Wonderful Wales Win Again

Welsh heroes Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton celebrated glory for the second time in four years with victory over Scotland in the My Diesel Claim World Cup of Darts in Frankfurt on Sunday.

The revamped World Cup saw the 2020 champions repeat their success – and having previously tasted success in a behind-closed-doors event this time joyously lifted the trophy in front of an enthusiastic German crowd.

Whilst the Eissporthalle was unable to celebrate a home victory when hosts Germany were knocked out by Scotland in the semi-finals, they had enjoyed another thrilling day as the all-Pairs tournament concluded.

Belgium’s battling run continued as they followed up Saturday’s epic 8-7 win over the Netherlands by ending Australia’s title defence in another deciding leg at the quarter-final stage.

They then succumbed in the same manner to Wales in the semis, as Clayton took out 100 to seal his country’s place in a fifth World Cup final after Belgium came from 6-3 down to level and force a decider.

Wales had also had to hit back in their quarter-final as Sweden’s Dennis Nilsson and Oskar Lukasiak opened up an early 3-1 lead and also came from 5-3 down to level before a five-leg burst kept Price and Clayton’s title hopes alive.

In the final, the Welsh duo proved too strong for Scotland’s Peter Wright and Gary Anderson, who rekindled the partnership which won the 2019 event only to fall just short of repeating that triumph this time around.

Price and Clayton share an £80,000 prize after reclaiming the title, having opened up leads of 3-0 and 8-1 early in the final before holding on to their advantage.

Price landed a 177 score in the final’s opening leg and then posted a 180 in a 14-darter as Wales broke, before double ten gave them a three-leg cushion.

Wright hit back with a 93 checkout to get Scotland off the mark, but a missed double 18 for a 147 finish in the next allowed Clayton in to finish 67 in two darts to restore Wales’ lead.

Price took out 105, and then the Welsh duo both finished 116 – either side of a 96 checkout from Anderson – to move Wales 9-2 ahead before double eight from Clayton secured glory for his nation.

“It’s absolutely fantastic – what a feeling,” said an elated Clayton. “We got off to a quick start and kept the lead. I don’t think Gary and Peter played their best but we did our job and kept the lead.

“The belief in each other, the confidence in each other, works and when they go, they go pretty – tonight was a good night.

“Gerwyn is my best buddy on tour and he’s an amazing skipper.”

Price, who also reached the 2017 final alongside Mark Webster and was a runner-up with Clayton last year, said: “It’s a brilliant win.

“It’s a little bit flattering to win by that margin but we’re thrilled to win. I think I struggled a little bit in that game and Jonny won it for us tonight – he was fantastic, he was clinical.

“Gary hates him but I love him! I’ve carried him a few years, but he carried me tonight – what a player.”

Scotland’s Wright and Anderson whitewashed France in their quarter-final on Sunday afternoon, before coming 2-0 and 3-2 down to defeat Germany’s Gabriel Clemens and Martin Schindler 8-5 in the semis.

The German duo missed five darts at doubles to level in leg 12, allowing Wright in to finish a key 109 checkout as Scotland edged into their fifth World Cup final.

“The Welsh were the favourites for the tournament and they played fantastic in the final,” reflected Wright. “It’s been a really good tournament with Pairs all the way through.

“It’s amazing playing with Gary, maybe old age caught up with us.”

Anderson added: “The Welsh have got a cracking team, they were spot on.

“You’ve got Gerwyn and what he’s done in darts over the last few years – it’s bad enough playing against Gezzy, but then you’ve got Jonny banging them in.

“We aren’t getting any younger but we’re still trying. We got to the final and any more’s a bonus.”

Germany won through to the semi-finals for the second time as Clemens and Schindler overcame England’s Michael Smith and Rob Cross 8-3 in their last eight clash.

Sweden and France posted their best-ever runs in the World Cup as they came through the group stage and then enjoyed second round wins in Frankfurt.