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Wales missed out on a second World Cup of Darts title in three years after suffering final heartbreak against Australia.

Wales, who are being represented by Markham’s Gerwyn Price and Llanelli’s Jonny Clayton, were beaten 3-1 by Australia’s Simon Whitlock and Damon Heta in the final on Sunday evening.

Price was beaten 4-0 by Heta in the first leg of the final, before Whitlock beat Clayton 4-2 to put Australia on the brink of their first World Cup win.

However, Price and Clayton struck back in the doubles contest to set up a deciding final leg – but it wasn’t to be for Wales as Heta defeated former Premier League champion Clayton to seal the win for Australia, who had brushed aside England in the semi-finals to reach the showpiece.

Speaking after the defeat, Price said: “We weren’t at our best in the final but Simon and Damon played fantastic.

“I said at the beginning of the tournament we’d play Australia in the final, but I predicted that we would win, so I was wrong there.

“We didn’t fire tonight, but we’ll be back and we will be stronger next year.”

Wales got their World Cup campaign underway with a 5-2 victory over Philippines in the first round on Thursday, June 16, before beating last year’s finalists Austria 2-1 in the second round.

Wales then brushed aside Germany’s Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler 2-0 in the quarter-finals.

The tie saw Price record the second highest individual average in World Cup history during his four-leg demolition of Schindler – in which he averaged 117.88, landed a ten-dart leg and converted a stunning 170 checkout.

It set up a semi-final date with the Netherlands, who were represented by Dirk van Duijvenbode and Danny Noppert.

The Dutch duo were beaten 2-0, with Price beating Noppert 4-1 in the first leg and Clayton beating van Duijvenbode 4-2.