Sky Sports ace’s new Premier League rule plea after Luke Humphries act | Other | Sport

Luke Humphries has yet to secure a win in this year’s Premier League as the tournament makes its return to Cardiff. It was approximately a year ago when Cool Hand’s nine-darter led John Part to propose a significant rule change.

To soften the blow of defeat, Humphries and Cross were presented with a set of golden darts by tournament sponsors BetMGM, valued at £30,000. However, Part, a three-time world champion and a favourite on Sky Sports Darts, took issue with these losses and suggested a change in rules.

In Brighton, Humphries faced off against Cross in the quarter-finals and in just the second leg produced a nine-darter that electrified the crowd. This brilliance was short-lived, however, and Cross’s seven 180s ensured his 6-4 victory. Voltage elevated proceedings during his semi-final clash with Nathan Aspinall by landing a nine-dart finish of his own in the sixth leg.

However, his rival emerged victorious 6-5 before subsequently falling to Littler in the final. Humphries said: “I’ve hit about five or six nine-darters in my career. But it’s always a special feeling to do it on the big stage and the crowd went wild which was amazing. Of course, I would have rather won the game, but it’s a really nice memento.”

The concept of Humphries suffering defeat despite hitting a nine-darter didn’t sit comfortably with Part. This identical scenario unfolded during last week’s Premier League fixture in Belfast, where local favourite Josh Rock produced a historic perfect leg only to fall to Gian van Veen. Part proposed on commentary that the sport should amend its rules so that any player achieving a nine-darter automatically wins the match. He specified this should exclusively apply to shorter-format contests.

The legendary Wayne Mardle was alongside Part in the commentary box and dismissed the proposal with amusement. Humphries will aim to register a nightly triumph in Cardiff this week, having acknowledged towards the end of last month that his difficulty lies in closing out matches rather than beginning them.

“My game at the moment, I am starting off like a train in every game I play, playing the best darts out of anybody,” he said. “Then, all of a sudden, I am playing the worst darts. It’s just a strange scenario for me. I don’t really know why. I am trying my best. I started off so well on the ProTour when I won it, but then it would drain out.”

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