Man of the Match on Saturday at the inaugural Slovakia Darts Open has to go to tartan tungsten thrower Cameron Menzies, with Belgium’s Mike De Decker a very close second, as day two concluded in Bratislava.
Seeds dropped at the rate of Cammie’s beloved Scotland’s World Cup “finally get out the group” dreams, with the Ayrshire Ace banging in seven maximums en route to a sublime display to emphatically overcome Gerwyn Price.
Yes, there are arguments that the Iceman has played less darts this season than a hippo with a hernia. But he is still Gezzy Price – perhaps the best chip shop owner Wales has ever produced in the sport. Menzies was magnificent and, when he focuses on smashing the board as opposed to tables, he is one of the best around.
The Scot’s reward is a last 16 clash against the ever-impressive Euro Tour debutant Tom Sykes, who edged Martin Schindler in a game where he was only ahead once. And that was just after throwing the winning double. It’s now a Ginger Derby, which means the Sun cream Factor 568 crew are guaranteed one of their own in the quarter-finals.
Onto Mike De Decker who of late, has been playing more like Dickinson’s Deal than the Real Deal. The Belgian World Cup skipper – which, quite frankly these days, is a bit like trying to decide which two out of a bunch of grannies can knit better – finally got past the opening round on this circuit – finally got past the opening round on this circuit. Not just that, he did it over the in-form Willie O’Connor with a blistering 107-plus average. As the curtain-raiser on Saturday afternoon, you could hear the frustrated rustling of betting slips as lots of people’s accumulators went down early after that game.
If you want a good run at the upcoming Euro Tour event, going on the piss with Nathan Aspinall the previous weekend would be my advice. As well as The Asp himself, fellow Ibiza stag-goers Chris Dobey and Ross Smith also made it to the last day of action. To be fair, Joe Cullen could have made it a quartet had he not been playing Smudger, thus deeming it impossible to get the full set through. It was always one or the other.
Your usual splattering of Dutch dudes did the business too. Despite Gian van Veen falling to Rob Cross, there is still Van Gerwen, Noppert, Doets, Nijman and Wattimena in contention for the clog-wearing clan.
Not to be left out, England has its fair contingent too. Aside from Aspinall’s merry men, there’s Searle, Gilding, Joyce and Bunting on top of the bald and ginger pair from Blighty already mentioned.
In fact, aside from the top two performers in Bratislava on Saturday – Menzies and De Decker – everyone left in the tournament is either from the Netherlands or England, in what looks like the Scottish Premiership most years when, ultimately, it’s going to come down to Celtic or Rangers, even though the others try hard.
That said, I wouldn’t discount Cammie for a split second. The kid is due a Euro Tour title. After all, most of his earnings go on alcohol and the DRA, so it would be nice to have some spending money for himself.
Sunday throws up some tasty tungsten ties. And although Spain and Belgium are in action over in the FIFA World Cup, they’re playing Saudi Arabia and Iran, so no one really gives a toss about those two matches. Well, no one apart from those four nations. I certainly don’t. Just surprised America was a summer destination for Iranians. Wouldn’t have been my first choice personally.
ROUND TWO
Saturday Afternoon
Mike De Decker 6-2 William O’Connor
Kevin Doets 6-2 Damon Heta
Wessel Nijman 6-2 Benjamin Pratnemer
Danny Noppert 6-2 Madars Razma
Jermaine Wattimena 6-3 Dave Chisnall
Chris Dobey 6-4 Tyler Thorpe
Ryan Searle 6-3 Kim Huybrechts
Andrew Gilding 6-4 Luke Woodhouse
Saturday Evening
Nathan Aspinall 6-4 Jim Long
Tom Sykes 6-5 Martin Schindler
Cameron Menzies 6-2 Gerwyn Price
Rob Cross 6-3 Gian van Veen
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Krzysztof Ratajski
Ryan Joyce 6-5 Jonny Clayton
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Niels Zonneveld
Ross Smith 6-5 Joe Cullen
ROUND THREE
Sunday Afternoon (12pm BST)
Rob Cross v Kevin Doets
Ryan Searle v Nathan Aspinall
Cameron Menzies v Tom Sykes
Danny Noppert v Jermaine Wattimena
Michael van Gerwen v Andrew Gilding
Chris Dobey v Ross Smith
Ryan Joyce v Mike De Decker
Stephen Bunting v Wessel Nijman
