Darts

[ivoralljack]

Gezzie edged it 5-4 after Chizzy had the darts and opened with a 180, the first of a few. Gez was 3-4 down, Chizzy missed two match darts and Gez broke him in the final game with throws of 140, 140, 134 before getting the winning double. Along the way he took out 99 with 19 and 2 x double tops.

The short best of nine format doesn't suit Gez and allows for shock results. The longer games allows the better players more time to establish their quality and Gez now reckons he's a decent bet to retain his crown. We'll see, there's some brilliant young talent emerging who will cause problems.

 

[ivoralljack]

Did I say "Grand Prix"? Actually it's the Grand Slam of Darts. Jonny lost 2-5 to Damon Heta tonight but he wasn't really trying as all he had to do was avoid a whitewash to go through to the next round. That said, the comms all agreed that Jonny is nowhere near his form of last year and that Gez carried him in the World Team competition. He was at it again tonight sliding into adjacent beds for fun. That won't do at this level.

 

[ivoralljack]

European champ Ross Smith just beat MVG 5-4 in a brilliant game. Smith averaged just shy of 108 against 104+ but just before the end the averages were 116 v 112!! Smith notched NINE 180s in nine legs and MVG got two. Both go through to the next round and I don't think our Taffs are playing well enough to beat some of these guys.

 

[ivoralljack]

So Gez beat Danny Noppert 10-8 after being 4-7 down and having to win 6 of the last 7 legs to go through. Early doors he was pants and twice got two treble fives in a throw and also got the treble 5 on numerous other occasions. It was so bad he even mentioned it in his post match interview. Okay, at my standard it would have been unlucky darts but for a pro living off prize money, just not acceptable. And he acknowledged as much.

That said, his doubling was excellent. His rate was 77% and he took out 150 and 164 along the way to nick the match. He did what a champion does and came through despite a bit of a struggle and not playing at his best. His nerve is top class for sure. Next up is Barney again who beat him 5-4 in the prelims after Gez took his foot off the gas. He says he won't make the same mistake twice but I can't see him retaining his title even if he does win because there's a lot of guys playing better than him and some exciting new talent starting to hit their straps.

 

[ivoralljack]

A below par Jonny lost 8-10 to qualifier debutant Alan Soutar last night. This was a game that the Jonny of 12 months ago would have won easing up. He's throwing inconsistent average stuff right now - big scores with consecutive 40 odds thrown in to destroy his leg and allow the other guy in. He needs a lot of work on his game right now to stay up there with the big boys.

Look out for a young Irish player called Josh Rock who is a brilliant 21 year old. MVG pipped him 10-8 last night in a fantastic game, one of the best ever screened - but not before Rock nailed a 9 darter. MVG sees him as a future world champ, high praise indeed.

Great game in the quarters tonight as well. Bully Boy Smith won the last three legs to pip Joe Cullen 16-15. Gez v Barney now up and Gez needs to up his game against an in form Dutchman or he goes the same way as Jonny. Home!!

 

[ivoralljack]

Gez going home after losing to 55 year old Barney who turned back the years and found the form he showed in his prime. Gez somehow allowed an 8-3 lead slip into a 9-11 deficit and had only himself to blame. After his strong start he couldn't hit his doubles and was up to his old tricks of sliding into adjacent beds. On one throw he missed treble 19, switched to 20s and hit a 5 and then a 1. He did this many times and you cannot afford to do that at this level. He was just throwing points away and keeping Barney in games he should have won.

Gez looked gutted to say the least at the end but he must shoulder the blame himself. Barney threw brilliant darts and deserved the win but Gez made it far easier for him than it should have been. He missed 16 darts at critical doubles as noted by the comms and you do not win matches by doing that and I think the final score was 16-13. But I said he wasn't playing well enough to win this and unfortunately I was right.

 

[ivoralljack]

Gez still struggling for form in the World Championship but he beat Luke Woodhouse 3-1 to progress. However, he's not throwing well and could have been 0-2 down before he rallied and took 3 sets on the bounce. But it wasn't his good darts that did the trick. Woody after averaging 105+ in the first set just fell off the cliff and Gezzie just kept going as he was and won. It won't be good enough to win the title this year and he has to improve every aspect of his game, especially his doubles which were very poor again tonight. And I still maintain that he and Jonny Clayton throw more darts into adjacent beds than any of the top players. They won't start winning again until they put a stop to that and it's keeping opponents in games when they're well behind.

 

[ivoralljack]

Btw, Lewy Williams of Wales is also through and just missed a nine-darter in the final leg by a tiny fraction on double 12. It would have done wonders for his confidence had he nailed it but he won easily enough.

 

[ivoralljack]

Jim Williams of Wales through with a tight 3-2 win against a promising young Dutch newbie. Fallon Sherrock is out losing 1-3 to Ricky Evans one of the fastest throwers in the game. She had 3 darts to take the second set, Evans missed and Fallon had to break 5. She went for 1 got the double to leave 3 then put her second dart into the 20 bed. Evans stepped up to win the game and the set also taking the next set to win.

Post match, Ricky conceded that she had been by far the better player and he had got away with one. Her doubles let her down badly in the game, which was unlike her. She gives the guys a proper game in every sense of the word and, at her best, can beat any of them. Great advert for ladies; darts! I'd be a very happy man if I could throw even half as well as her for sure.

Next up for Gezzie, unfortunately, is a resurgent RVB who is getting back to his best after time away from the game.. He beat Gez twice in the Grand Slam and I see him doing it again. Gez is just not consistent enough right now and he's not hitting his doubles - a sure-fire way of being beaten at the this level. In top form, he'd win but he's been nowhere near that for some time.

 

[ivoralljack]

Saw Fallon's doubles stats which were 9 from 31 attempts. Ricky got 10 from 21 and that won him the game despite being outplayed. Fallon is usually very good on her doubles and it was bad luck that this deserted her in this of all competitions.

 

[The Blobster]

As you know Ivor , I'm pretty steady on my doubles but last time we played I had an absolute mare on one leg of double start 501 !

 

[ivoralljack]

Jim Williams of Wales caused the first upset this year knocking out James Wade 3-2 earning a guaranteed £25k minimum cash prize in the process. Well done, Jim. Unfortunately Lewy Williams has been blitzed by MVG who is in ominously good form. I still think that Josh Rock is a good outside bet and this very talented kid will be world champion one day. He's one hell of a player already!

Jonny Clayton goes tonight and I hear he's given up his council plastering to be a full time darts pro. Known as the most prolific 140 hitter in the game, perhaps he can now start turning a few of those into maximums, which will make him a fearsome opponent for anyone. Do that and stop his sliding into adjacent beds and I think he can also become world champion in due course.

 

[ivoralljack]

Jonny went through very easily by 3-0. Don't know if it was psychological but it seemed to me as though he was throwing better; more consistently. His sliding habit was definitely better and he only did it about 2/3 times. I didn't really count but I certainly wasn't cursing out loud as I usually do. He hit 5 x 180s and averaged just under 100 with a 50% doubles success. That said, he was playing a relative rookie who was nowhere near his class, so there was very little pressure on him. He had an amazing second set where he blitzed his man off the board averaging 124 plus. That's some darts!!

Now, if he can do that against one of the top players then I reckon he's in with a good chance this year.

 

[ivoralljack]

Jonny through beating Brendan Dolan 4-1 but it wasn't easy. All five legs were won 3-2 and Dolan actually had a slightly higher average. Jonny frustrates me so much. His old habit was back in spades this evening and I think I'll call him 'Slider' from now on. His darts were going into adjacent beds all over the shop and one particular throw when he needed one leg to win the match went 20 5 and 5. He must have locked his darts away over the holiday and both comms called his throwing 'sloppy'.

It was a very average performance by him and he plays Josh Rock next who beat Nathan Aspinall 4-3 in a belter. Jonny's game produced 11 x 180s whereas Rock and the Asp managed just the 24!! Going by today's performance Rock will slaughter Jonny who will have to find some serious form if he hopes to progress. Jonny keeps his opponents in games by giving them repeated chances with his sliding. Josh Rock will give Jonny all the trouble he can handle even without any help from him. If Jonny keeps sliding against him then he's out. Simple as.

As for Gezzie, he needs to find form as well playing against RVB who beat him twice in the same competition recently. Let's hope that both Taffs can do it, not forgetting outsider Jim Williams who's also up tonight. Fingers crossed.

 

[ivoralljack]

So what do I know? Bugger all it seems!! Gezzie tuned Barney 4-0 but I can't comment on it because I was watching football on a different channel. The presenters said his was a fine performance though and it must have been to whitewash RVB.

Unfortunately Jim Williams went out 3-4 and missed a match dart in the process. He must be kicking himself with the money at stake here.

 

[ivoralljack]

Gezzie about to take on Jose de Souza. Gez should win but if Jose finds his form he's a scoring machine hitting 180s for fun. However, he's inconsistent and therein lies Gezzie's best chance. After that Jonny faces Josh Rock my outside bet for the title. Even Jonny makes Rock the favourite despite being seeded well above him. But Rock is one of those rare beasts that comes along once in a generation and, if he fulfils his potential, he will become a multiple World Champion. I believe he's only 20 years old as well!! And he seems a decent young man.

Old news but defending champion Wright is out, his preparation being disrupted by the unfortunate ill health of his wife. Delighted to say that she now is said to be on the mend. Meantime MVG steamrollers on winning his game 4-2 with 12 maximums and an average of 107+.

As I type, Jose's first throw is a 180 and the comms just said that Gezzie in the first leg has been dire! Hope that soon changes!!

Comms just added that Jose holds the record for the most 180s in a Premier League season, He got 96 of them!!

 

[ivoralljack]

Gezzie beat Souza 4-1 in a game where neither found their form. It was feast or famine from both. Gez got a 180 then his next two darts were 5 and 1!! It was a scrappy game and, unless Gez improves drastically, he'll get eaten alive by any of the better players. I think he hit his favourite double 20 only once in about two dozen attempts and that's not title winning form.

Rock has some impressive stats; he's World Youth Champion: hit a 9 darter against MVG in the Grand Prix; had a GAME average of 121.88 against Dolan in another competition and he's in form. Jonny will have done brilliantly if he manages to beat him.

 

[ivoralljack]

Well Jonny has done brilliantly and edged Josh 4-3. Don't ask me how. He didn't even have a shot at a double in the first leg that he lost 0-3. He lost the fourth leg as well and the comms were saying that he might as well have been sitting in the audience and that he was being royally outscored.

But he managed to wrestle a foothold in the game and used his experience as Rock, maybe through inexperience, began to falter and miss his doubles. That negated Jonny's sliding because he was at it big time again tonight. Tons became 55 or 43 and 180s became 121 or whatever. He just throws buckets of points at his opponents and keeps on doing it. But when he was on 104 he pulled off a brilliant finish. He hit single 18 going for the trip, so he went double 18 and bull to finish. Superb!!

Jonny edged the final averages but the game could have gone either way. Whatever, young Josh, who is actually 21, has the brightest of futures in the game. As for Gez, the comms reckon that he's nowhere near his best and will need vast improvement to win this. I can't see it myself but I've been getting all sorts of predictions wrong so far. However, it would be great if a Taff did win it this year - maybe Jonny because Gez has already won it.

 

[ivoralljack]

Bye, bye Taffs! Jonny went down 3-5 to Dimitri V D Berg but I can't comment as I was watching football. Then Gezzie was hammered 5-1 by World #25 Gabriel Clemens in a complete shock. To be honest Gez didn't deserve any better. His sliding was so atrocious he'd have been more at home in a bobsleigh on the Cresta Run than standing on the oche at the Ally Pally. Again I lost count of the number of times he did it but, as an example, on one throw he hit treble 20 then followed it with a 1 and 5!!!!!! On another throw aiming for treble 18 he hit a big 4 nowhere near his target. And he did this over and over.

Clemens wiped him off the board with the scoring, so much so that several times he had six darts to get his double, needed them all and Gez still couldn't win the leg off him. He had 16 trebleless visits to Clemen's 8 and, imho, he needs to employ a coach to sort out his wasted darts because there's just so many of them. Obviously he either can't see his problem or can't correct it and he's giving opponents easy games because of it.

At one point he was getting so much stick from an unfair audience he came back from a break wearing ear defenders then changed to ear plugs. The crowd were booing him whenever he was going for a double and the match referee did absolutely fuck all about it. This is not good enough in a World Championship. The PDC needs to address this problem and do it pronto. It's blatantly unfair and lowers the credibilty of the sport.

This is not an excuse for Gez as he was beaten by the better man on the night BUT obviously it must have had some sort of impact on his game. If he's looking for reasons for his loss he needs to stop wasting darts into adjacent beds because it's costing him too many points in a game. And Jonny needs to address the same problem because they are the two worst offenders of all the top players.

 

[ivoralljack]

Michael 'Bully Boy' Smith is the new World Champion beating MVG 7-4 in a brilliant game. In one leg both players were going for a 9 darter. MVG just missed the double 12 for his but Bully stepped up and nailed 141 to get his niner. The averages were actually very close with Bully a fraction over the 100 and MVG a fraction under. Bully nailed 22 x 180s with 15 for MVG.

At 6-3 Bully had nine consecutive darts without a treble and looked like he was going to choke yet again as MVG took the set. But Bully rallied and ran out the winner. I'm very pleased for him as he's been beaten so often in the final of a big competition. But he's now won two, including the biggest of them all, and I reckon there's a few more in him as well. And, as a bonus, he's the new world #1 for the first time. Good on you, Bully.