Southland slaughterman’s outrageous darts fortune
WARREN PARRY returns to Invercargill today to deliver pigs, quarter beef and sheep throughout Central Otago – and he will have a story to dine out on with his mates following his exploits at the Sydney Darts Masters.
The Southland slaughterman, who stunned the darts’ world when he eliminated world champion Michael van Gerwen in the first round on Thursday night, bowed out in the quarterfinals on Friday when James Wade claimed their best- of- 15 leg clash in emphatic style, 8-2.
New Zealand’s No 1 didn’t hit the bullseye – or the jackpot – at Horden Pavilion, but Parry still pocketed $9774 (AU$8750) and the experience was priceless.
The 50- year- old had never played van Gerwen or Wade previously so just to share the spotlight with the sport’s leading exponents was a thrill for a $113 (AU$101) outsider in the original 16-strong field. He was eliminated by Australian Paul Nicholson in the inaugural Sydney Darts Masters last year and by colourful Scotsman Peter ‘‘ Snakebite’’ Wright in the World Series of Darts previous stop in Perth last weekend, so making the quarters was beyond expectations.
Van Gerwen, the $1.15 (AU$1.03) favourite ahead of his match with the Kiwi qualifier, crumbled after building a 5-1 lead in a best-of-11 leg encounter turned dramatically.
Wade, a seven-time major title winner dubbed ‘‘ The Machine’’, also led 5-1 and there was never any prospect of the Englishman squandering that advantage. Parry admitted his second visit to centre stage was overwhelming.
‘‘I felt alright but when
I got up there it just wouldn’t flow. I was pushing and pulling, James played consistent all the way through,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m quiet happy, I’m stoked actually. I’ll just have to go back and practise a bit harder.’’
Parry has watched a replay of his miraculous win over van Gerwen, not that he needs reminding of the magnitude of his achievement.
‘‘It was unbelievable, just to see what happened,’’ he said, agreeing it was the darts equivalent of, say, Tonga beating the All Blacks.
Parry was so encouraged by his career highlight that he may attempt to qualify for this year’s world championships at the home of darts, London’s Alexandra Palace. He failed to qualify in New Zealand but may head to Perth in November in a last-ditch bid to make the field.
Qualifying for the new Australasian King of Darts series, which includes Invercargill on the schedule in January, is the main priority through a tournament in Timaru before Christmas.
Meanwhile, he is back to work tomorrow. ‘‘I’m back to carrying pigs and quarter beef. I’ll be carrying that into shops and hanging it up,’’ he said.