James Buckby’s remarkable run of MODUS Super Series weekly finals continued in Series 15, but Week One ended in a chastening 4-0 defeat to Darren Beveridge in the final. DartsWorld caught up with the 22-year-old, for an exclusive chat, after he had had time to reflect.
It was the third weekly showpiece in a row Sheffield-based thrower has reached, and while the scoreline made for uncomfortable reading, James insists the bigger picture tells a far more encouraging story.
James’s week of darts twists
Buckby’s route to Saturday night was anything but smooth. An opening-night win in a deciding leg set the tone, but two defeats followed on Thursday, including a missed-double loss to Matt Clark that left him rueing what should have been a 3-1 lead. A narrow 4-3 defeat to Dean Gallagher rounded off a frustrating first evening, despite an average north of a ton offering some consolation.
“I went back to the hotel feeling like I should probably be in a better position than two wins and two losses,” Buckby admitted, with Friday’s group phase against Dean Gallagher and Matt Clark now taking on added significance.
He responded in style. A nervy win over Gallagher followed by what Buckby rates as his best televised performance to date, a 4-2 win over Clark built on a 104.89 average. Wins over Mark Dudbridge sealed his safe passage, and a final-round defeat to Jonny Barnes did nothing to dampen the mood.
“On Saturday I felt really relaxed,” he said. “I was relieved to have conserved my perfect finals night qualification record, and to do so with a running average of 91 was a big boost.” It was also the first time Buckby had avoided finishing third in Group B, meaning a different order of play for Saturday’s finale, something he approached with genuine excitement rather than trepidation.
Beveridge’s ‘Ice Cold’ statement
Buckby’s finals might included an earlier group-stage win over Darren Beveridge, but any thought that history might repeat itself in the final was quickly dismissed. Beveridge, who had swept through Group A earlier in the week, dispatched Matt Clark in the semi-final and produced a ruthless response, closing out the final 4-0 to book his place in Champions Week.
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“After he went out in 12 and 11 in the second and third legs, I realised quite how well he was playing,” Buckby reflected. “There was half a chance in the first leg if I’d kicked off how I can, but sometimes you just get outclassed, and that’s part of going up against some of the best players in the game.”
As for the earlier group-stage scalp offering any clue to how the final would unfold, Buckby was unequivocal. “In short format darts, previous results aren’t something to be taken too seriously, especially when playing at a good level. I was feeling confident all night, and I would’ve been confident heading into the final even if I’d lost our group stage encounter.”
More from James on his remarkable darts journey, coming this Autumn, in a Darts World 595 Exclusive – The University of Darts
Daily play is also streamed on Pluto TV with highlights and other coverage on the MODUS Super Series YouTube channel, or via various bookmaker’ websites worldwide.
Check out DartsWorld’s MODUS Super Series Hall of Fame for the personalities and history of this event.
Images: Tip Top Pics
