Cameron Menzies is set to make his World Cup of Darts debut for Scotland in Frankfurt this week, a sharp turn for a player who was close to walking away from the sport only months ago. The 36-year-old will line up alongside Gary Anderson when Scotland begin their campaign on Saturday.

That is why Menzies is being searched for now. He is not just entering a major international event for the first time; he is doing it after punching a drinks table following a first-round exit at the PDC World Championship and damaging the hand he uses to compete. The injury and the reaction to defeat left him questioning whether darts was still for him.

Menzies turned to hypnotherapy to help steady himself. He said it helped him deal with “little problems at a time” and that it has been a massive help not only with darts but with life as well. He says he feels calmer on stage because he is enjoying the game more, after fearing he might not be able to perform and trying to hold onto the moments while he still can.

The physical part has not gone away completely. Menzies said his hand remains a bit numbish and that he does not think it will ever be fully healed, though it is a lot better than it was. He also said he used to struggle holding a dart and would get caught in his own head wondering whether the problem had ended his career, before reaching the point where he now feels basically back to full fitness and much better mentally and physically.

For Scotland, the timing matters. They enter the World Cup as one of the four seeded nations, alongside England, the Netherlands and holders Northern Ireland, with a place in the line-up that carries expectation as well as opportunity. Scotland have won the title twice before, including in 2019 when Anderson paired with Peter Wright.

That history gives Menzies a strong stage, but it does not remove the unknown. He called Anderson his hero and said the pair should have the right chemistry, helped by the exhibitions they play together. If he gets too hyper, Menzies joked, Anderson will tell him to calm down. The more serious point is that Scotland need their debutant to stay settled as they open on Saturday, and Frankfurt will show whether his reset is enough for the biggest team event of his career.