Stephen Bunting punches back at critics of his Luke Littler fist bumps
Stephen Bunting has hit back at critcism of fist-bumps with Luke Littler as the kid brings royalty and revenue to darts.
And The Bullet also feels Michael van Gerwen will return to action with scars after losing the World Final to The Nuke.
Bunting was hammered 6-1 in the semi-finals at Ally Pally as Littler surged to the World title.
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However, the Scouser displayed a friendly in-match attitude with his mate despite the torching.
That brought Bunting some stick, but, ahead of tonight’s Dutch Darts Masters, he retorted: “It does annoy me a bit that people pick up upon that sort of thing, 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. 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. 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.”
Littler and Bunting won’t have crowd backing in Den Bosch with the locals cheerring for their own and the World No.5 added: “I think it will be the same for us all to be honest. It’s always great going over to Holland, the fans are always patriotic, they stick behind their own, which is totally acceptable, I understand that. “Hopefully there are a few Bunting Mental fans and I am sure Luke will have his pocket of fans as well. It won’t be all cheering in orange and cheering for the Dutch.
“18 months ago, he was 16, he [Littler] took the world by storm. I actually though he would struggle on the big stages, playing in front of the big crowds, but he has taken to it like a duck to water.
“He has been absolutely fantastic, he is bringing royalty and revenue into our game that we have never seen before.
“Different sponsors are coming in, the demographic for darts has changed totally, even I notice it when I go round town shopping. Young kids between 10-15 or 16 are following me for autograph or pictures, following me into show shops now. That has never ever happened before.
“It’s a bit surreal but I am thankful for everything he is doing for our sport.”
Van Gerwen will have a ton of home support, but Bunting said: “There will definitely be scars there. Any player doesn’t like losing, especially to a big scoreline.
“But he is made of stern stuff, we have seen him bounce back before and I am sure he will have been on the board. He has had a break, a holiday, I am sure he will come back fresh and raring to go. He could be a dangerous animal.”
Bunting won the World Series opener in Bahrain last weekend and added: “Confidence is high. It was really important after the Worlds to have another good run. I’m really looking forward to Den Bosch.”
