Gary Anderson shows who he really is after Stephen Bunting misses out on nine-darter
Gary Anderson can sometimes be a prickly figure in the world of darts, but the Flying Scotsman's class was on full display when he faced Stephen Bunting at the World Matchplay
Gary Anderson demonstrated true sportsmanship by willing Stephen Bunting on to complete a nine-dart finish at the World Matchplay.
The Flying Scotsman came up against the beloved Liverpudlian in the second round at Blackpool. Their thrilling battle saw Bunting edge past the two-time PDC World Champion in a dramatic tie-break and book himself a place in the quarter-final.
The most spectacular moment on the oche occurred in the 15th leg, with Bunting ahead 8-6 against Anderson in the first-to-11 contest. Having thrown eight perfect darts, Bunting needed just double 12 to secure a nine-dart finish.
Despite the crucial nature of the leg, Anderson could be spotted behind Bunting, urging his rival to achieve the classic nine-dart finish that would have electrified the crowd. When Bunting's dart landed inside for a single 12 rather than the double, the Bullet placed both hands on his head and turned towards Anderson.
The Musselburgh ace was grinning in anticipation of Bunting achieving perfection and gestured playfully with his hands and smiled when he missed the final dart. Reflecting on his nine-dart attempt, Bunting said: "It was close, to be fair.
"If I had it back, I think it'd be further away! But I feel like I'm playing the best darts of my life.
"Even in practice I'm hitting nines and constantly being on for the double. The game's in a great place."
Bunting nearly threw away the leg when he squandered two attempts at a double on his subsequent visit, but finally clinched it with a double three. Following considerable back-and-forth action, Bunting secured a 12-10 triumph in the decider with a composed 112 checkout.
The duo shared a heartfelt embrace at the conclusion of the match, with Anderson embracing and congratulating Bunting with a handshake. It represented a massive win for Bunting, who readily acknowledged he wasn't firing on all cylinders early in the contest.
The world No. 4 said: "I'm not a village idiot anymore who comes here and has a laugh. I'm here to win this title.
"I'd be fooling myself if I didn't believe I could win it. I know how good I can be – I've got three good games in the tank, and I've had a great season already."
He added: "I think two years ago I'd have capitulated at 10-10. Now I've got that extra power to take a deep breath, relax, and get back to the oche and hit a big shot.
"That mental strength is going to stand me in good stead – not just for this tournament, but for everything going forward."