World domination awaits Luke Littler on Friday night if the teenage wonder can defeat Michael van Gerwen in a final for the ages as the prince of Alexandra Palace takes on its three-time king.
Littler reduced Stephen Bunting to darting rubble on Thursday night, via a 6-1 victory in which he managed 13 maximums, a 170-finish, and an overall average of 105.48. ‘The Nuke’ is now one more mesmeric night from a cheque for £500,000 and the Sid Waddell Trophy.
Named after the late commentator, we can only imagine how Waddell would have described Littler today, but it is worth leaning on his iconic line from Eric Bristow’s crowning in 1984. ‘When Alexander of Macedonia was 33, he cried salt tears because there were no more worlds to conquer,’ said the wordsmith. ‘Bristow’s only 27.’ As if anyone requires reminding, Littler is 17.
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’ likewise won 6-1 in his own semi-final with Chris Dobey last night.
Littlermania is real, the Ally Pally punters lapping up every second of his performance here. It was serious and yet playful, Littler routinely cracking jokes with the crowd in between throws. He feels comfortable up there, more than he did when runner-up to Luke Humphries in last year’s final.
Comparing this year’s run to the last, Littler said: ‘I’ve played better. I’ve won plenty of titles leading up to this. I can’t wait. If we both turn up like we did tonight, it’s going to be really good.’
Luke Littler demolished Stephen Bunting to reach the World Darts Championship final
A typically raucous Alexandra Palace enjoyed the festivities as teenage Littler made his second final in a row
The pre-tournament favourite will take on Dutch maestro Michael van Gerwen on Friday night
Bunting is one of the most likeable chaps on the circuit and the 39-year-old Liverpudlian felt the love of the crowd who belted his walk-on tune of David Guetta’s Titanium back at him. But the 2014 BDO Darts Championship winner was fighting a losing battle from the get-go.
Bunting did little wrong in the opening set – he averaged an astounding 113.35 – and yet found himself 1-0 down after failing to check out 92. Littler landed double 10 to secure that lead, that finish getting up there with death and taxes in its inevitability.
The second set was scrappier, only one maximum being struck as neither man averaged a ton-plus, but Littler extended his lead to 2-0. At 4-0, Littler was in total charge, though Bunting at least avoided the indignity of a whitewash as he reduced it to 4-1.
It was with a bullseye finish that Littler made it 5-1, and with a 170-finish that he helped himself towards victory, securing his spot in the final for the second successive year.
Van Gerwen has waited six years to take this title for a third time – too long for someone with his skillset – and it was with relative ease that he dispatched of Dobey.
Van Gerwen’s one and only slip in his 6-1 win arrived in his televised interview with Sky Sports on stage afterwards, when the three-time champion dropped the F-bomb as he said: ‘I’ve won f*** all yet.’ Otherwise, this was effective, efficient, and oh-so straightforward for MvG.
Dobey never turned up, in truth. His name was on the scoreboard, sure, and the £100,000 cheque from the PDC will make it look like he was in a contest. But really, he wasn’t.
It was an illusion, as fake as the excuses that will be made by the Ally Pally patrons who phone in sick to work this morning. Van Gerwen started this match with a 180 and never looked back. His average of 98.84 was not his greatest, but it did not need 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 won f*** all yet.’
