This evening, Cameron Menzies steps back onto a stage for the first time since a night at Alexandra Palace that unravelled in full public view – a World Championship exit that left scars deeper than the scoreboard suggested.
For the 36-year-old Scot, this is not merely another appearance. It is a recalibration. His first competitive outing since that turbulent December moment carries weight, particularly with Winmau World Masters qualification looming just around the corner. Confidence, fragile and invaluable, is the currency he seeks to rebuild.
The memory remains vivid. Drawn against English debutant Charlie Manby, the flamboyant Scot departed the World Championship at the first hurdle, a result that jarred violently with expectation. What followed was raw, uncontrolled frustration. In the immediate aftermath, he struck his drinks table, sustaining a serious injury to his right hand – an incident that required hospital treatment and ignited intense discussion across the darts landscape.
It was a moment that laid bare the duality of Menzies’ character. His emotional volatility has always been both catalyst and curse, capable of fuelling ferocious performances or derailing them entirely. This time, it cost him more than a match.
What followed was silence. A period of repair rather than rhetoric. Recovery became the priority – physical healing intertwined with the more delicate task of restoring equilibrium. Cammy has since confirmed that he is fully fit, ready not simply to compete, but to reassert himself.
The stage for that return is an unusual one. The Battle of Four Nations at Twickenham Stadium – a venue steeped in sporting gravity, though rarely associated with tungsten. Exhibition or not, the opposition ensures there will be no easing back into rhythm. James Wade, Jonny Clayton, and Brendan Dolan form an immediate and unforgiving examination.
The timing is deliberate. Next week, Arena MK hosts qualification for the Winmau World Masters, the first major televised ranking event of the new season, now operating under a revamped format. Only the top 24 on the Order of Merit bypass qualification. Menzies does not.
Margins here are microscopic. A leg. A dart. A moment of restraint or release. A composed showing at Twickenham could provide something vital – belief that the chaos of December has been processed rather than merely survived.
At the summit of the Masters field waits Luke Littler, alongside defending champion Luke Humphries and an array of proven predators. For Menzies, the mountain is obvious. But so is the fight. And few in darts ever doubt his willingness to climb.
—–ENDS—-
Images: PDC
