Brilliant Dave Chisnall caused a World Championship sensation last night as he thrashed Phil Taylor 4-1 to send the 15-time world champion crashing out of the competition at the second round stage for the first time in his career.

The world number 38, who only joined the PDC in January, sent shockwaves through the darting world as he inflicted upon Taylor one of the heaviest defeats of his career.

Chisnall started well and held his throw in the first set to go 1-0 up, and with Taylor looking well below-par Chisnall had a chance to leave himself a double to take the second set against the throw, but he missed big 19 with a careless dart and Taylor swooped to draw the game level.

That error could have been a turning point but Chisnall put it to the back of his mind and held his throw in the third set to move 2-1 up.  

Taylor was showing uncharacteristic signs of weakness as he struggled to find his form, but as he floundered Chisnall ploughed on and stole the fourth set against the throw on double top and take a 3-1 lead and put him on the verge of a major upset.

Although he was playing well Chisnall was still being let down by some careless mistakes under pressure, but it was a sign of Taylor’s weakness on the night that his mistakes went unpunished, and Chisnall kept his cool to hit double 6 and become only the seventh player in World Championship history to eliminate The Power from the competition.

Chisnall will face Andy Hamilton in the last 16 after he overcame Vincent van der Voort in a titanic struggle in the afternoon session. The pair were practically inseparable for six gruelling sets until, with the match tied at three sets and one leg all, Hamilton broke van der Voort’s throw and then held his nerve to hit double 18 and claim a thrilling 4-3 win.

Terry Jenkins showed the sort of form that has seen him reach seven major finals as he saw off Co Stompe 4-1, although the Dutchman didn’t do himself any favours after suffering a bizarre hand injury over the Christmas break when he was bitten by former Dutch international football player Aron Winter’s dog.  

Even a fully fit Stompe couldn’t have halted Jenkins’ early charge as he took just 37 darts to wrap up the first set 3-0, and his average peaked at an unstoppable 122 in the second set as he took it 3-1 to race into a two sets to nil lead.

There was no let up from The Bull in the third as he checked out 126 on the bullseye to take the set 3-0, and although Stompe restored some pride by taking the fourth set it only delayed the inevitable, as Jenkins came out on top in a error-strewn fifth set to finally hit double ten and take the set 3-2, completing a 4-1 victory overall.

John Part won the battle of the former world champions as he beat Welshman Richie Burnett 4-1 in a match that rolled back the years for the two darts veterans.

Part has won world titles in both the BDO and the PDC, while Burnett is a former BDO world champion, but Burnett had never beaten Part in a competitive match and never looked like reversing that trend as the Canadian bossed proceedings and now goes through to face Kevin Painter in the last 16.

In the day’s other matches, Belgium’s Kim Huybrechts beat James Richardson 4-1 to set up a tie with Paul Nicholson, who beat Alan Tabern 4-0.

Day 11 sees Scotland’s Gary Anderson take on South African rookie Devon Peterson in a match that will take on added significance with the news that Phil Taylor is no longer in the competition.  

Anderson, who lost in the final last year, has now been installed as bookies favourite to win the competition and become the first Scottish world champion since 1997.

World Darts Championship Day 10, Results

Afternoon Session:

Terry Jenkins 4-1 Co Stompe
Richie Burnett 1-4 John Part
Vincent van der Voort 3-4 Andy Hamilton
Evening Session:
James Richardson 1-4 Kim Huybrechts
Phil Taylor 1-4 Dave Chisnall
Paul Nicholson 4-0 Alan Tabern