I’M NOT HEADING FOR ASADA EXIT
DARTS PDC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
PETER WRIGHT reckons he can complete an Ally Pally fairytale after dodging another Nightmare Before Christmas. Snakebite faces Seigo Asada tonight knowing he could easily have been back at home watching on TV sickened again as Santa Claus arrived. After disastrous early exits to Jamie Lewis and Antonio Alcinas in the past two years, Wright was on the verge of another calamity four days ago as Noel Malicdem threatened to send him home too soon for a third straight year. However, Wright survived the scare and now feels he can take full advantage of his let-off. He said: “I was thinking, I’ll be sitting in the car, in the front seat, telling everyone else in the car do not talk to me for at least six months. “I was like no, no, no, you’re still here, you’ve still got three darts in your hand to do a job. “You see all the world champions in the past, Gary Anderson has done the same, Rob Cross, Adrian Lewis, they’ve all had a bit of luck. “Maybe I might have the title but I won’t underestimate Seigo. With these new darts I believe I can be better than the spell I had with the record average 123. So that’s to come. I’m going further than that, no problem. Definitely. “On TV as
BY CRAIG SWAN well. These darts can take me to another level.”
Wright’s World Cup-winning partner Anderson is also back in action tonight when he faces Ryan Searle.
The pair are pals living near each other in Somerset and Searle said: “My son Connor and Gary’s son Tai used to play darts together on a small board.
“He is my idol. I grew up watching him play and winning titles. You don’t know what Gary I will come up against. He is not match sharp.”
However, despite a season without top form, Anderson has the comfort of two world titles already in the bag as he aims for a place in the last 16.
And the Scots star cuts a more relaxed figure around the Ally Pally these days.
Anderson said: “Pressure? I’m getting to the age of retirement. I’ve played a long time.
“A few years ago, I’d be throwing up in a box before going on stage. As I’ve got older I’ve calmed down.
“It’s took a long time for the crowd to be okay. A Scotsman in London? It took a heck of a long time to get the crowd on my side.
“There’s days when my throw’s right, there’s days when I can’t throw. So I’ve got to try to just keep pushing on.
“They say that it’s all muscle memory. I think it might be because sometimes my darts are all over the place.”
Anderson’s career is now at the twilight stage and he missed five months at the start of the year.
But he’s giving nothing away as regards quit dates and Anderson added: “I’ve heard certain people asking certain players, is this my last World Championship?
“If I want you to know, I’ll tell you. So there you go.
“I just enjoy being at home, I’ve lived out of a suitcase for 24 years. It was kind of a wake-up call to spend time at home.
“It’s hard to pack again, I’ve forgotten how to do it. I used to do it with my eyes shut, not now. I forget darts and everything.”
PETER WRIGHT ON HIS BID FOR ALLY PALLY GLORY