Outspoken Gary Anderson has blasted “absolutely rank” boards at the World Cup of Darts. The Scottish star offered his scathing assessment in the wake of Scotland’s 8-0 destruction of Norway in the last 16.
Anderson and partner Cameron Menzies didn’t drop a single leg in a wonderful whitewash over their second-round rivals which set-up a Sunday afternoon quarter-final against Republic of Ireland. But the two-time World Champion was as ruthless to the dartboard as he was to the Norwegians during his post-win interview in Frankfurt.
Anderson hammered the Winmau Blade X as he said: “The dartboards are absolutely rank. They are the worst dartboards ever. Don’t [just] quote me on it. Ask anyone on the circuit who is playing. Even ask the PDC. Even ask the dart manufacturers. They will tell you the boards are absolutely shocking.
“The darts go in straight. I have had to go to the black points just to get a bit of an angle on the points. We have been at it for months. We have been talking about it. Not a player on the circuit is happy with these dartboards and there’s nowt getting done with it. That is why I have gone to the black points.”
Menzies, meanwhile, took flight on a dream World Cup debut after an airport dash for his darts. The Scottish star savoured an unforgettable World Cup baptism alongside hero Anderson and could barely believe how well it went considering a pre-match stress which required him to speed back to the airport on the morning of the match.
Menzies’ suitcase, with his darts in it, didn’t make it with him in transit to Germany, but arrived in time for the clash after a quick collection. With the trusted arrows in hand, he and Anderson, who is past winner alongside Peter Wright, ensured Cor Dekker and Kent Sivertsen went missing and it was a magical moment for the new boy.
Menzies said: “That was nearly as perfect as I could wish outwith my case and stuff. But Gary stood up, he’s a two-time world champion and one of the best ever. That was great.
“I didn’t play bad, I didn’t play good. He played with six darts, to be honest! Gary was brilliant and I loved every moment of that.
“He took the reins in that game there. He made me feel so calm. He grabbed that game by the scruff of the neck, he shoehorned that game in for me. I just popped up when I wanted to. He made it all easy for me. I took the glory!
“If you go back to darts when I was very young, which is a long time ago, Gary was always my hero. Gary has been good to me since I was a young kid. He’s a Scottish legend for a reason, not just darts, as a man as well.
“To be on the stage with him with this badge on my chest is the most awesome thing I’ve done in my life. I’ll remember this day for the rest of my life.”
