Timaru darts fans are in for a treat with Rob Szabo the feature attraction at this weekend's national qualifying tournament.

 

The 48-year-old Upper Hutt builder is the star attraction at the Timaru South Cosmopolitan Club hosted Dart Players New Zealand event.

 

The Kiwi shot to prominence when he gave the sport's legend Phil ''the Power'' Taylor a big fright at the World Darts Championships in England, late last year at its mecca ''Ally Pally''.

 

For a while Szabo had the world's greatest darts thrower on the run before eventually losing 3-1.It was the first world champs for Szabo, who is ranked 189th by the World Darts Federation, but he hopes it won't be his last.In fact Szabo hopes to have a crack at the professional tour in Europe next year if he can get enough sponsorship. To do that he has to go through qualifying school, much like the aspiring golf pros, in January.''I'd love to have a go but it will depend on my finances.''

 

His next big tournaments are the Sydney Open, then June's World Cup of Darts pairs in Germany.

''I am doing the pairs with Craig (Caldwell) and we are both keen on q-school. If we do well we might be able to attract some European sponsorship which would be great.''

 

While most of the sports top guns have nicknames, Szabo said he hadn't got one yet.

 

''Maybe with some more success or perhaps no-ones telling me.''More seriously Szabo said one of the lessons he had learned was a meaner attitude towards his game and to stamp his authority early.

 

With darts getting more media attention Szabo said while he wasn't recognised, many people had heard of him and what he had done in England.

 

''They say you are that guy who played in England and that has got to be good for the sport.''

 

He grew up around darts and started throwing seriously as a 22-year-old, when he began playing for the Wellington Working Men's Club.

 

Szabo then took a 12-year break before making a return.

 

His success is no fluke as Szabo can practice up to six hours a night. Szabo hopes the sport will grow past just being a pub sport in New Zealand. He has noticed an upswing in the game with younger players coming on board.

 

The competition and others involved kept him passionate about the game.''The thing I really enjoy about darts without a doubt is the people, there are some fantastic ones out there.''

 

Other players ranked in New Zealand's top 16 attending the Timaru tournament are Craig Caldwell (Wellington), Keith Shephard, Warren French (Canterbury), Tony Carmichael (Otago) and Warren Parry (Southland).

 

 

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PHIL "The Power" Taylor has cranked up the pressure on Potteries rival Adrian Lewis by climbing up to fifth place in the Betway Premier League.

 

Taylor's 7-4 win over Robert Thornton in Cardiff leaves the 16-time world champion just a point behind Cross Heath ace Lewis, below, who was earlier held to a 6-6 draw by Ray van Barneveld at the Motorpoint Arena after missing two darts to win the match.Taylor, main picture, said: "There will be a few squeaky bums in the next few weeks and Adrian will be nervous."I didn't think I was going to qualify, but they don't want to play me now."

 

Taylor, from Wychwood Park, near Crewe, changed darts manufacturers just before the new Premier League season began, and then suffered defeat in his first three matches to be on the brink of elimination from a competition he has won six times.But he rallied to see Wes Newton and Simon Whitlock bow out instead, and after his latest victory he declared: "The darts are right now and my career is back on track."

 

Taylor got the crucial early break against Thornton in the fourth leg after throwing his first 180 of the match.Thornton clearly felt the pressure and missed three darts to hold his throw, enabling Taylor to open up a 3-1 lead.

 

He added the next with a 108 check out and although he threw well and made Taylor scrap for every leg, Thornton couldn't get the break back he needed to grab a point.

 

Taylor missed two darts to win the match in the 10th leg and made sure of maximum points with a 68 check out in the next after Thornton had missed two chances to send the match into a deciding leg.In a curious, see-saw match, Lewis threw away a 4-1 lead against Van Barneveld. Then, with the match in the balance at 5-5, he found his second wind.

 

His best dart of the match – a double top when the target was partially blocked – edged him ahead 6-5, and although Barneveld had the throw in the decider, Lewis was in charge after firing in his first 180 of the match to leave 121.

 

That was chipped down to 59, but 'Jackpot' couldn't find either double top or double 19 and Barneveld made the most of the reprieve to snatch a point.

 

Neither player was at their best, but Lewis was in control at 4-1 after breaking in the fourth leg. The match turned Barneveld's way from the sixth leg.

 

Lewis couldn't take out 133 for another break and a 5-1 lead, then took 12 darts to find a treble in the seventh leg.

 

Barneveld upped a gear to level the match at 4-4, Lewis held in the next, then missed four darts at a double for a break and a 6-4 lead.Newton's relegation was sealed by a 7-5 loss to Dave Chisnall in Cardiff, while Whitlock had such a dire campaign that he only lasted to week eight.

 

 

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