Opinion vary as to the best matches ever seen some are universally acknowledged as gut wrenching dramafests that are the stuff of tall tales. Who could forget, for example, the absolute classic between Luke Humphries and Joe Cullen at the 2023-24 World Darts Championship? A match filled with drama right up to the very end, culminating in one of the most epic sudden-death shoot outs ever witnessed at Alexandra Palace.
As John Part remarked in the commentary, "You can't make it up." Indeed, the match had everything. With the scores at 5-4 in the deciding set, Luke Humphries was poised on double five, a dart in hand, and it went straight into double twelve, leaving Joe Cullen a chance on double sixteen to force a last-leg decider.
Joe's first dart landed deep in the single 16, a testament to the nerves in this match, with his next dart grazing the double 8, leaving him one dart in hand to force the sudden death. The miss on double four saw Joe sink to his knees in resignation, with Luke Humphries standing ready on double five.
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Dan Dawson aptly asked who could actually hold it together and cross the finish line. As Luke approached the oche, his first dart flew high and far off the double. The second dart was closer, and the third dart agonisingly close to the wire but not in, giving Joe Cullen yet another chance to level the game. The crowd was hysterical, everyone on their feet, the noise deafening. The pressure was palpable, with both players desperate to advance to the quarterfinals.
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Joe looked to the board, took a deep breath, and calmly approached the oche, hoping his dart would find the double. With a slight lick of his fingers to enhance the grip and a cool glance up at double four, all he needed was eight to level the game. His arm went back, the dart flew, and it hit the double - but the wrong one. A wry grin crossed Joe's face as he resigned himself to another match-winning dart from Luke Humphries.
Up stepped Luke, with commentators questioning who even deserved to win this game. Luke's first dart missed, as did the second, and the third landed in the single, leaving Joe Cullen another chance at double 4. He stepped up and nailed it to go 5-5, forcing the sudden-death leg with the throw. The atmosphere was electric, with nobody able to predict the outcome of this epic match.
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In the first throw, Joe opened with a hundred, followed by an amazing 180 from Luke Humphries, who appeared as composed as if he were playing in his local team game. Joe stepped up and nailed a 140, followed again by Luke with a 140. The standard of play at this stage of the game was simply unbelievable.
Joe Cullen then threw another 140, leaving him on 121 with the first crack at the game. Luke could only muster an 81, leaving him on 100, with both players now on a three-dart finish.
The rhythm from both players was sublime, both calm and focused. Then disaster struck as Joe's first dart drifted into the single one, followed by a single 20 and another single 20, leaving him on 80.
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Luke Humphries' first dart landed squarely in the middle of the treble 20, leaving him two darts at double 20 for the match. The first at tops dropped low, leaving him double 10 that he nailed in the top right corner, he isn't known as 'Cool Hand' for nothing, heaping heartbreak on poor Joe Cullen, who could only wonder what he had to do to win such a monumental encounter.
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