PAUL NICHOLSON has raised doubts over whether Luke Humphries and Luke Littler are the perfect pairing for England’s World Cup of Darts challenge.
The world’s top two players head to Frankfurt as the tournament’s top seeds, determined to make amends for last year’s disappointing campaign.
Twelve months ago, Humphries and Littler suffered a shock second-round exit after being beaten 8-4 by Germany’s Martin Schindler and Ricardo Pietreczko in front of a passionate home crowd.
While Nicholson expects the English duo to produce a much stronger showing this time around, he believes success in the World Cup requires more than simply combining the two highest-ranked players in the game.
Speaking to Sporting Life, Nicholson said: “I think Luke Humphries and Luke Littler will perform much better than they did last year, but I still have questions about whether they’re the perfect partnership.
“Individually, they’re the two best players in the world, but the World Cup isn’t always about putting the two highest-ranked players together and expecting everything to click.
“There is a possibility that England face the same challenge that great football teams sometimes encounter when they try to fit all of their biggest stars into the same side.
“The talent is undeniable, but partnerships are about balance and chemistry as much as ability.
“Humphries has already won this tournament alongside Michael Smith, so we know he can thrive in this environment.
“The question is whether he and Littler can develop that same understanding together.”
Nicholson even suggested that, given the opportunity, Littler may have chosen a different teammate for the event.
He added: “If Littler was able to pick his partner, he’d probably go with Nathan Aspinall because of the relationship they have, and that’s an important part of playing pairs.
“They’re unquestionably one of the strongest teams in the field and I expect them to go deep into the tournament.
“In fact, I can easily see England reaching the final.
“But if I had to pick a winner before a dart is thrown, I’d still back Northern Ireland to retain the title.”
Despite Nicholson’s concerns, England remain among the favourites to lift the trophy, with Humphries and Littler boasting an unrivalled combination of talent, scoring power and major title pedigree.
The challenge for the pair in Frankfurt will be proving that individual brilliance can translate into doubles success on the World Cup stage.
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