Bunting back from illness to dump Noppert in Dortmund

STEPHEN BUNTING recovered from illness and being “grumpy” to deliver a dynamite finish and dump Danny Noppert.

The 41-year-old cracked a magnificent 160 out in the deciding leg to beat the Dutchman 6-5 in the European Championship in Dortmund.

It was a moment of sheer brilliance from Bunting as he got over a recent bout of flu which had wiped the grin off his face and left him grumpy.

He explained: "I've not been well over the last two weeks, I've been full of flu. I literally believe I'm through the other side, but for some reason, you can ask my manager, I was really lethargic, tired yesterday [Thursday]. I was a bit grumpy and I'm not normally like that.

"You guys see me every week and I'm normally very laughable, having a joke in the practice rooms and that and, yeah, I've lost that over the last few weeks, just because I didn't feel too good, but I feel I'm getting better every day. I've given it to [son] Theo now, so he's coughing at the moment .The missus can deal with him!"

Bunting had only just scraped into the event with his spot in jeopardy going into the 15th and final qualifying event last weekend in Maastricht.

However, having come through that test of skill and mettle to book his spot in the Dortmund field, the former Lakeside king once more showed his talent and nerve for the massive moment as he clinched the 6-5 win in style.

Bunting admits it's not been an easy spell and said: "No, definitely not. I don't feel like I am playing any worse, to be fair. Just sometimes that happens and it's happened, not just to me, there's a few players out there it has happened to.

"Sometimes we just don't get that luck. I've played players this year who have had 70 per cent on doubles and played next game and had 10 per cent, so you need that bit of luck. I had that last week with Cameron Menzies not performing at his best, getting all the way to the semi-finals I was happy with. My first semi of the year, I feel like I'm playing good darts, there's a lot more in the tank and I need to find a way to get that out of myself."

It was a sore one for Noppert. The Freeze has come so close to tournament success in recent times and only last weekend lost out in the Final of the Dutch Darts Championship to countryman Niels Zonneveld in the Final in Maastricht.

Fancied by many to again have a strong run in Dortmund, the World No.7 had his nose in front in stages of the match and, despite facing a match dart at 5-4 down, he seemed set to seal the deal having levelled to 5-5 and sitting on a one-dart finish as Bunting looked at the 160.

However, in a bitter twist for the Netherlands ace, the Scouse star delivered his magic moment to send him packing from the event.

Bunting heads for the World Championships at the end of the year defending a large pot of money on his ranking, but has a chance to climb beforehand. He said: "Of course and I've put myself in that position. I had a great World Championship the other year and I am defending that money, but I also know that I'm capable of doing that. Obviously, the increase in prize money has made it slightly easier to defend. I only need to get to a quarter-finals now and not a semis, but, listen, I go into every tournament wanting to win."