The Random Darts Discussion Thread

This thread made because of the hijack created in the English Premier League thread. Darts is one of the most popular pub sports in the world, and collects a decent TV audience in the United Kingdom, Europe and around the world. Like snooker, there is some decent money at the top of the game, and the best player in the world, Phil Taylor, made over 1MM pounds this year IIRC, with his prizemoney for winning the last World Championship being a quarter of a million pounds. Anyway, this weekend is the last day of the newly formed World Cup of Darts, contested in two man teams. Like the world cup of football, it involved a number of countries (24 in this case) a group stage, semi's and a final, and some epic English fail. In the qualifying rounds the top 8 teams (England, Netherlands, Australia, Scotland, Wales, N.Ireland, USA and Canada) played a weaker team that had won an initial qualifying round in a short, somewhat high variance best of 11 legs match. Spain went on to beat England 6-5 and knock them out before the group stage. Today is semi-final and final day. In the first semi-final, Netherlands beat Spain 4-0. The second semi is on now, Wales for Australia. The format for the semis and final is 4 singles matches and a doubles match, just like the Davis Cup tennis, but the doubles is played last and worth double. If it ends 3-3 a sudden death leg is played, almost equivilent to a poker flipament. Its good theatre and a decent sport if you have someone to get behind. Currently Simon Whitlock (AUS) is playing Mark Webster (WAL) the match is locked at 3-3 first to 6 and the tie itself is locked at 1-1 Webster and Whitlock winning their first doubles. Oh, and LOL darts...

Just watched Humpries v Cullen again. What an awesome match. Luke still a chance to become world #1. Littler’s QF against Dolan coming up in about an hour. If Luke wins that, he enters the world top 50. He entered the tournament as the world #164.

Here's me thinking this first quarter final would be close and 5-3 either way at worst

Half an hour later it's 4-3 and Cross with a break of throw

The drama …

OH MY GOD, this is amazing

Amazing to be 4-0 up first to five and only get one leg away once

All I can say is, WOW!!! Doubles: Sobey - 20/61 Cross - 20/35

i wanna know what he looked like at age 12

the ancient greeks began the search for the perfect athletic specimen, and after 2500 years we finally have the answer peak. performance.

Can’t help thinking Littler will end up going full Rooney and shagging grannies.

what was this monster's pre tournament odds

If someone had told me Littler was 29 years old I wouldn't have double checked.

16 years old, world top 50

by PeteBlow m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=58397622#post58397622)

Can’t help thinking Littler will end up going full Rooney and shagging grannies.

He eats Donner kebabs sober so plenty of similarities.

by BOIDS m (https://www.twoplustwo.com/post?postId=58397635#post58397635)

what was this monster's pre tournament odds

I want to say he was about 66/1. I took 9/1 for him to win his quarter after the draw was out

MVG looking shaky.

Williams could have been 3-1 up here

Who wants it less???

Don’t see MvG coming back

Scott probably rueing those misses set darts in the third round about now

ROFL MVG

Poor from MvG. Match avg 93 including two sets in the 70s, and only 29% on doubles. That’s now just 3 titles from 17 appearances, rather underwhelming for someone who aspires to be one of the greats if not the GOAT.

Last time all semi finalists were English: 2006

semi serious question - is the 6 months pregnant physique an advantage. has anyone looked into this it feels like being physically fit would confer some small edge in terms of being able to focus and practice for longer periods, but i'm wondering if there's a centre of gravity effect at work