Although Waddell was the better-known figure, in part because of his distinctive Geordie accent and penchant for hyperbole, he admitted frankly that Lanning was his inspiration. The pair met in 1972 when Waddell, then a documentary maker with Yorkshire Television, went to watch the transmission of the final of the News of the World darts championship from Alexandra Palace.
It was the first time that the sport had been shown on television. Waddell appreciated at once that the patter and puns with which the meticulously prepared Lanning larded his commentary skilfully concealed the essentially repetitive nature of the action.
Waddell, whose background was working-class although he had gone to Cambridge, was fascinated by the sub-culture that darts embodied.
When it then became one of the pub games shown in Yorkshire’s series The Indoor League (presented by former England cricketer Fred Trueman), Lanning suggested that Waddell had the makings of a commentator and they quickly established a reputation for trading witticisms.
“With darts commentary, it’s no good doing it straight – 180, 24, 140,” observed Waddell later. “You need a bit of frisson and Dave Lanning is the master of the instant rapport. If I say 'parity’, he says 'sick as a parity’. It’s like Morecambe and Wise.”
One instance of Lanning’s ability was his definition of the differing playing styles of Phil “The Power” Taylor, latterly the game’s dominant player, and his erstwhile mentor, the “Crafty Cockney” Eric Bristow. “Taylor is a mugger,” said Lanning, “Bristow is a burglar.”
It was Lanning who dubbed Waddell “The Thief of Bad Gags”.
While Waddell moved to the BBC, Lanning commentated on tournaments for ITV’s World of Sports between 1972 and 1988, drawing three million viewers. With characteristic coolness, he called the first televised nine-dart finish, accomplished by John Lowe in 1984.
Lowe needed double 18 to check out and though another dart blocked the camera’s view of the bed, Lanning correctly judged the throw from Lowe’s reaction. “John Lowe wins £100,000”, he said, his sang-froid all the more impressive as the feat won Lanning £12,000 in a side bet of his own.
He and Waddell (who died in 2012) were reunited in 1994 when Sky began to transmit darts and in 2005 were inducted together into the PDC Hall of Fame.
Even so, after he retired in 2011, Lanning admitted that he thought his commentator’s style had never really suited Sky because “I found it difficult to scream loudly enough.”
David Lanning was born on March 24 1938 and educated at Poole Grammar School. He attended his first speedway meeting at 10 and after a stint on the Bournemouth Echo became in 1965 the press officer for the West Ham speedway team.
Later he managed them as well as promoting speedway at Eastbourne and Reading. He also did stadium commentaries, savouring the time he told the rider Barry Briggs to hasten as he had “Two Aussies up his pipe.”
He wrote on speedway for The Sun for 20 years and commentated on 50 successive speedway world finals. He had a long association with the TV Times, was television critic of The Sunday People, and wrote several books about darts and speedway. These included a novel, Cinderfellas.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Leona, and by two sons and a daughter.
Dave Lanning, born March 24 1938, died October 29 2016
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