World Grand Prix. Final - Tonight 8.30pm (Sky Sports Arena - Channel 408).
Jonny Clayton (Wales) v 'The Iceman' Gerwyn Price (Wales) . First to 5 sets.
An all Welsh clash in the final of this ranking event, but there's a twist to the usual format..... 501 down - check / finish on a double or bull - check, but the difference between this and most competitions is that a player has to start on a double or bull (have yet to see someone try to go for the bull at the start of a leg though - I guess that could be considered gamesmanship ) Also, if the match goes to 4 sets and two legs apiece, there is no requirement to win by at least two legs - it's sudden death, ie the first to 3 legs wins the deciding set...
An entertaining comp, and Price is the favourite, but he struggled for a lot of the match in his Semi Final victory against the resurgent Stephen Bunting. A major reason for that is the fact that Price is suffering from an ongoing arm/elbow injury that has previously beset him.
For that reason, and because there's no separate betting thread (yet) , I think that Jonny 'The Ferret' Clayton (who may not be a household name to non-darting aficionados, but has burst on the scene in recent years) is a lively outsider to prevail against his fellow Countryman and World Cup winning teammate. Jonny has a pretty impressive strike rate on both the starting and finishing doubles [possibly the best in the whole tourney] and he dispatched the lively Belgian Danny Noppert with consummate ease last night, when winning by 4 sets to the Belgian's 1 in the first semi final.
Clayton is 5/4 to win tonight, and when I tip on down to the shop later I will likely back him outright, as well as minus 1.5 sets , and perhaps -2.5 sets also...
Mon Jonny
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Darts
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Re: Darts
Thanks! Was a nice win tbs, and happy to get it
Did Jonny outright and had a bit on @ 2/1 (-1.5 sets) & 10/3 (-2.5 sets) .... Didn't want to tempt fate, so didn't enquire after a price for minus 3.5 Doubt I was the only one who fancied him for the final... Saw some 7/5 and 11/8 quoted for him late Friday night/early Saturday morning... Saw on the screen before the match that he had shortened into evens.
Yeah, Dolan's 9 darter (1 of only 4 I believe in this format) was a thing of beauty and will be remembered for years to come.. As will Jonny Clayton's checkouts of 170 and 164 in consecutive legs... Some throwing for the 47 yr old, who will no doubt be soon quitting his day job (if he hasn't already).. All Price could do was smile Clayton's 5-1 victory was definitely no fluke.... He was favourite to win his side of the draw I believe (after MvG was knocked out in round 1).. Looking forward now to the big one in Late Dec/January... Don't even know if the BDO is still going... Has been on its knees the last few years.. Always worth a watch though, even if the quality aint top notch.. Pity, cos any half decent player in it tends to go to the PDC
Did Jonny outright and had a bit on @ 2/1 (-1.5 sets) & 10/3 (-2.5 sets) .... Didn't want to tempt fate, so didn't enquire after a price for minus 3.5 Doubt I was the only one who fancied him for the final... Saw some 7/5 and 11/8 quoted for him late Friday night/early Saturday morning... Saw on the screen before the match that he had shortened into evens.
Yeah, Dolan's 9 darter (1 of only 4 I believe in this format) was a thing of beauty and will be remembered for years to come.. As will Jonny Clayton's checkouts of 170 and 164 in consecutive legs... Some throwing for the 47 yr old, who will no doubt be soon quitting his day job (if he hasn't already).. All Price could do was smile Clayton's 5-1 victory was definitely no fluke.... He was favourite to win his side of the draw I believe (after MvG was knocked out in round 1).. Looking forward now to the big one in Late Dec/January... Don't even know if the BDO is still going... Has been on its knees the last few years.. Always worth a watch though, even if the quality aint top notch.. Pity, cos any half decent player in it tends to go to the PDC
Re: Darts
Anyone watching the PDC world champs, I have done so every year since getting sky sports in 2005. Before that I watched the BDO champs every year - since I was a young kid in the 80s.
It is a Christmas ritual at this stage. This year we have the usual big crowd shouting and roaring with drink taken and no social distancing in sight, Tony Holohan would have a heart attack
Anyhow IMO it is one of the greatest and most exciting TV sports. Aspects of the presentation that we take for granted like the split screen, "spotting" and 180 zoom are genius ideas. Add to that screaming commentators and roars from the referee. Momentum swinging one way and the other in a matter of seconds. Camera pointing at the players' eyes. Macho posturing and occasional aggro on stage.
My enthusiasm for it is tinged with sadness though knowing how many of the characters have died prematurely or have serious health issues. Eric Bristow, Jocky Wilson, Sid Waddell, Dave Lanning, Phil Jones and others dead. John Gwynne has terminal cancer and Dave Clark has Parkinsons. I still find it hard to believe that Bristow is gone.
It is a Christmas ritual at this stage. This year we have the usual big crowd shouting and roaring with drink taken and no social distancing in sight, Tony Holohan would have a heart attack
Anyhow IMO it is one of the greatest and most exciting TV sports. Aspects of the presentation that we take for granted like the split screen, "spotting" and 180 zoom are genius ideas. Add to that screaming commentators and roars from the referee. Momentum swinging one way and the other in a matter of seconds. Camera pointing at the players' eyes. Macho posturing and occasional aggro on stage.
My enthusiasm for it is tinged with sadness though knowing how many of the characters have died prematurely or have serious health issues. Eric Bristow, Jocky Wilson, Sid Waddell, Dave Lanning, Phil Jones and others dead. John Gwynne has terminal cancer and Dave Clark has Parkinsons. I still find it hard to believe that Bristow is gone.
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- Posts: 523
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- Posts: 523
- Joined: Wed Jul 21, 2021 6:00 pm
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- Posts: 523
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Re: Darts
World championship well underway, great entertainment already and as usual it will keep me somewhat sane over the Christmas period.
Good stuff from the Irish lads when interviewed today after their matches
Lennon: Jesus I don't know how I won that!
O'Connor: Happy Christmas, Chris!
Good stuff from the Irish lads when interviewed today after their matches
Lennon: Jesus I don't know how I won that!
O'Connor: Happy Christmas, Chris!