The World Matchplay trophy, is one prize Adrian Lewis never quite managed to waltz away with in his otherwise glittering career. But, when it comes to Strictly Come Darting in Blackpool, few players have tangoed with tungsten in the Empress Ballroom as often as the two-time World Champion.
Jackpot certainly danced around the periphery more than once and in any other era he would surely have had that trophy in grasp?
Currently, the decorated Stoke native is loving life on the exhibition and corporate circuit. After all – who wouldn’t be thrilled to chat darts with one of the game’s legends? Especially about his days chucking beside the seaside.
Straight off the bat, Lewis reminds us of an act of spectacular clumsiness that could easily have resulted in a forfeiture:
“It was about ten years ago – I don’t remember who it was against, but I was upstairs in the practice room just about to go down for the walk-on. Then suddenly, I dropped a half-pint glass of water, and as it bounced off the ground, I went to grab it – and the glass went straight through my finger, splitting it wide open.”
Perhaps not the ideal preparation – injuring your throwing hand, which essentially relies on holding and releasing an object. Somehow, Adrian won. Maybe the other bloke was blinded by the pyrotechnics – a far more damaging affliction in a sport built entirely on hand–eye coordination.
With over half of his trips to the Winter Gardens ending in at least a quarter-final, Lewis has been embroiled in some absolute belters. Yet it’s the 2013 final where he came closest to picking up the trophy eventually named after the man who beat him:
“I’m gutted I never won it. Matchplay was always my favourite tournament. I had some great performances there and came up just short. I averaged 107 in the final one year – and still lost to Mr Taylor. Usually, you’d think that’s enough to win it!”
Fair point, Ade. And perhaps against a mere mortal, that may well be the case. But Phil Taylor wasn’t created biologically – he was manufactured out of tungsten, then sent to various venues to torment opponents and win trophies. Speaking of The Power, the Stoke pair have been directly responsible for one another’s dwellings in Blackpool:
“Originally, myself and usually my mum stayed in a B&B owned by a friend of Phil’s – I believe they were originally from Norwich. Then as the years went on, I’d treat it like a family holiday. The kids finished school on the Friday, we’d pack the car, pick them up, and stay there for two weeks on a caravan site in Ribby Hall, just outside Preston – it was only ten or fifteen minutes away from the venue. Told Phil about it, and he ended up buying a lodge there!”
I’d be commission fishin’ to Ribby Hall there, Adrian! When it comes to tournaments, it’s horses for courses – or in this instance, players for venues. And for Jackpot, the Winter Gardens summer extravaganza always ticked every box:
“It always had that feel – like a real crowd. You’ve just come off the back of the Premier League, which has a lot of football fans – then into Blackpool, which is just darts fans. The venue’s iconic – the atmosphere, the balconies – it’s just special. I’d never even been there before I played in it.
“The format is also good too – but it was about getting past that first round. Once you’ve got a win, you’ve got time to settle in. That first game’s where the pressure is. After that, I always felt like I was in the tournament. You do need a little bit of luck early on, though.”
Personally, I’ve always been of the ilk that luck might butter parsnips in a game like Monopoly, but in darts, it barely salts the chips – unless, of course, you count your opponent not being able to hit a barn door with, well… a dart, as good fortune.
Looking ahead to this year’s World Matchplay, Adrian initially seemed quite comfortable sitting on the fence when I originally asked him to pick a winner:
“I’ll be watching for sure – I think it’s going to be intriguing. You can’t look past the two Lukes and Gezzy – they’ve won the last few tournaments between them.”
However, when I nudged Ade a little closer to the edge of said fence, he threw out a few more names who could go all the way – think of them, if you will, as the darkest of all horses in the race.
“Ando’s a shout. The only thing is the age – in those longer formats, like first to 16, it can catch up with you. But he’s playing very well, so who knows?”
For those unsure of Adrian’s over-familiarisation – he’s referring, of course, to Gary Anderson. Scottish fella. Couple of World Championships to his name. Pedigree like a champion greyhound – you know the one. Finally, I asked which games tickled his tungsten taste buds – and he threw out a few:
“Luke Humphries v Gian van Veen looks like a great match – obviously MVG and Barney. Then you look at Josh Rock – confidence high after his World Cup win – against Ross Smith, who is also coming into form.”
We could have chatted darts – and in particular, this World Matchplay and those gone by – for hours.
——ENDS—–
Images: PDC
