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The two finalistsSo to the final, and what's a story without a villain? Phil Taylor may be a 16-time world champion, but he's also a convicted sex offender, after being found guilty of "fondling" two women in his motor home in 1999. Though it seems like the crime's lapsed from the media's memory, it lives on in the minds of some darts fans and Taylor's bravado and arrogance does nothing to extinguish their ire. Was Gary Anderson, a man with a sweet face but who is no doubt as rough as a sandpaper cosh, ready to give them the upset they wanted at Ally Pally?Being the 16-time world champion brings with it not only expectation but an infuriating level of skill. Even a one-set lead can bring about a powerful, stomach-churning dread. But Anderson took the first set and it was looking hopeful.
Midway through the match, the board had to be changed. Anderson's darts kept falling out of the board; at one point a 180 was forfeited when all three darts tumbled to the deck. The crowd jeered and taunted Anderson, tables and tables full of braying Where's Wallies and Spidermen putting any allegiances aside for the sake of their next sing-a-long. It looked like Anderson was rattled, maybe even beyond repair. But Taylor was fucking up his doubles, and Gary pulled his guts from his bollocks to claim the set. It was six sets apiece, and the first to seven to win. My hands were gushing sweat, covering my face, which was also sweating. I stood up with my eyes as close to the TV as they'd get. One leg to Anderson. Is he actually going to do it? Is he going to pack this wrong 'un in? Two legs to Anderson. Oh fuck, he's doing it. Missed the bull—don't bottle it now, Gary.Then the double 12 was struck and a teeth-bearing smile didn't leave my face for a full 20 minutes. If I were a weaker man I'd have cried. A sex offender had just lost out on a trophy and a quarter of a million pounds had been given to a man with an abusive parrot, and in that moment, darts became, to this bright-eyed novice, the greatest sport in the world.Follow Joe on Twitter.