World darts results: Stephen Bunting stars as Josh Rock suffers surprise defeat

By Sporting Life

Darts

Sat December 23, 2023 · 1y ago

Stephen Bunting confirmed himself a World Darts dangerman with the performance of the tournament so far to send us into the Christmas break.

The former BDO champion ransacked Ryan Joyce, winning 3-0 with an average of 107.28 having been roared onto the stage and all the way to a quick-fire victory.

"When you walk on stage in front of this crowd, I can assure you now, I've never been so nervous in my life. I was so emotional. I'm so happy to play like that," said Bunting.

"I'm coming here with a lot of confidence, but I've not played anywhere near like that. I've put the groundwork in, I've had Ross Smith stay at mine.

"I'm a bit speechless but I can enjoy Christmas now. Go home, regroup and get ready for the next game.

"Ryan Joyce is an unbelievable player on his day. If I can produce darts like that, it's going to be a good Christmas isn't it?"

STUNNING FROM BUNTING!

Stephen Bunting averages 107.28 in a 3-0 rout of Ryan Joyce!

What a performance!

📺 https://t.co/f3RU9WTIoD #WCDarts | R2 pic.twitter.com/Il87HVjIlV
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 23, 2023

Rapid Ricky stuns Asp

It was a day where only one match went the distance and ended in fitting fashion, with 'Rapid' Ricky Evans following Bunting in winning 3-0 against Nathan Aspinall.

Evans defied losing the first leg to rattle off three in a row to win the set, then took out 104 to capture the second and leave his better-fancied opponent with a mountain to climp.

Lightly-raced Aspinall could only watch on as Evans kicked off set three with an 11-dart leg and that put him on course to wrap up a straight-sets victory in which he was superior in all departments.

Evans told Sky Sports: "Nathan is one of the best darts players in the world, and I’ve literally done a job on him there.

"I’m the weirdest, most loveable idiot in the world, and I’ve just beaten Nathan Aspinall!

"There’s a funny walk-on, there’s a funny me, but there’s a good dart player there and eventually it’ll come out."

Shock Rock

Also in the evening session, Josh Rock paid the price for a string of missed doubles in a surprise 3-1 defeat to Ally Pally debutant Berry Van Peer.

Having edged out Luke Woodhouse in round one, Van Peer was in ruthless form, hitting 11 of 18 doubles, whereas Rock missed five for a 2-0 lead in the first set and would ultimately pay the price for his waywardness in finishing during the early part of the match.

Rock fought hard to salvage the third set from 2-0 down and briefly threatened to launch a comeback, but thereafter he produced an ill-timed run of modest scoring and Van Peer was in no mood to left him off the hook.

Ryan Searle meanwhile set up a meeting with Joe Cullen after beating Tomoya Goto 3-1.

Searle handily won the first two sets, but his Japanese opponent would not go down without a fight, rallying with a 97 checkout to claim the five-leg third set before he was swept away by the Englishman in the fourth.

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Clayton finds his range

In the afternoon session, world number nine Jonny Clayton came from behind to begin his World Darts Championship campaign with a 3-1 win against Steve Lennon.

Lennon edged the opening set 3-2 to take an early lead, but two 140s helped Clayton draw level in the second set.

Another tight set followed in the third, where the ‘Ferret’ managed to clinch the fifth leg with a double five to take the lead and Lennon was left to rue his missed doubles as Clayton saw the match out with a clean sweep in the final set.

Daryl Gurney fended off a late comeback from Steve Beaton to win 3-1.

Gurney won the opening set in three straight legs, averaging 104 before taking the second, but an incredible third set saw Beaton fight back and throw back-to-back 180s to help him claw a set back.

The ‘Bronzed Adonis’ looked set to level but Gurney wrapped up victory with a 136 checkout.

Ricardo Pietreczko reached the third round on his Alexandra Palace debut after beating Callan Rydz 3-2 in a tight battle.

A shaky start saw Rydz fall behind in the opening set, but fought back in the second to draw level.

Rydz fell just short of a nine-darter in the third, allowing Pietreczko to swoop in to snatch the set and the Englishman threw 128 to take the contest to a decider, but ‘Pikachu’ earned a clean sweep in the fifth to earn his spot in the next round.

Richard Veenstra won his clash against Kim Huybrechts in style completing a whitewash over the Belgian.

Veenstra ran away with the contest, winning all nine legs with an average of 99.46 to cruise into the next round, where he will meet world number 2 Michael van Gerwen.