Phil Taylor and Raymond van Barneveld bid to bring joy to darts fans in coronavirus crisis with one last showdown

Retired duo could take on each other from the comfort of their own living rooms thanks to a charity fundraiser

Adam Hamdani
Thursday 19 March 2020 13:27 GMT
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Darts greats Phil Taylor and Raymond Van Barneveld could be set for one more tungsten tussle as they look to provide live sport during the coronavirus crisis without leaving their homes.

The pair, with 21 world titles between them, built up a famous rivalry during their glittering careers.

Taylor dominated their battles, winning 61 of 83 matches, before retiring after losing in the World Championship final to Rob Cross in 2018, 12 months before the Dutchman also hung up his darts.

But with the coronavirus pandemic affecting sport across the world, Taylor and Van Barneveld are keen to dust off their arrows and provide live action in a charity fundraiser.

Their sponsors Target Darts want to stream the match live on Facebook, with the duo using an electronic dartboard that allows players to compete against each other all over the world.

"Everyone is craving some live sport at these difficult times," 59-year-old Taylor told The Sun.

"And maybe we can lighten the mood of the UK public and also make money for worthwhile charities.

"I always love playing Barney, we have had some incredible battles down the years, and though we wouldn't be in the same room, it would still be competitive as ever."

Van Barneveld is also up for the challenge, replying on Twitter with "Game on".

PA

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