Sunday afternoons at Ally Pally are supposed to ease you gently into the tungsten mayhem. This one didn’t bother. It kicked the doors in and served up a shocks that left major winners and bookies favourites staring into the middle distance wondering if they could press the imaginary restart button. Whether a little UK difficulty or a major international breakthrough we had it all happening:
Early on the smouldering coals were reheated for a little local derby. A proper 'Oche War of the Roses' — Yorkshire versus Lancashire — Joe Cullen against Bradley Brooks. And the Rockstar didn’t just win it. He set fire to it. Tore through it. Slammed the door shut and then asked who dared make him the underdog in the first place.
Cullen averaged just a shade under a ton, split the doubles at 50%, and played like a man deeply offended by bookmakers who’d dared to fancy Bam Bam. The Bradford lad practically moonwalked into round two, where Mensur Suljović or Canadian scrapper David Cameron will await.
HOW IS HE FAVOURITE AGAINST ME! - Cullen's fiery post match interview
After the win, Cullen entertained the crowd with an attempted Welsh accent that detonated into a live-on-stage swear — earning himself a small fine and a huge cheer. With £25k safely banked for reaching round two, he won’t be losing sleep over the expletive. Even in his off stage media work it was clear that Cullen was disgruntled at being the bookies underdog in the clash.
Then came Nitin Kumar — The Royal Bengal — of India who delivered one of the most efficient finishing displays you’ll see all tournament. Outscored heavily by Richard Veenstra? Yes. Outplayed? Absolutely not.
NOW I KNOW HOW PAUL LIM & GREAVES FEEL: Nitin Kumar reacts to his maiden Ally Pally win
Kumar turned 75% of his darts at double into cold, polished tungsten poetry. Veenstra, meanwhile, discovered the hard way that dominance in the treble bed counts for nothing if you can’t seal the deal. Kumar marches on to face either Stephen Bunting. If he brings that same level of precision, do not adjust your television — the upset potential is real.
HE PDC WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP IN FACTS AND FIGURES: Arm yourself on dartsdatabase.co.uk
Bunting's battling win and the defeat of former European Champion Richie Edhouse at the hands of Johnny Tata may have generated much of the attention yesterday. But the Cullen and Kumar may well have had more significance for the event and for the game of darts!
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