Darts-Holder Taylor knocked out of world championship

LONDON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Britain's top-ranked Phil Taylor lost his world darts title after a stunning 4-3 defeat by outsider Michael Smith in the second round at a raucous Alexandra Palace on Friday. "My heart is pounding, I can barely speak," world youth champion Smith, 23, told Sky Sports, barely able to hold back tears of joy after punching the air in triumph. "When I broke in the second set I thought 'I can beat him here'". "Neither of us could hold our throw and I thought, 'Just hold your throw once and you could win this' because Phil was not on his game," added the Englishman, ranked world number 32. The 16-times world darts champion Taylor, 53, who won the crown last year by beating young Dutchman Michael van Gerwen, was well below his best in a display littered with errors. (Writing by Ken Ferris; Editing by Ian Ransom)