Anderson reaches last eight

Last year’s finalists had mixed fortunes in the third round of the World Darts Championships, with defending champion Gary Anderson advancing to the quarterfinals and Adrian Lewis bowing out after losing a thriller to Raymond van Barneveld.

Anderson overcame Dutchman Benito van de Pas 4-2, while van Barneveld, another Dutchman, edged No 5 seed Lewis 4-3.

Seeded as the No 2, Scotsman Anderson hit 11 180s in his four sets to two win over van de Pas.

Van de Pas had four ton-plus finishes to fight back late in the match, before the world champion completed the job.

‘‘This is what the World Championship is all about,’’ Anderson, who will face either Dave Chisnall or Jelle Klaasen in the last eight, told Sporting Life.

‘‘I felt really good at three-nil up but it got a bit nervy when Benito started coming back. Every player in the tournament can play darts so I expected it.’’

The late match then saw van Barneveld knock out last year’s runner-up Lewis.

The fifth seeded Lewis won the opening set, before van Barneveld, the 2007 champion, levelled the match.

The Dutchman, who was knocked out by Lewis in last year’s semifinal, then moved ahead 2-1. However, when van Barneveld failed to finish off the fourth set, Lewis pounced to again square things up.

Lewis produced a 106 checkout to take the fifth set for a 3-2 lead, but van Barneveld hit his straps on the doubles to force a decider, before holding his nerve down the stretch to advance.

In the first match of the evening session, Peter Wright beat Welshman Jamie Lewis 4-0 to claim the final place in the third round.