RICH SPICES UP HIS CHANCES
BRICKLAYER James Richardson is the darts giant-killer who walks on stage to England football anthem Vindaloo.
But his wife has ordered him to cut down on curry.
Richardson, 43, faces Alan Norris today for a place in the last 16 after getting away with murder in his shock 3-0 first-round win against Kim Huybrechts.
But he has rationed visits to his favourite curry house in Higham Ferrers, Northamptonshire, where he celebrated knocking out Raymond van Barneveld six years ago.
Richardson (right) said: “I’m having turkey curry for my dinner on Boxing Day before travelling back down to London – I just love the chillies, the spices – but I rarely have a curry now.
“My wife has told me to cut down because I was eating them regularly... very regularly.
“The win against Barney was great, but it didn’t change my life. I thought I’d have packed up the bricklaying by now. “But I still get up at the crack of dawn to go to work. There’s talent there, I know, but I want to get back to six years ago – and there’s still time.” by Dutch courage. World No.1 MVG will take some stopping again, while Holland is guaranteed at least one player in the quarter-finals: Vincent van der Voort, whose walk-on remains the biggest party in north London, meets Raymond van Barneveld and his Barney army this evening.
If anyone is going to plant the Cross of St
George on top of
Muswell Hill on New
Year’s Day, it looks like it will have to be old stager Phil Taylor, making his defiant last stand before retirement.
Van Gerwen said:
“I would not call it a
Dutch takeover – I like it that the crowds have cheered for Dutch and
German players at Ally Pally, but if they come to cheer English players, there are not so many.
“When Phil Taylor retires, Dave Chisnall will be the highest-ranked English player in the world rankings – and that’s a bit worrying for darts in England.
“There are some great systems in the PDC for youth development, but it used to be something like 20 of the top 32 players in the world were Englishmen.
“I don’t care where they come from as long as I beat them – but maybe it’s a sign that darts has become a more global sport.”
Of course, the frayed English challenge should not be confused with the wider British contingent, where bravehearts Gary Anderson and Peter Wright carry Scotland’s hopes and Gerwyn Price (below) flies the flag for Wales against Van Gerwen tonight.
Price, a former rugby union hooker with Neath and Cross Keys, must overcome a record of devastating symmetry if he is to upset the odds.
Van Gerwen chortled: “I’ve got a fantastic record against him – in the last 10 games he played me, he lost them all... and he’s only played me 10 times!
“Maybe he doesn’t have the best ability, but Gerwyn puts a lot of energy into his game and that makes him a dangerous opponent.”
Van Der Voort, who revealed before Christmas that he doesn’t even like his walk-on song Give It Up, will grin and bear it one more time.
He admitted: “As much as I hate the song, I love the public – and when they sing it, I can’t deny it brings the best out of me.
“As long as they are having a great time, it doesn’t matter to me if I’m having a c**p time.” AFTERNOON SESSION (12.30pm) Simon Whitlock v Darren Webster Alan Norris v James Richardson Kevin Munch v Toni Alcinas EVENING SESSION (7pm)
Peter Wright v Jamie Lewis
Vincent van der Voort v
Raymond van Barneveld,
Michael van Gerwen v Gerwyn Price