Michael Smith's week has seen him seal a first Premier League Darts weekly title and now a return to the winners' circle on the European Tour in one of the best finals seen in some time as 'Bully Boy' silenced the partisan crowd in Zwolle at the Dutch Darts Championship.
Smith defeated Danny Noppert 8-7 in the final in a European Tour classic which saw him produce a 104 checkout to win it in a game which saw eight breaks of throw in a row as well as three ton plus checkouts for Noppert, four 180's for the Dutchman and five for the victor.
It is also revenge for Smith who has not won against Noppert since before their UK Open final which was won by 'The Freeze' and he also suffered defeat last week in Prague but he now joins Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen and Luke Humphries in the winners' circle on the European Tour this season.
Both players started with holds of throw in a 72 for Smith and 56 for Noppert to make it 1-1. Smith hit the bull instead of the 25 on the 61 and handed Noppert a shot at 74 but the Dutchman didn’t take it and Smith hit double one for a 2-1 lead.
Noppert held from there to continue the back and forth and make it 2-2. Smith pinned double eight to edge ahead once more at 3-2.
Smith went six darts into a nine-darter and sealed a break on double five at 4-2 up. A 145 left 57 for Smith for a hold but Noppert found 128 on the bull for a break straight back to make it 4-3.
Noppert went next door on double 14 to bust 79 and Smith picked his pocket with a 58 checkout to make it 5-3.
An 11-dart break of throw saw Noppert write that wrong to make it 5-4 down. He suffered a bounceout so couldn’t leave a finish and a 171 saw Smith leave 94 in reply.
It was another break as Smith sealed an 11-dart break to make it 6-4. Noppert produced another maximum but was left with only a 130 with Smith left on double 20 only for the Dutchman to hit it and make it 6-5.
The remarkable standard continued and Smith produced an 81 checkout to go one away as he survived the Noppert onslaught to make it seven successive breaks of throw.
It was eight breaks in a row as Noppert pinned a 121 checkout to make it 7-6 in the form of a 12 darter. He missed a 127 checkout to make it parity but returned with Smith unable to take 154.
But he missed three at double four only for Smith to miss two for the match and Noppert made it 7-7. Smith pinned a 140 to leave 104 and he was first to a finish with Noppert leaving only 132 and ‘Bully Boy’ took it 8-7.
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