Price through to 2021 PDC World Championship final after victory over Bunting in record breaking thriller
PDC
Gerwyn Price is through to the 2021 PDC World Championship Final after seeing off Stephen Bunting 6-4 in a remarkable record breaking thriller.
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Price was 3-1 down and in real danger but produced when he needed to after levelling the tie up after going 4-3 down but the real story came on the ton plus checkouts.
A new record was set with 13 in all eclipsing that of Phil Taylor and Kevin Painter in the 2004 final in less of a distance.
There was also a 100 average and 15 180's from 'The Iceman' as he proved too good in the end for a brilliant Bunting. He is the first Welshman through to a PDC World Championship final and will now face either Dave Chisnall or Gary Anderson.
Price missed three for the opening
leg to hold and Bunting punished with a 120 checkout to break. But Price was
back to let out his trademark roar with a 109 checkout on double 18 to make it
1-1. He nailed 72 to hold throw and head
towards an opening set.
A 174 left Price handily placed but
Bunting smashed in a 117 checkout to send it to a decider. A 36 checkout though
sent Price to an opening set lead.
Price opened up the second set on
the Bunting darts with a maximum. A 177 left him on the nine-dart finish but
all it did was leave him handy on 103.
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He missed double 20 for the second
ton plus checkout but he was back for double 10 and the break of throw.
It was once again a 180 to begin
his throw and he pinned 140 for a 2-0 lead. He was sat on double 20 for a clean
sweep but Bunting kept himself in it with an 82 checkout to make it 2-1.
A 180 followed a 177 as Bunting
headed towards a break to send it to a decider. He set it up with a 52 from 92
and he pinned it to make it 2-2.
Price hit a 145 to go first to a
finish with Bunting leaving 68 from a 140. ‘The Bullet’ was set to get darts
for the set and he claimed it first time with a clean kill on double four.
Bunting aimed to take the game to
Price to begin the third set with a 180 but ‘The Iceman’ took out 116 to pin
the opening leg.
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Price left 76 but Bunting was first
to a finish at 81 and he pinned bull to go 2-1 up. Price hit back though with
double 20 as he forced a decider where he would have throw.
Bunting hit 105 to leave 76 which
he pinned to go 2-1 up in sets. He kicked off with a 136 checkout to continue
his brilliance and an 18 darter on double eight last dart in hand saw him go
towards a potential 3-1 lead.
Price was under serious pressure
and Bunting pinned a 58 checkout to head 3-1 up in sets. Bunting missed two
handfuls of darts to break and Price capitalised on double 10 to hit the front
with a hold.
The former was clinical though with
a 90 checkout (Bull, double 20) to hold as Price was sat on double 20 in a
pivotal leg. Price couldn’t muster a 147 checkout on his throw as he continued
to fade and Bunting missed an 81 checkout on the bull but Price couldn’t pin 86
himself.
Bunting though missed two at double
eight and Price hung on hitting double 12 to go 2-1 up and he claimed the set
from there to keep it interesting.
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A seventh 180 began set six for Price
but Bunting missed a dart for a hold and Price was back lasdt dart in hand for
a hold on double six.
Bunting missed another dart this
time at double 20 after having to go double double and Price was back last dart
in hand once more for a 52 checkout on double 10.
Fireworks outside the Palace
attempted to disrupt the momentum but for Bunting, he was back in business as
he attempted to force a decider.
He made it 2-1 and kicked off 180
on Price’s throw but a 100 checkout made it 3-3 and saw Price back on level
terms. A 180 and 174 saw Price leave double 10 once more which he pinned to hit
the front once more.
It was 9/9 as Price hit a 128 to go
2-0 up and towards a 4-3 lead. He was sat on the same target once more but
after missing a dart at double 20, Bunting was back for a brilliant 148 to
break.
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A 168 left 140 for Price but he
only left 85 from there with Bunting piling the pressure on. Price missed
double five for the set and Bunting punished with a 118 checkout.
A 16-dart leg saw it as four legs
on the spin for Bunting. A 180 from Price followed by a 98 checkout saw Price
break and go towards a 4-4 stalemate.
He began his throw with the same
result, a 180 and hit a 44 checkout for a 12-darter leaving the stage with the
momentum at 4-4 in sets.
Price pinned a 112 checkout to
claim the record in a single match in the PDC World Championship for ton plus
checkouts. He lost his brilliance on double 10 but pinned double five to go 2-0
up and to go ahead again.
Two 180’s left 141 but he pinned
double 10 to claim the set and go one away from the final. Price missed bull
for a 170 checkout and the break.
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Bunting couldn’t pin 140 and Price
was back for a break of throw but he missed three darts to go ahead. The St
Helens ace as a result stole the hold of throw.
A 103 checkout saw Price continued
the ton plus brilliance as he went up to eight and held his throw. Price missed
three darts for the break but Bunting missed two to hold and ‘The Iceman’
attacked the dart at double five which he pinned. Bunting pressured with 180 but Price
pinned double 20 first time to win through.
2021 PDC World Darts Championship schedule
Saturday January 2
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Semi-Finals
Evening Session (18:00 GMT)
Stephen Bunting (96.38) 4-6 (100.89) Gerwyn Price (2-3, 3-2, 3-2, 3-1, 1-3, 1-3, 3-2, 1-3, 0-3, 1-3)
Dave Chisnall v Gary Anderson
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