Defiant Peter Wright is adamant he’s not done and can still can nuke the Lukes.
Snakebite is into the post-Christmas business stage of the Paddy Power World Championships after beating Wesley Plaisier. Out-of-form Wright was written off as a 100/1 outsider by bookies pre-event with Littler and Humphries the hot favourites to lift the title. But the Scot, who plays Jermaine Wattimena next, believes he can still win a third World crown and said: “People think ‘Oh he should be retiring, he should be going to the old git’s thing’. No, I’m not ready for that yet.
“I’m ready to upset Luke Littler. I’m here to upset Luke Humphries. I believe I can win it. I won one of the European Tours, beat Luke Littler in the Final, won six legs on the trot. You can overlook me if you like, I don’t care. What drives me on? Luke Humphries and Luke Littler because I know I can still compete with them. What I’m doing in practice, I can compete with these guys and be better than them.
“I’m 54 coming up 55 in March next year and Gary (Anderson) spurs me on as well. These old guys can do still do it. I believe Barney will beat Luke (Humphries) and then me and Barney, when I beat Wattimena, will have the best game ever you have seen on that stage.
“I believe I’ve got the game. My practice and everything is better than I was when I first came and won it and told you all I was going to win it. That’s how I feel.”
Wright hopes in-form Wattimena flops when they meet as he said: “Class is permanent and form is temporary, so hopefully, his form is temporary, he loses it just after Christmas time, he comes back and plays rubbish! No, it’s nice to see Jermaine play some fantastic darts. I’m really happy for him and I’ve got to step up loads to compete with him. My game is there, but it’s just transfer it from the practice board.
“I’ve given out all my presents this year. It’s unbelievable. All the people that have beaten me, it’s only down to my own self because I played rubbish. But they have had their presents. They ain’t having no more. You have had them. No present this Christmas.”