Oche kings hit bullseye

Reporter: Simon Smedley
Date published: 12 December 2016


MORE than 600 Oldham fanatics paid homage to darting royalty as the Queen Elizabeth Hall was packed to the rafters for the second annual 'Night of Champions' event.

A bigger audience was inside the venue this year to watch tungsten superstars like Michael van Gerwen, Peter Wright, Wayne Mardle, Bobby George, Stephen Bunting and Stockport's Darryl Fitton strutting their considerable stuff on the oche in what was one of the final events on the calendar before the 2017 PDC World Championships get under way at the Alexandra Palace in London this Thursday.

Dutch ace van Gerwen, the 2014 world champion, was the undoubted big draw on the night, and after a stellar year on the professional daring circuit, it was no surprise to see him eventually win the Oldham event after he beat 'Snakebite' Wright 4-2 in legs in the final.

The passionate crowd - 550 of whom had paid general entry prices and 100 VIP's - watched nine top stars in action, while the legendary Bobby George put in an appearance in a challenge match and commentator supreme John Gwynne MC's what was a hugely popular spectacle.

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Essex-based Mardle, affectionately nicknamed 'Hawaii 501', is a top-flight Sky TV pundit these days, though he competed on the night, losing 4-2 in the quarter-finals to Wright.

Mardle told the Chronicle: "It's been great fun coming to Oldham.

"Darts is just growing and growing and nights like this are just brilliant.

"Yes of course the players always want to win, but if you can just play and entertain the crowd that's what it's all about.

"I've really enjoyed it, and so have all the players."

Manchester United legend Paul Scholes and former Old Trafford team-mate David May also lapped up the high-ranking action, watching Bunting, van Gerwen, Wright and John Henderson making progress from the quarter-final stage.

Van Gerwen beat Bunting 4-1 in the last four, with Wright defeating 'Hendo' 4-2.

Van Gerwen roared to victory in the final, and he moves onto the 'Ally Pally' this week now as one of the hottest favourites to win in years.

Meanwhile, organisers hope the Oldham 'Night of Champions' will return for a third year in 2017.