World Match Play 2025: Day 4 - Bunting vs Anderson ignites Round 2 in Blackpool - 180UK.com
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World Match Play 2025: Day 4 – Bunting vs Anderson ignites Round 2 in Blackpool

23 July 2025
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By Harry Eddolls, in Blackpool

Tonight saw the beginning of the second round of the World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens. As with every session so far, there were four epic encounters for the Blackpool crowd to savour.

SECOND ROUND – MATCH 1: GIAN VAN VEEN vs DANNY NOPPERT

The first match of the evening saw a clash between two Dutchmen, in the form of Gian Van Veen and Danny Noppert. It was The Freeze who started best, picking up the first two legs of the encounter. It wouldn’t last however, as Van Veen stormed back to win the last three legs of the session, which included a beautiful 150 out in leg four, to take the lead into the interval.

It was to go from bad to worse for Noppert, as Van Veen roared through the start of the second session, winning four straight legs, and recording another ton-plus out, this time a 120 in leg six, to rocket into a 7-2 lead. The Freeze ensured he would not suffer a session whitewash by taking the 10th leg to go in 7-3 behind.

Van Veen won the first leg of the final session, before Noppert won the next two, to leave the score at 8-5. It would be the last legs that he would win however, as The Giant went on another run of three straight legs, which included a third ton-plus out of the match, a 100 in leg 14, to secure an 11-5 victory and send him into the quarter-finals.

SECOND ROUND – MATCH 2: JAMES WADE vs WESSEL NIJMAN

Next to take the stage was the 2007 champion James Wade, who was facing the impressive Dutch debutant Wessel Nijman. The Dutchman won the opening leg, before The Machine roared back, winning the next three legs to establish the advantage. Nijman would have the final say in the session however, holding to reduce the deficit to 3-2.

The Dutchman broke at the beginning of the second session to level the match, but Wade broke straight back with a 108 out to restore his lead. That leg began a run of three straight legs which finished with a ton-plus checkout, the others being 121s, first from Wade then from Nijman. The Machine then held at the end of the session to leave himself 6-4 up going into the final break.

Wade started the final session with a run of four straight legs, which included a 126 out in leg 12, to leave him within a leg of the match. Nijman would only be able to muster one leg in reply, before the Englishman took leg 16, to cruise into the quarter-finals with an 11-5 win.

SECOND ROUND – MATCH 3: STEPHEN BUNTING vs GARY ANDERSON

The next match saw a blockbuster encounter between Stephen Bunting and Gary Anderson. It was the Scotsman who struck first, breaking in the opening leg. The rest of the session then went on throw, which left Anderson with a slight advantage going into the first interval.

The second session began with two breaks, leaving Anderson still in control, before switching to holds for the final three legs, which left The Flying Scotsman with a 6-4 advantage going into the final break.

Bunting found a surge to begin the final session, winning five straight legs, the highlight of which was leg 15, where Bunting managed to go eight in to a 9-darter, missing D12 for the perfect leg. He eventually tidied up the league however, to leave him 9-6 up.

The pair then traded legs, to leave The Bullet 10-7 up and seemingly heading for the next round. It would not be that simple however, as Anderson found a burst, winning three straight legs to level the match at 10-10 and force a tie-breaker situation.

The tie-break would not last long though, as Bunting took two legs in a row, with the winning checkout being a 112, to secure a dramatic 12-10 victory and see him into the quarter-finals.

SECOND ROUND – MATCH 4: JONNY CLAYTON vs MIKE DE DECKER

The final match of the evening saw Jonny Clayton take on the Belgian Mike De Decker. The opening session was very routine, with every single leg being a hold of throw, the highlight being a 108 out from De Decker in leg four. Because Clayton won the bull before the match, he went into the interval in front.

The second session began with two breaks, before two holds left The Ferret still with a leg advantage. He managed to double that advantage going into the second interval, breaking in leg ten to make the score 6-4.

Clayton continued his run of legs to three after the break, to make it 8-4, before De Decker found a break with a lovely 130 out, before holding to bring the deficit back to two. That leg began a streak of six straight holds, which led The Ferret to the finishing line, an 11-8 win making him the final name through to the quarter-finals from tonight’s action.

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