Welshman Price in record-breaking form
Wales’ Gerwyn Price reached the final of the William Hill World Darts Championship after seeing off England’s Stephen Bunting at Alexandra Palace last night.
World No. 3 Price defeated former Lakeside Champion Bunting 6-4 in an entertaining encounter, which broke the record for ton-plus checkouts in a World Championship meeting with 13 three-figure finishes. The 35-year-old is the first Welshman to make the final in its 28-year history.
It was a high-quality affair at Alexandra Palace, Price taking the first set with a 105 average after the opening four legs of the match all ended with ton-plus checkouts.
It looked like Price was going to take the second set only for Bunting to come back with some clinical darts and exact finishing to draw level and then move 3-1 ahead. Price took the scrappy fifth set thanks in part to some rare misses by the world No. 26 and then took the sixth to level the match.
In the seventh set Bunting made a superb 148 checkout to level the set and break Price’s throw but the Welshman levelled the match again in the eighth set with a massive 112 average and took the momentum to win the ninth and go on to close out the match.
“I’m glad I played a little bit better and got through that game. I’m here to win this tournament and I’ve got every chance of winning this tomorrow,” said Price, whose average did not drop below 100 in the match.
“It’s going to be a really, really tough game, but after that match I’m full of beans and full of confidence.
“I seem to find that little edge when I need to and I think the better someone plays against me, the better I play.
“There’s a lot more in me. I will concentrate on my own game now tomorrow.” Price will become world No. 1 for the first time if he beats Scotland’s two-time champ Gary Anderson or Dave Chisnall in today’s final to lift the Sid Waddell Trophy.