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Stephen Bunting hits back at accusations of ‘weird’ behaviour with Luke Littler
Stephen Bunting has hit back at criticism from his fellow darts pros over his friendly fist-bumps with world champion Luke Littler. ‘The Bullet’ secured revenge for his Ally Pally exit to the ‘Nuke’ by eliminating the teenager from the Dutch Darts Masters. Bunting secured a narrow victory over Littler in the Dutch Darts MastersGetty Littler enjoyed a remarkable average of 107.59 – the highest of the tournament – but Bunting prevailed 7-6 in their semi-final showdown. Despite the close encounter, the two kept it friendly throughout, as was the case when they met in the final four of the World Darts Championship earlier this month. Bunting was accused of showing too much respect to Littler at Alexandra Palace, with regular first-bumps between throws. Former ex-PDC star Dave Chisnall said: “I’m not one for gamesmanship and you won’t hear me slagging folk off, but I did think the fist bumps after every set was a bit weird. It was noticeable that Michael [van Gerwen] was having none of it.” However, ahead of their follow-up meeting in the Netherlands, Bunting admitted he was unhappy at how his actions were received. “It does annoy me a bit that people pick up upon that sort of thing,” he remarked. “That shows how well I’m playing, that they have got to pick up on a fist bump rather than a bad performance. “Luke is a lad who has the world at his feet and he is still learning the game. I’m very respectful for what he is doing for our game. I hope he continues for a lot of years because he is bringing in a lot more money to our sport. “So, yeah, I am pretty respectful and thankful that he is doing that. On another side, I know him personally, I have grown up in the same area as him, known him for a lot of years since he was a little kid. “I played Luke Humphries in Bahrain, there were a few games there, a few shots where we fist-bumped. It is not all the time. We are all friends on the tour.” Cundy and Ambrose were far from pleased with Bunting’s antics at Ally PallyRex At Alexandra Palace, Bunting denied a first final appearance when he was demolished 6-1 by Littler at the worlds. He was regularly seen fist-bumping and shaking hands with Littler after each set – and even when the 18-year-old hit a 180 or secured a tonne-plus checkout. His friendliness in a high-stakes game – where victory for Bunting would have seen him compete for the £500,000 jackpot prize money – shocked talkSPORT co-hosts Jason Cundy and Darren Ambrose. Speaking on The Sports Bar following Bunting’s mauling, Cundy said: “Congratulations to Luke Littler, he is a special talent, there is no question of that. “But I’m sorry, what I saw there from Bunting, I can’t believe what I was watching. He got outplayed, the best man won. “But I felt that game there was too easy – off the oche. Make it difficult.” Bunting has hit back at critics of his friendliness towards Littler on stageRex Crystal Palace cult hero Darren Ambrose added: “I agree with everything you’ve said. It’s too nice. “I’ve wrote down some names here: Raymond van Barneveld, Adrian Lewis, Peter Manley, Peter Wright, Gary Anderson, Kevin Painter, Paul Nicholson. “They wouldn’t have allowed that on there [oche], they wouldn’t be so nice. Fist-bumping when you’ve hit an 11-dart leg.” In response to the criticism, Bunting claimed he is not always friendly on stage, citing his recent win over darts’ most-polarising figure. “I played a game against Gerwyn Price in the final of the Bahrain Masters, he was giving it a bit large on the stage and I did get a bit large myself, a bit loud and was giving it back to him,” he added, as reported by the Express. “I don’t think he liked it. If I need to do it, then it is there in the armoury and I can do it. I won’t feel threatened on any stage that I play anymore. “I have always been brought up to be respectful, to be nice and that what I would be like off the oche, not just on it. “I won’t change as a person but if someone does push my buttons when I am on the stage, then I can change and turn that round a bit.”
Stephen Bunting has hit back at criticism from his fellow darts pros over his friendly fist-bumps with world champion Luke Littler.
‘The Bullet’ secured revenge for his Ally Pally exit to the ‘Nuke’ by eliminating the teenager from the Dutch Darts Masters.
Littler enjoyed a remarkable average of 107.59 – the highest of the tournament – but Bunting prevailed 7-6 in their semi-final showdown.
Despite the close encounter, the two kept it friendly throughout, as was the case when they met in the final four of the World Darts Championship earlier this month.
Bunting was accused of showing too much respect to Littler at Alexandra Palace, with regular first-bumps between throws.
Former ex-PDC star Dave Chisnall said: “I’m not one for gamesmanship and you won’t hear me slagging folk off, but I did think the fist bumps after every set was a bit weird. It was noticeable that Michael [van Gerwen] was having none of it.”
However, ahead of their follow-up meeting in the Netherlands, Bunting admitted he was unhappy at how his actions were received.
“It does annoy me a bit that people pick up upon that sort of thing,” he remarked.
“That shows how well I’m playing, that they have got to pick up on a fist bump rather than a bad performance.
“Luke is a lad who has the world at his feet and he is still learning the game. I’m very respectful for what he is doing for our game. I hope he continues for a lot of years because he is bringing in a lot more money to our sport.
“So, yeah, I am pretty respectful and thankful that he is doing that. On another side, I know him personally, I have grown up in the same area as him, known him for a lot of years since he was a little kid.
“I played Luke Humphries in Bahrain, there were a few games there, a few shots where we fist-bumped. It is not all the time. We are all friends on the tour.”
At Alexandra Palace, Bunting denied a first final appearance when he was demolished 6-1 by Littler at the worlds.
He was regularly seen fist-bumping and shaking hands with Littler after each set – and even when the 18-year-old hit a 180 or secured a tonne-plus checkout.
His friendliness in a high-stakes game – where victory for Bunting would have seen him compete for the £500,000 jackpot prize money – shocked talkSPORT co-hosts Jason Cundy and Darren Ambrose.
Speaking on The Sports Bar following Bunting’s mauling, Cundy said: “Congratulations to Luke Littler, he is a special talent, there is no question of that.
“But I’m sorry, what I saw there from Bunting, I can’t believe what I was watching. He got outplayed, the best man won.
“But I felt that game there was too easy – off the oche. Make it difficult.”
Crystal Palace cult hero Darren Ambrose added: “I agree with everything you’ve said. It’s too nice.
“I’ve wrote down some names here: Raymond van Barneveld, Adrian Lewis, Peter Manley, Peter Wright, Gary Anderson, Kevin Painter, Paul Nicholson.
“They wouldn’t have allowed that on there [oche], they wouldn’t be so nice. Fist-bumping when you’ve hit an 11-dart leg.”
In response to the criticism, Bunting claimed he is not always friendly on stage, citing his recent win over darts’ most-polarising figure.
“I played a game against Gerwyn Price in the final of the Bahrain Masters, he was giving it a bit large on the stage and I did get a bit large myself, a bit loud and was giving it back to him,” he added, as reported by the Express.
“I don’t think he liked it. If I need to do it, then it is there in the armoury and I can do it. I won’t feel threatened on any stage that I play anymore.
“I have always been brought up to be respectful, to be nice and that what I would be like off the oche, not just on it.
“I won’t change as a person but if someone does push my buttons when I am on the stage, then I can change and turn that round a bit.”
