A shell-shocked Stephen Bunting launched a bitter attack on the sport itself following his sensational 6-2 defeat to Australian qualifier Raymond Smith, declaring that “darts has lost its integrity” as the third seed crashed out of the SkyCity New Zealand Darts Masters in dramatic fashion .
Bunting, a former major champion and World No. 16, was dismantled by the man known as “The Guru” at Spark Arena, who produced a near-flawless display averaging 99.81 and converting a staggering 86% of his doubles . The Englishman’s frustration boiled over as he watched Smith produce one remarkable finish after another, culminating in a jaw-dropping 124 checkout on the bullseye to seal the victory .
“I don’t think any sane player would ever do that,” Smith joked afterwards about his own audacious finishing, which included earlier combinations of 92 and 90 . But there was nothing humorous about Bunting’s reaction. The “Bullet” was visibly seething as he left the stage, making cryptic accusations of foul play and suggesting that the standards of the game have been compromised.
The defeat marks Bunting’s second first-round exit at a World Series event this year, and his allegations came amid a broader shockwave that rocked the tournament. His loss followed fellow Australian Adam Leek’s stunning comeback victory over Ross Smith, setting up an all-Antipodean quarter-final .
While Bunting offered no specific evidence for his “loss of integrity” claim, the performance that sparked his fury was statistically dominant. Smith broke Bunting immediately with an 11-dart leg, hit 180s, and when Bunting briefly levelled at 2-2 with an 84 finish, Smith responded with relentless precision to rattle off four of the next five legs .
Smith shrugged off the sour grapes from his opponent. He credited the rising standard of Oceanic darts for his performance, noting that the investment by the PDC in the region “is showing in the results” .
“I think I played really well,” Smith said. “What we’re doing in the ADA, DPNZ and ANZ Premier League is setting us up for this sort of stuff” .
Smith will now face fellow Australian Adam Leek in the quarter-finals on Saturday, guaranteeing an Antipodean presence in the semi-finals of the New Zealand Masters .