After a trying day and a bit on a personal level when everything that possibly could go wrong did so, time for another in the series of articles looking back on what has transpired at the PDC World Championship in the Alexandra Palace, London, since last time the keyboard last took a tapping on the same subject matter.
Which, translated into simplicity, in this instance, means flinging a few arrows through Monday’s action at one of the most iconic sporting venues in the world. Which for this writer could be best summed up as a mixture of speed, horsepower and razzmatazz. An abbreviated way of saying Ricky Evans, Kevin Doets (pronounced Deutz) and Madars Razma lit up the the big old hotel with blistering displays of arrow slinging throughout the manic Monday.
Firstly as prolific battery of the treble 19 by the latter named Latvian – who hits the aforementioned segment with the regularity that others go for tops – saw him past Darren Beveridge of Scotland, though the latter is definitely a name you will hear of again. Then, the man whose name sounds yours truly’s favourite green brand of tractor ended the fairytale run of Kenya’s David Munyua before Rapid Ricky Evans proved he is possessed of an abundance of stamina as well as speed when seeing off the challenge of the obdurate James Wade in one of the finest contests the old stage has ever been graced with.
Also, in the midst of all that, the German Giant, Gabe Clemens defenestrated an opponent that this corner had earmarked as a potential dark house to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy, the latest heralded Dutch darting dynamo, Wessell Nijman, who, unfortunately for him, resembled certain teams in big matches in Croke Park – creating bucket loads of chances but squandering them.
The evening session was far more straight forward in that all those who would have started favourite in their respective matches duly obliged.
With Giann Van Veen, Luke Humphries, Nathan Aspinall and Charlie Manby all winning as expected. That the latter – a 21-year-old brick layer – was expected to win gives some indication of the prodigious talent the young lad is thought to have. Remember the name.
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