Announcements

STEPHEN Bunting will be the first of the trio of St Helens darters to put his toe on the oche in this year’s William Hill World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace – and he cannot wait.

All three opening round opponents are from the continent, with Bunting facing 39-year-old German Jyhan Artut on Sunday evening, Michael Smith tackling Holland’s Jeffrey De Zwann on Monday and Dave Chisnall taking on Austrian Rowby-John Rodriguez.

If all three progress they will then be in action again from Boxing Day, with darts’£1.5million tournament culminating on January 3.

The opening round is a potential banana skin for the Windle-based former BDO world champion, but Bunting is upbeat going into the event after a gruelling second year in the PDC.

He said: “I am feeling really good, I have been practising with Anastasia (Dobromyslova), Steve Barrow and John Bowles and everything has been going great, the doubles have been flying and in and I am scoring well.

“They have been putting me through my routine to get ready for the December 20.

“There will be no stone left unturned and I will be 100 per cent ready for it.

“I am looking forward to it starting now.

“I played Artut on the European tour a few months ago and he beat me so I have got my work cut out, but I have been putting the hours in and practising really hard.

“If I win the first round I am next up on December 27, which is perfect because it will give me time to spend with my son, my missus and the family on Christmas Day before travelling back down to Ally Pally on Boxing Day.

“I will still be practising all over Christmas, if I get through, carrying on what I have been doing."

If Bunting gets through he is likely to face Raymond van Barneveld in the second round – a repeat of last year’s classic encounter.

“I thought last year was going to be my year, I was playing that well, but it wasn’t to be.

“If I can get through that difficult first game and face Barney that would be great. He made me cry on telly last year, if I can get a good result I can maybe make him cry,” he said.

The World Championships see 72 players do battle for £1.5 million in prize money and the prestigious Sid Waddell Trophy, live on the Sky Sports Darts channel.

Following the Christmas break, the second round kicks off on Boxing Day evening, potentially including reigning champion Anderson, and continues with double sessions on Sunday December 27 and Monday December 28.

December 29 sees the second round conclude in the afternoon session as the third round commences, with the last 16 games being concluded on December 30.

The tournament’s final eight players then return on New Year’s Day for the quarter-finals, with the semi-finals on January 2 and the final on Sunday, January 3.

Schedule: Round One: Saturday, December 19, (7pm-11pm) Stephen Bunting v Jyhan Artut.

Dec 21 (7pm-11pm) Michael Smith v Jeffrey De Zwaan. Dec 22 (7pm-11pm) Dave Chisnall v Rowby-John Rodriguez.

Round Two: Dec 26 (6pm-10pm)Chisnall/Rodriguez v Pipe/Kist.

Dec 27, (1pm-5pm)Smith/De Zwaan v Beaton/Kokir(7pm-11pm) van Barneveld/van Duijvenbode v Bunting/Artut.