Beaton wins with flourish

Darts

Steve Beaton won the Embassy World Professional Championship for the first time by beating the defending champion, Richie Burnett, 6-3 in the final at Frimley Green last night.

Beaton, the sixth seed, collected pounds 36,000 - the richest prize in darts - and finished in a blaze of glory, winning the last nine legs of the match.

"I think I have stopped all talk that I had not got the nerve to win the championship," Beaton said. "I did not know I had won the last nine legs. You cannot remember half the games until you sit back and watch a video. All I know is I wanted to win the title so much."