LUKE Littler’s bid for a second major ranking title in as many weeks fell at the final hurdle.
He and perennial rival Luke Humphries provided a taste of what might be to follow in next month’s World Darts Championship, but it was “Cool Hand” who emerged victorious 11-7 to retain his Players Championship title.
It brings to an end a 12-match winning run that saw him lift the Grand Slam of Darts last weekend and through to the final in Minehead having seen off Ross Smith and Mike De Decker on finals day.
For a match that was so highly anticipated, it is fair to say it struggled to catch fire in the early stages.
Both players’ averages were in the low-80s, but it was Humphries who took his chances – a break of Littler’s throw in the very first leg was consolidated by a hold to go 2-0 up.
Even the teenager’s favourite double 10 was deserting him and although he did get himself on the board with a hold of throw, the next two legs were symptomatic of his struggles to take his chances.
It took Humphries 19 darts to win both the fourth and fifth legs to stride into the first break with a 4-1 lead.
Both men came back firing and produced the kind of darts everybody expected, with Humphries retaining control but Littler producing the biggest moments.
A “tops-tops” finish to check out 105 was followed by the “big fish” checkout of 170 in consecutive legs on his own throw to halt the Humphries charge and when his rival failed to close out the 10th leg, Littler took his chance to break back by hitting double top.
That meant that, having been staring down the barrel of a 7-3 deficit, “The Nuke” went into the second break just two legs behind at 6-4.
Littler appeared to have found his stride, and the Minehead crowd had found their voices in support of him even if the line was crossed on occasion, with an instance of whistling drawing the ire of both players and the match referee.
Two more superb ton-plus checkouts – 164 in Leg 11 and 136 in the 15th either side of a 12-dart hold – ignited those in attendance, but Humphries was holding off any attempts by Littler to break his throw and retained the advantage heading into the final mini-session.
However, that was to be as good as it got for Littler as Humphries swept the final session, claiming a crucial break of throw in Leg 17 before closing out victory by hitting his second match dart.
