BUNTING MUST TAP INTO THE DARK ARTS

STEPHEN BUNTING has been urged to get NASTY on the oche. 

The Bullet is still searching for his first win in this year’s Premier League after three weeks of action. 

World No.6 Bunting was beaten 6-3 in Glasgow last Thursday by Gian van Veen and heads into Night Four under pressure to kick-start his campaign.

Ex-footballer John Terry believes Stephen Bunting must tap into the dark arts on the big stage to unsettle and rattle his opponents. 

He told the Double Tops podcast: “I have to say, with him, he seems like the nicest guy you will ever meet. 

“When I am watching the darts — and him in particular — I want to see a little bit of nasty. 

“Just barge someone or create a little something to throw people off. 

“He is the nicest guy — nobody is going to stand there and have a fight with him.

“But you then have to tap into the dark arts of going, ‘Okay, how can I drag my walk-out song even longer?’

“I want to be second out. For the first set, I am going to drop my darts by accident. 

“All of these bits — why not give them a go? If somebody is really good in their rhythm, how do you break that?

“You have to tap into stuff like that, and he needs to because he is so nice. 

“I want to see a nastier Stephen Bunting.” 

Bunting has shown signs of a return to his fluent best in recent weeks, reaching the final of Players Championship Three and the quarter-finals of the Poland Masters. 

The St Helens thrower is back in action this evening, where he faces Luke Humphries in the Premier League in Glasgow.

Image by Taylor Lanning.