Lisa Ashton and Scott Mitchell were crowned as the new BDODarts world champions at the Lakeside at the weekend, as the rival organisationto the PDC proved that it is no poor relation to serve up a feast of top-classdarting action and drama.

The Lancashire Rose, Ashton was first up in her final onSaturday, looking to defend the title she had won so deservedly twelve monthsprior. Her opponent was the somewhat surprise package of the tournament, 20-year-oldFallon Sherrock from Milton Keynes.

Ashton had a battle against the plucky underdog before clinchingher second world title 3-1, after taking the first two sets and seemingly beingon her way to a straight sets’ success.

In truth, the younger woman had nothelped her cause by missing doubles in the second set to allow her moreexperienced rival the opportunities she required, but she rallied in the third totake the set and give herself a chance to upset the formbook. Ashton was indetermined mood though and ensured there would be no prolonged fight back by clinchingthe title when winning the fourth set, despite Sherrock hitting six 180s intotal in the final.

It was an almost imperious tournament for the Boltonwoman, as the set she lost to Sherrock was only the second she had dropped atthe Lakeside and her victory march included prevailing over world number oneDeta Hedman and legendary darts player Trina Gulliver en route.

She has someway to go to get close to Gulliver’s record nine world titles, but herreputation is steadily growing.

The men served up a darting classic on Sunday with twistsand turns aplenty, with none other than long time darts’ commentator and scorerTony Green describing it as one of the best matches he had ever seen, longbefore it reached its conclusion.

Three-time Lakeside champion Martin “Wolfie” Adams haddefeated Glen Durrant 6-5 in an amazing match on Saturday to reach the final, includingmissing the double for a nine-darter (Paul Lim back in 1990 is the only man toachieve that feat in Lakeside history) and watching his opponent have three dartsto knock him out of the event.

He faced fellow Englishman Scott Mitchell in thefinal, the conqueror of the qualifier Jeff Smith from Canada 6-0 in the othermen’s semi.

The best of thirteen sets’ final was engrossing throughoutas the two players could not be split and were level pegging at 5-5. Mitchelltook the next set to move one away from victory and then went 2-0 up in legs inset twelve, as he seemed to have finally broken Adams’ spirit. Needing a 104checkout to take his first world title, Mitchell failed on the double andallowed Adams to keep the match alive with double six. Momentum was now backwith the older player and he took the next two legs to give him renewed hope and to level overall again at6-6.

In a game of ever-changing fortunes, it was Mitchell whorather surprisingly came good again in the deciding set.

Hitting a quitewonderful 158 finish on double 19 (his first finish over 100 of the match,compared to Adams’ three) for leg one, he then stepped in after his opponentmissed double 16 to take leg two to see the end in sight. Adams didn’t gowithout a fight though, taking the third leg and just missing the bull in thenext, before Mitchell finally hit double top to spark jubilant scenes in hiscamp.

Both men hugged to demonstrate their great camaraderie atthe end after Mitchell had sought out his friends and family in the crowd, butit was Mitchell who walked away with the biggest payday of his life with some £100,000as the first prize and perhaps most importantly, that world crown.