Luke Littler books place in World Darts Championship final against Michael van Gerwen
Luke Littler has beaten Stephen Bunting to book his place in the final of the World Darts Championship.
The 17-year-old was favourite to progress into the final for a second year running and swept 39-year-old Bunting aside to win by 6 sets to 1 at Alexandra Palace in London.
He will face three-time champion Michael van Gerwen for the title on Friday night. A win for Littler would make him the youngest world champion in the sport.
Littler celebrates during the semi-final. Pic: Reuters
Bunting is the current Masters champion. Pic: PA
Speaking to Sky Sports Darts after the semi-final win, Littler said it has “been an amazing tournament so far”.
“People would say I was looking at the title throughout the tournament.
“After the first game against Ryan Meikle, I have just beat what was in front of me.”
Littler averaged 105.48 with 13 180s and 44% on his doubles in the semi-final.
He also took out three ton-plus finishes, including a ‘big fish’ 170.
The teenage sensation admitted he has “played a lot better” since reaching last year’s World Championship final.
Bunting congratulated Littler as the 17-year-old booked his place in the final. Pic: PA
“I’ve won plenty of titles leading up to this. That’s what we do.
“There are majors all year around and I can’t wait for tomorrow night.”
Earlier on Thursday evening, van Gerwen booked a place in his seventh World final with a win over Chris Dobey.
Michael van Gerwen celebrates during his semi-final match against Chris Dobey. Pic: PA
Littler, known as The Nuke, also told Sky Sports that if both he and van Gerwen “turn up like we did tonight, it will be really good”.
“We all know he’s hunting for a fourth world title. I’m hunting for my first.”
He added that after his semi-final win, he’ll do the “same as last night, go home, chill out and come back tomorrow”.
All eyes were on the teenager as he walked out for the match. Pic: PA
Friday night’s final at Alexandra Palace sees the two biggest names in the sport go head-to-head for the Sid Waddell Trophy. Van Gerwen, from the Netherlands, last won the title in 2019.
This year’s winner will collect a £500,000 prize with the runner-up getting £250,000.
Many have tipped Littler to go all the way after top seed Luke Humphries unexpectedly went out earlier in the tournament. The teenager lost on debut to Humphries in last year’s final.
Littler has been crowned Premier League champion and won the Grand Slam of Darts since then.
His Grand Slam victory made him just the fourth player ever to win 10 trophies in a season.
The teenager’s earnings have now topped £1m and he was recently named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year – also coming second in the main sports personality prize.
A man’s body has been recovered from an area of flooding in North Yorkshire, police have said, as major incidents have been declared in two counties.
The body was found near Intake Lane in Beal, close to Eggborough and Knottingley.
Police believe the man may have entered the water in the last 24 to 48 hours.
Follow the latest on the weather
North Yorkshire Police said: “Despite extensive enquiries, including with our colleagues in Humberside and West Yorkshire Police, we have been unable to identify him.
“He was found without any identification or personal belongings.”
The man was also described as white, in his early 50s to 60s, with light brown short hair and stubble.
He was wearing brown walking boots, blue denim jeans, a multicoloured knitted jumper and possibly a dark green waterproof coat, police added.
It comes after Leicestershire and Lincolnshire both declared a major incident in response to the extreme weather hitting the UK and Ireland.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue was the first emergency service in England to declare an incident and said it had received more than 200 calls since Monday morning over widespread flooding.
Crews had found cars stuck in floodwater and evacuated residents from flooded homes and rising waters, with some 17 people rescued as of 1.45pm.
The Lincolnshire Resilience Forum declared a major incident shortly after, and noted that emergency services had rescued children who were stranded at a school in Edenham.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has three yellow weather warnings – each for snow and ice – in effect throughout Monday evening and Tuesday morning.
Pic: Met Office
A warning covering the west and north coast of Scotland – reaching into Inverness and Aberdeen – will last until midday, while an alert in effect for all of Northern Ireland will last until 11am.
The Met Office has also issued a warning covering Wales and parts of northwest England on Monday evening, moving into southwest England, the Midlands and parts of southern England in the early hours of Tuesday.
On Wednesday, a yellow weather warning for snow is in effect across the south of England – stretching from just above Truro in Cornwall to Canterbury in Kent – from 9am to midnight.
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