LAST FLIGHT OF THE POMS
MVG is leading a Dutch darts revolution and says: It’s a global game now.. and the English domination is over
MICHAEL VAN GERWEN cast his eye over the last 16 at Alexandra Palace and asked: “Where are all the English big-hitters?”
Van Gerwen leads an orange platoon of crowd favourites from Holland into the third round at the William Hill PDC darts world championship, which resumes today. But the home challenge has been badly burnt in the bonfire of seeds. Adrian Lewis, James Wade and Dave Chisnall led the exodus of English first-round casualties, and the noisiest galleries at Ally Pally are now fired 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.”