World domination awaits Luke Littler on Friday night if the teenage wonder can defeat Michael van Gerwen in an all-ages final as the prince of Alexandra Palace takes on his three-time king.
Littler reduced Stephen Bunting to rubble on Thursday night, via a 6-1 victory in which he posted 13 highs, a score of 170 and an overall average of 105.48. ‘The Nuke’ is now another fascinating night thanks to a £500,000 check and the Sid Waddell Trophy.
Named after the late commentator, we can only imagine how Waddell would have described Littler today, but his iconic line from Eric Bristow’s 1984 coronation is worth leaning on.
“When Alexander of Macedon was 33 years old, he cried salty tears because there were no more worlds to conquer,” the wordsmith said. “Bristow is only 27 years old.” As if anyone needs reminding, Littler is 17 years old.
He would be the youngest champion in history and it is fitting that Van Gerwen is the current record holder in the PDC era. He was 24 when he won the first of his three titles in 2014, and ‘Mighty Mike’ also won 6-1 in his own semi-final against Chris Dobey last night.
Littlermania is real, Ally Pally punters are loving every second of their performance here. It was serious and at the same time funny, Littler routinely cracked jokes with the crowd between pitches. He feels comfortable up there, more so than when he came second to Luke Humphries in last year’s final.
Luke Littler demolishes Stephen Bunting to reach World Darts Championship final
Littler reduced Bunting, the number 8, to rubble on another fascinating night at Alexandra Palace
The pre-tournament favorite will face Dutch maestro Michael van Gerwen on Friday night.
Comparing this year’s streak to last, Littler said, “I’ve played better.” I have won many titles before this. I can’t wait. “If we both show up like we did tonight, it will be really good.”
Bunting is one of the nicest guys on the circuit and the 39-year-old Liverpool felt the love of the public who sang his melody from David Guetta’s Titanium. But the winner of the 2014 BDO Darts Championship was fighting a losing battle from the start.
Bunting did little wrong in the first set (he averaged a staggering 113.35) and yet found himself 1-0 down after failing to score 92.
Littler hit double 10 to secure that lead, which ended up reaching the height of death and taxes in its inevitability.
The second set was more complicated, only one maximum was reached and neither of the two averaged much more, but Littler extended his lead to 2-0. At 4-0, Littler was in complete control, although Bunting at least avoided the indignity of a cover-up by reducing it to 4-1.
It was with a bull’s-eye shot that Littler made it 5-1, and with a 170 shot he helped himself to victory, securing his place in the final for the second year in a row.
Van Gerwen has waited six years to take this title for the third time (too long for someone with his skills) and it was with relative ease that he dispatched Dobey.
Van Gerwen’s only slip-up in his 6-1 victory came in his televised interview with Sky Sports on stage afterwards, when the three-time champion dropped the F-bomb when he said: “I’ve already won everything.” .’
Even an average of 113.35 in Bunting’s first set was not enough to stop Littler’s surprising advance.
Teenagers’ favorite double 10 to finish is living up to death and taxes in their inevitability.
A typically raucous Alexandra Palace enjoyed the festivities as teenager Littler reached his second successive final.
Otherwise this was effective, efficient and very easy for MvG.
To tell the truth, Dobey never showed up. His name was on the scoreboard, of course, and the £100,000 check from the PDC will make it look like he was in a competition. But in reality it wasn’t.
It was an illusion, as false as the excuses Ally Pally customers will make who call in to work this morning because they’re sick. Van Gerwen started this match with a 180 and never looked back.
His average of 98.84 wasn’t the best, but it didn’t have to be, as he said: “I wasn’t playing as explosive as I was in the last game. I’m only in the final. I’ve already won everything.