-1 in sets.

Littler charges

Thus, the task for Littler was still exactly the same: take one set. And in set five, he got to do it with the arrows in his own hand.

Littler easily flashed to 1-0, before Van Barneveld struck out again in his leg with double 6. In the third leg, there were again five triples in the first six darts and Littler had six darts for 187, of which he needed only five. In leg four, Barney needed to stay alive and did so via three 140s to leave 81.

That one didn't go out yet, but the 25 after that did in three darts. The fifth leg started knowing that Littler was only broken in the leg in which he missed four darts on a throw-out.

Twice 134 from the Englishman and a 63 left a 170. He failed to go for the bull after twice triple 20 and then shot double 15 out for the match.

Luke Humphries (3) 4-3 Joe Cullen (14)

Cullen held his first leg after hitting double 6, before Humphries narrowly missed the bull for a 125 checkout. The Englishman returns for two attempts at the double after misses from Cullen and eventually hits it to level on legs.

In the third, Humphries takes out double 16 to break Cullen, before Cullen bites back in the first set with a tidy 11-dart finish on double 4.

Cullen comes again in the decider, pinning a double 18 at the first attempt to seal the first set.

Cullen then grabs the second for a first break of throw in the second set. 

In the second leg, Humphries hit a maximum to leave 96, while Cullen narrowly misses a 140 checkout.

Humphries misses his opportunity on double 19, allowing Cullen to hold with double 5. Cullen then storms to the third leg and second set with a double 10: 2-0.

Cool Hand on the board

Humphries opens up the third set with a nice finish on double 16 to break Cullen, who comes back in the next leg with a 12-dart break of his own.

Humphries then takes out 78 via tops to make it 2-1 in legs in the third set.

He finally gets on the board in sets as Cool hand Luke takes three darts at double 10 to make it 2-1 in sets.

In set number four, Humphries grabs the first leg via double 10 to hold his throw, before Cullen comes back to level it in legs at 1-1 with a double 6 after Humphries narrowly misses out on a Shanghai finish.

Cullen then takes control of the set with a double 16 finish. In the fourth leg, both men miss chances before Humphries finally levels the set with double 7, sending us to a decider.

Humphries battles back

Humphries hits a maximum at the right time to leave 41, which he misses on double 16.

Cullen can't muster anything up and Humphries takes out double 8 at the second attempt to level things at 2-2 in sets.

Cullen kicked things off in the fifth set, hitting the 15th 180 of the match to leave 61 and claiming the first leg with tops.

Humphries claimed the second leg taking out 78, making it 1-1. Humphries then applied the pressure to break Cullen, taking out 70 with a double 8 to take the overall lead in the contest for the first time since the opening set.

Humphries then left himself three darts at 16 but failed to take them out for the set, but Cullen had no finish. Humphries finally got another go but busted, making it six missed set darts, allowing Cullen in to steal and forcing a fifth leg.

Cullen then had six darts at 140, finally taking it out in five to take the fifth set.

Humphries held for the first leg of the fifth via tops. Both players struggled to finish in the second leg but Humphries eventually took out the finish to break and make it 2-0 in legs.

Cullen looked somewhat rattled but somehow scored high to pose a threat of breaking, but missed his bull - allowing Humphries to sweep the sixth set and take the match to a decider.

Seventh set showdown

Cullen opened the decider's first leg, Humphries narrowly missed taking out a 164 finish and Cullen capitalised to hold.

Cullen hit the 20th 180 in the second leg as he looked to put the pressure on the world number three but couldn't take out 91. 

Humphries couldn't deal with it and Cullen eventually hit double 10 for the leg, meaning he was throwing for the match.

The Rock Star looked shaky in the third though but couldn't find a treble, allowing Humprhies in to take the third leg: 2-1 with a chance to hold the next.

Cullen now needed to break Humphries to take the match and avoid a tie-break situation, which he couldn't do despite a match dart.

Humphries levelled the set at 2-2, with two clear legs being required to win.

Tie-break tension

Cullen threw first and took out an impressive 116 via tops. Humphries held his with a match-saving double tops finish, taking us to 3-3.

Cullen raced to a 32 finish in the next, which he took out with a double 8. Humphries again threw first aiming to hold, which he checked out with a spectacular double 8. It was now 4-4 in legs!

Humphries is suddenly finding some rhythm as Cullen looks frustrated, narrowly missing a double 16 for the leg.

With the door ajar, Humphries broke with a high-pressure double 2, meaning he was throwing for the match.

Cullen misses double 16 after two bulls while Humphries hits a double 12 instead of 5, Cullen again couldn't capitalise.

Three match darts for Humphries, who misses all of them. Back Cullen comes, who busts again, Humphries misses three more, and Cullen finally forces the sudden death leg by hitting double 4.

Humprhies hits five perfect darts but Cullen won't go away. Humphries then takes out 100 with three darts to finally win the match. What a game!