Australia's Whitlock loses darts world semi thriller

Australia's Simon Whitlock squandered a two-set lead as his bid to reach a third World Darts Championship final ended with a 6-5 defeat by Andy Hamilton at Alexandra Palace. Whitlock, who reached the 2010 final of this event, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) world championship, before losing to darts great Phil Taylor having been beaten in the 2008 British Darts Organisation world title climax by Mark Webster, was 5-3 up in the best of 11 sets semi-final. But with victory in his grasp, the 41-year-old Whitlock missed double 10. That provided the springboard for England's Hamilton to level the match at 5-5. In the final set, Whitlock tied things up at two legs apiece, meaning a two-leg winning margin was needed to end the match. Hamilton went 3-2 up and although Whitlock responded with a 180, it was Hamilton who prevailed 4-2 after an 82 finish that saw the Englishman into his first world final. "It was one of the closest games I've ever lost," Whitlock told Sky Sports. "Credit to Andy, good darts -- I wish Andy the best of luck in the final." Whitlock, who arrived at the world championships nursing a broken ankle, added: "I've had a fantastic tournament -- and I wasn't even supposed to play." Meanwhile Hamilton, who will now play Adrian Lewis in Monday's final after the defending champion staged an astonishing recovery from 5-1 down to beat James Wade 6-5 in Sunday's second semi-final, said: "I'm quite emotional, I'm speechless. "Simon pushed me so hard, I had to take those checkouts out to win the game. He's an awesome player -- and with a broken foot as well! "There's one game left now and if I grit my teeth and fight, I could win it." Lewis won 10 legs in a row after both players left the stage for an unscheduled 20 minute break early in the match after they complained about a 'breeze' in the huge indoor arena. Wade had a dart to win the match in the eighth set but missed and from then on Lewis never lost another leg. "That was the best win of my career, definitely," Lewis said. "But that shows why I am world champion. There's no reason why I will not retain my title. I am the best in the world."