'DAVE CHISNALL CAN GIVE PHIL TAYLOR A RUN FOR HIS MONEY'

'DAVE CHISNALL CAN GIVE PHIL TAYLOR A RUN FOR HIS MONEY'

9th January 2010
By Richard Lewis

DARTS legend Bobby George believes Dave Chisnall could become the sport’s new superstar – and give Phil Taylor a run for his money.

Chisnall, 29, meets BDO world No.1 Tony O’Shea in the semi-finals of the Lakeside Championships this afternoon after a stunning fightback to knock out defending champion Ted Hankey.


BBC commentator and double world runner-up George tipped ‘Chizzy’ to go all the way before the start of the tournament.


And Chisnall produced some amazing darts to snatch a shock 5-4 win, despite trailing 4-1 against ‘The Count’.


George said: “If he could start a match like he finished against Ted, then no-one can beat him.


“He could even beat Phil Taylor. He has the bottle, he doesn’t care.


“People ask me all the time about Phil Taylor and I say he is a once in a lifetime player, it’s just a shame he came along in my lifetime.


“But Dave could be the second. He was averaging 121 against Ted. That’s 11 and 12-dart finishes in every leg of 501.”


Taylor won the first of his 15 world titles at Lakeside in 1990 as a BDO player, when he was also 29, and he has since gone on to dominate the sport.


The Power is now the dominating force of the PDC show and Chisnall could be one of those to join their ranks in the future.


Chisnall, who is making only his second appearance at the World Championships, won last year’s BDO British Open and George said: “Three weeks ago I said I fancied him as a dark horse.


“People laughed at me when they saw the draw come out but they are not laughing now.”


It has not been a good week for Hankey, though.


Along with losing at Lakeside, he has also been fined £250 by the Darts Regulation Authority for swearing on camera while on stage at the Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.
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