THE WRIGHT STUFF
Peter Wright wins second World Darts Championship title after beating Michael Smith in marathon final
PETER WRIGHT has joined the pantheon of darting greats with a second world title – but don’t expect any KNEES-UP.
Snakebite, 51, showed his enduring class to beat Michael Smith 7-5 in the final of the William Hill PDC World Darts Championship.
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Or the Old Farm Derby as it should be forever known as both men look after more animals than farmers who appear on Countryfile.
Regaining the Sid Waddell Trophy has drawn him level with fellow Scotsmen Gary Anderson and Jocky Wilson in the oche roll of honour list.
Yet he prevailed in spite of a dodgy knee that has seen him play through the pain barrier in recent days.
Wright, who had a late finish following the semi-final win over Ando, admits he is carrying too much fat and there is a “build-up of liquid underneath my kneecap”.
However, a second world crown in three years has forever banished those that called him a clown and joked about his ever-changing Mohawk and snazzy clothes.
According to Eddie Hearn – who replaced his dad Barry last year as the PDC chairman – more than one million people watched the semi-finals on Sky Sports on Sunday night.
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That is a hell of a lot more people than what some ordinary Premier League matches get, emphasising the sport’s expanding popularity across the country.
It is nothing short of a miracle that this event reached the final day with fans still allowed in at Ally Pally.
It felt almost inevitable before Christmas that the government might intervene and abruptly force it behind closed doors like 12 months previously.
At times, though, the crowds overstepped the mark, booing and jeering players while they aimed for key doubles.
The nationalistic songs and targeting of Scots and Welsh players in particular was OTT.
On the whole, the players have shown exemplary sportsmanship, applauding an opponent who has performed well.
The standard and number of quality matches has been high and it was important this tournament – for it to be classed as a great one – had a competitive final.
Unfortunately it started off in atrocious fashion. There were 28 missed doubles in the opening set, including 21 in the second leg, and both men averaged just over 82.
It appeared as if the Scot was complaining to the referee about a possible breeze affecting the play on stage.
Wright, who wore a mask for his walk-on, fired in 148 and then a 124 on the Bull to move two sets up.
It was at this point in the 2019 final loss to Michael van Gerwen that Smith, 31, went backstage and BROKE his hand in anger by punching the toilet door.
There were no fractured bones on this occasion as Smith banged in a sublime 167 in the third set and then levelled up at 2-2 when Wright missed darts for a 3-1 lead.
By the time it got to 4-4, Wright had already changed his darts once and then gone back to the equipment with which he had started the match.
Surprisingly, there were no massive checkout celebrations or roars for the cameras, perhaps the result of fatigue and too many late nights.
Yet it was the older man Wright who had the stamina to get over the finishing line, winning nine of the last 10 legs of the match and then nailing a place in the record books once more thanks to double 16.
Smith, who hit a record 83 180s for the tournament, has now lost in NINE major TV finals and this one will take a long time to get over.
Wright, who had tears in his eyes at the end, showed sympathy for his opponent, saying: “Yes, I did it. Me and Michael didn’t perform how we can. We both played badly.
“It was a strange atmosphere. I kept changing my darts. The atmosphere in here was affecting Michael as well.
“It will be Michael’s time soon. He is the future of darts.”
And Smith, who receives £200,000, was in a flood of tears on the stage.
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He said: “At least I got five sets here instead of three. I will be back on that board and ready for next season.
“That bullseye wouldn’t go in for me. That is darts I guess.”
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