Darts

[ivoralljack]

PL NIGHT 7 - NOTTINGHAM:
Quarter scores were Wright 6-5 Gezzie; Humphries 6-4 Smith; Littler 6-2 MVG; Aspinall 6-5 Rob Cross.

The comms described Gezzie's scoring as magnificent but his doubling was atrocious. He missed 3 match darts, which summed up his doubles. MVG averaged about 111 but still lost to Littler who was on fire averaging 114. Littler hit 8 x 180s and just missed a 9 darter. But I feel for MVG; imagine hitting an average of 111 and getting thumped 6-2! But it was all about the timing of the big scores.

Semis went - Humphries 6-1 Wright; Aspinall 6-3 Littler. I though the Asp was going to blow it as he missed SEVEN MATCH DARTS to beat Littler 6-2 but he won the next leg to face Humphries in the final who beat him 6-3. Some very good darts tonight but pity Gez has forgotten how to finish.

 

[The Blobster]

Had a touch of the Gezzies myself last night , my mate and I lost in a doubles tournament to a pair that would not normally have even had a throw at a double against us . We hammered them from 601 to a double then we had 10 attempts to finish but they came down and of course went straight out !
This happened in both legs and left us bemused as to what had just happened. As you know I'm fairly clinical on the doubles, so is my partner, as you well know the saying ' drive for show , putt for dough' , equally applies to darts.

 

[ivoralljack]

' drive for show , putt for dough' , equally applies to darts.

Yes. Ex player now commentator, Chris Mason, sent me a letter years ago, which I think I once showed you. In it he quoted the darts version - score for show, doubles for dough.

 

[ivoralljack]

PL NIGHT 8 - DUBLIN
Quarter scores - Humphries 6-1 Wright: Aspinall 6-5 Cross: Gez 6-5 MVG: Smith 6-4 Littler.
Gez missed a match dart at 5-4 but still clinched it. He also missed a match dart in his semi against Smith when he wired the bull only to see Smith take out a 3 figure finish on his throw to nick it 6-5. Comms saying that Gez is throwing very well but having 'zero luck'. He certainly was better tonight, however so far his doubling has been letting him down - but as I said better tonight. Mind you, he's also throwing too many wayward darts for this level and he admitted as much in interview saying he keeps giving his opponent chances. Spot on!!

Humphries won his semi 6-4 against Aspinall before beating Smith 6-2 in the final. This meant he's won the last three nights on the trot and playing like the World #1 he is.

 

[ivoralljack]

Watch out Luke Littler! I'm reading about this 8 year old kid called Kai Tiffen who's just won his first ADULT competition netting £120 in the process. He triumphed in the Wheatsheaf darts open in Sunderland beating 28 adults including county players. He hit BACK TO BACK 180s, beat a regional player 3-0 and dropped just two games on his way to victory. Oh, and being just 4ft tall he needs steps to collect his darts!

Kai started throwing at 18 months old and got his first 180 when he was three on a board at a lower height. However, he was only five when he scored his first 180 on a full-height board. Kai's nickname is "On Fire" and he's already practising his walk-on in his living room. Lovely to read this and wish Kai all the best in the future.

 

[ivoralljack]

PL NIGHT 9 - BELFAST

Nothing tonight of any particular note other than Gez continues to throw as if he's never seen a double before in his life! I guess he'll continue to earn a good living if he carries on like this but his time at the very top will be coming to an end unless he sorts out his doubling. And it would help if he cut down on the wayward darts as well. Too many again tonight and he's just giving his opponent chances.

As the comms noted yet again tonight, having the darts first throw is MASSIVE in a short run to 6. Gez set up a chance to break the throw against Aspinall in the very first game but, of course, blew the double and eventually lost 5-6 because of it. In the other Quarter games, Littler won the battle of the Lukes beating Humphries 6-5, whilst MVG beat Smith 6-4 and Wright took out Rob Cross 6-3.

In the Semis Aspinall predictably beat Wright 6-2 and MVG threw like a dork losing 3-6 to Littler who went on to win the night 6-4 against The Asp. A routine night of darts with nothing to stir the senses and I hope we'll see better next week.

 

[ivoralljack]

Just read that Luke Humphries trounced MVG 8-1 in the final of the German Darts Grand Prix. MVG won the first game then lost 8 on the bounce to Luke who averaged an incredible 112.66, the second highest average ever recorded on the European tour.

 

[ivoralljack]

PL NIGHT 10 - MANCHESTER

Quarter final games went: Aspinall 6-3 Cross: Littler 6-3 MVG: Smith 6-3 Humphries: Price 6-4 Wright.

Semis: Littler 6-4 Aspinall: Price 6-3 Smith.

Final: Littler 6-3 Price.

Notes: MVG was rubbish against Littler and I think he still had a hangover from his 1-8 drubbing by Humphries in the German Grand Prix. Humphries had a very slow start against Smith and couldn't pull it back. The Price/Wright game was a cracker and saw the best game of the evening. Wright averaged 106+ but still lost to Gez who only missed 2 doubles and one of them was a bull. Very much improved show by Gez who also scored really well.

The fireworks came in his game against Smith where Gez notched a 9 darter and Smith was almost as delighted as Gez was showing great sportsmanship. Unfortunately this was his final and he had nothing left in the tank against Littler averaging in the low 90s. Compare that with his OVERALL average for the competition so far of about 100 - and this despite the fact that, by his own admission, his doubling has been atrocious. Had his doubling even been just average, he'd easily have been well settled in the top four as his scoring has equalled anything by his opponents.

Still, it is what it is but maybe Gez has turned the corner and if he continues to play as well as he did tonight there's still an outside chance of making the top four for the final night.

 

[ivoralljack]

Owen Bryceland from Cumbernauld just won back to back Foundation Tour events in Coventry and averaged 104.86. Owen only took up darts two years ago and his average was the highest ever in the Under-18 bracket. But here's the kicker - Owen is only TEN years old!! Just threw my darts in the bin!

 

[ivoralljack]

PL NIGHT 11 - BIRMINGHAM

A fairly routine evening with results as follows:

Quarters: Humphries 6-4 Wright: Littler 6-5 Cross: Smith 6-3 Price: MVG 6-4 Aspinall

Cross missed a match dart against Littler and Gezzie was never at the races.

Semis: Littler 6-5 Humphries: MVG 6-4 Smith

The two Lukes put on a great show. H went 2-0 up. L then won 5 on the bounce before H recovered to 5-5. H had the darts in the final leg but blew his chance with an opening throw of just 60. Good darts for me but complete crap at this level. Humdinger of a game though. But after this the final was a complete anti-climax with both players badly off form and MVG beating Littler 6-3 to win the night.

 

[ivoralljack]

PL NIGHT 12 - ROTTERDAM

Another routine evening interesting enough but no fireworks to thrill.

Quarters: Smith 6-3 Littler: Price 6-3 Cross: Aspinall 6-2 Wright: Humphries 6-4 MVG

Smith now leads Littler by, I think, 4-1 in their personal duels.

Semis: Smith 6-5 Price: Aspinall 6-4 Humphries.

Gez should have beaten BullyBoy but his doubling was awful, at one stage missing 13 of 15 attempts. His sliding was very bad tonight as well and he put a load of darts in the wrong bed causing the comms to remark that he was having trouble finding his line. But ALL the players complained tonight about the breeze in the arena which was affecting their throws. It's a big arena with many doors that had to be kept open to allow for some 37 miles of cables needed for the TV coverage. Typical of one Gezzie throw was, first dart treble 20 but the next two were in the 1 and 5 beds scoring him 66. In between he scored really well but he had too many other poor throws. It didn't help that Bully had the darts and fair to say that had Gez had the darts he might well have won. The closest to Bull throw in the practise room to decide first off is so vital in this short format.

Aspinall went on to beat Smith 6-4 to win the night. Points standing in the table is 1. Humphries 26 2. Littler 26 3. Aspinall 23 4. MVG 22 5. Smith 20. 6. Price 12. 7. Cross 11. 8. Wright 4. Think Gez has too much to do to make the final four but Bully still in with a good shout.