Luke Humphries and Joe Cullen had a spectacular end to the 2023 darts year. However, it was ‘Cool Hand Luke’ who came out on top and he will return in the new year for the quarter-finals of the World Darts Championship.
This match was a real roller coaster. Momentum has shifted back and forth. Humphries looked to spoil it with eight missed darts, but Cullen failed to hit the crowning moment after ‘The Rockstar’ had already missed two darts earlier.
Follow the 2024 World Darts Championship via our LIVE SCORE!
Cullen won the first two sets and was allowed to start the third set. However, Humphries beat him with a 15 darter in the third leg and then hit an 11 darter for the set win. Cullen then took a 2-1 lead in the fourth set, but was once again unable to capitalize on this advantage. Humphries won the fourth set 3–2, making the score 2–2 in sets.
Humphries had full momentum and appeared to be taking the lead. However, “Cool Hand Luke” missed six chances to win the fifth set. Cullen then shot out 89 to make it 2-2 in the fifth set. With Humphries well behind, Cullen then won the fifth set 3-2. Humphries responded with a strong sixth set, bringing the score to 3-3 with two 13 darters and a 14 darter.
In the deciding set, Cullen took a 2-0 lead with 14 and 13 darters. Cullen was allowed to pitch for the game, but he failed to hit a triple in six consecutive innings. He gave Humphries the opportunity to force a rally with a 17-darter. However, Humphries then missed an arrow to the top to make it 2-2, after which Cullen was allowed to bowl for the game’s 93. The first arrow came in the triple 19, but then “The Rockstar” missed the double 18 twice.
After the two missed darts, Humphries launched his dart into the double 10 to force extra time. Cullen made it 3-2 with a fine final 116, before Humphries hit a brilliant checkout of 100 while Cullen waited for 44. A similar scenario followed two legs later. After Cullen reached 4-3, he was on 50 after twelve arrows, but Humphries saved himself with a fine 86 final.
Cullen then made an error and missed an arrow to make it 5-4. Humphries hit double 2 and was allowed to pitch for the first time in the game. He followed a bizarre leg. Humphries missed one dart of the match, after which Cullen missed an arrow to make it 5-5. Humphries then killed himself with the first arrow, after which Cullen missed three more chances. Then it was Humphries’ turn to miss three more darts, before Cullen killed himself with his first dart. Humphries then also missed darts six, seven and eight, before Cullen scored with double 4 for a leg kill. In the deciding leg it was Humphries who won with a 12-darter, leaving Cullen disillusioned.
= data-service=”twitter”>
2023-12-31 00:05:00
#Luke #Humphries #escapes #elimination #World #Darts #Championship #spectacular #display