South America and the Caribbean’s lone hope at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Champion Sudesh Fitzgerald was defeated by South African policeman Charles Losper by the narrowest of margins.

Twenty-four-year-old Fitzgerald played the Sunday-night match like a seasoned campaigner to level the five best of nine match at 4-4.

It meant that at this stage, the first player to take a two-set lead, would be declared winner and Losper went on to prevail by six games to four.

Fitzgerald won 2,500 pounds for his efforts.

Losper’s previous experience was a first round exit in this tournament last year to eventual champion, Canadian John Part.

In accepting his win the 39-year-old told the international media that it was particularly poignant as he had lost his Flying Squad colleague in a supermarket robbery a week ago, where he had killed the robber. Losper said the incident haunts him and that playing darts relaxes him. Losper faced Colin Osbourne last evening and his progress means that he is now guaranteed at least 5,000 pounds.

Meanwhile, American Bill Davis created the upset of the tournament so far when he defeated defending champion Part in the opening game of the 740,000 pounds tournament. He stifled Part from the get-go to pull off a three sets to zero win to enter the second round. Davis said this was the greatest victory of his career.

Part could not repeat the marvellous run that he displayed 12 months ago. He said he was prepared for the tournament and did not offer any excuse for his loss.

The Ladbrokes.com tournament is the richest in darts history where a first prize of 100,000 pounds is up for grabs.