Niels Zonneveld beats Stephen Bunting 7-4
Dutch Darts Championship · Semi-finals · Sun 18 Oct
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The final story
A concise final report built from the same chronological scoring record above.
Niels Zonneveld and Stephen Bunting are on the board at Dutch Darts Championship in Semi-finals, and this one quickly develops into a proper battle. Niels Zonneveld eventually gets over the line 7-4, but there is plenty to follow before the final dart lands.
Leg 1: Maximum from Niels Zonneveld! Stephen Bunting closes 18 with Niels Zonneveld waiting on 45 in 2 darts. Stephen Bunting leads 1-0. Leg 2 — back level: Niels Zonneveld takes out 55 in 1 dart. We're level at 1-1. Leg 3 — lead change: Stephen Bunting cannot take out 78 and leaves 12; Niels Zonneveld punishes it immediately by taking out 104 in 2 darts, a break of throw. Niels Zonneveld leads 2-1.
Leg 4 — immediate break-back: Stephen Bunting takes out 16 in 1 dart; a break of throw. We're level at 2-2. Leg 5 — lead change: Maximum from Stephen Bunting! Niels Zonneveld cannot take out 95 and leaves 23, Stephen Bunting punishes it immediately by taking out 5 in 2 darts. Stephen Bunting leads 3-2. Leg 6 — back level: Maximum from Niels Zonneveld! Niels Zonneveld cannot take out 96 and leaves 20, Niels Zonneveld closes 20 with Stephen Bunting waiting on 97 in 1 dart. We're level at 3-3.
Leg 7 — lead change: Maximum from Niels Zonneveld! Niels Zonneveld closes 52 with Stephen Bunting waiting on 96 in 2 darts, a break of throw. Niels Zonneveld leads 4-3. Leg 8 — 3 in a row: Niels Zonneveld takes out 95 in 1 dart. Niels Zonneveld leads 5-3. Leg 9 — run stopped: Stephen Bunting closes 94 with Niels Zonneveld waiting on 65 in 2 darts. Niels Zonneveld leads 5-4.
Leg 10: Niels Zonneveld closes 106 with Stephen Bunting waiting on 60 in 1 dart. Niels Zonneveld leads 6-4. Leg 11 — match-clinching leg: Stephen Bunting cannot take out 9 and leaves 4; Niels Zonneveld punishes it immediately by taking out 20 in 2 darts, 17 darts in total, a break of throw. That's the match - Niels Zonneveld wins 7-4.
Niels Zonneveld posts the higher three-dart average, 92.22 compared with 86.07. Niels Zonneveld hits 3 maximums and Stephen Bunting hits 1. On the doubles, Niels Zonneveld converts 70.0% and Stephen Bunting finishes at 22.0%. Niels Zonneveld's longest burst is 3 legs in a row.
Niels Zonneveld has the result, but the final score only tells part of it. The match contains 4 breaks of throw and 3 clear lead changes. The decisive difference comes in the moments when one player reaches a finish, the other is close enough to punish a miss, and the next visit suddenly matters more than the average.
About this commentary: All Things Darts Match Centre compiles it from the stored match result, statistics and ordered visit-by-visit scoring. It does not invent exact doubles, missed darts or dart segments that are not present in the source data. Per-leg averages are only labelled as exact when darts used are available for every recorded visit in that leg.
How every leg unfolded
The permanent match record keeps the commentary, score after each leg and each player’s exact three-dart leg average where the darts-used data is available.
Leg 1: Maximum from Niels Zonneveld! Stephen Bunting closes 18 with Niels Zonneveld waiting on 45 in 2 darts. Stephen Bunting leads 1-0.
Leg 2 — back level: Niels Zonneveld takes out 55 in 1 dart. We're level at 1-1.
Leg 3 — lead change: Stephen Bunting cannot take out 78 and leaves 12; Niels Zonneveld punishes it immediately by taking out 104 in 2 darts, a break of throw. Niels Zonneveld leads 2-1.
Leg 4 — immediate break-back: Stephen Bunting takes out 16 in 1 dart; a break of throw. We're level at 2-2.
Leg 5 — lead change: Maximum from Stephen Bunting! Niels Zonneveld cannot take out 95 and leaves 23, Stephen Bunting punishes it immediately by taking out 5 in 2 darts. Stephen Bunting leads 3-2.
Leg 6 — back level: Maximum from Niels Zonneveld! Niels Zonneveld cannot take out 96 and leaves 20, Niels Zonneveld closes 20 with Stephen Bunting waiting on 97 in 1 dart. We're level at 3-3.
Leg 7 — lead change: Maximum from Niels Zonneveld! Niels Zonneveld closes 52 with Stephen Bunting waiting on 96 in 2 darts, a break of throw. Niels Zonneveld leads 4-3.
Leg 8 — 3 in a row: Niels Zonneveld takes out 95 in 1 dart. Niels Zonneveld leads 5-3.
Leg 9 — run stopped: Stephen Bunting closes 94 with Niels Zonneveld waiting on 65 in 2 darts. Niels Zonneveld leads 5-4.
Leg 10: Niels Zonneveld closes 106 with Stephen Bunting waiting on 60 in 1 dart. Niels Zonneveld leads 6-4.
Leg 11 — match-clinching leg: Stephen Bunting cannot take out 9 and leaves 4; Niels Zonneveld punishes it immediately by taking out 20 in 2 darts, 17 darts in total, a break of throw. That's the match - Niels Zonneveld wins 7-4.