Latest news with #NordicMasters


BBC News
8 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Bunting beats Cross to win Nordic Masters
Stephen Bunting beat fellow Englishman Rob Cross 8-4 in the final of the Nordic Masters in Denmark to claim his second World Series title of the year. In a race to eight legs, the two were tied at 3-3 at the break before Bunting hit double top and broke the throw after Cross failed to take out 40 in the seventh produced a 104 finish to go 5-3 up and continued his run to five straight legs to move four clear at 7-3 and one away from victory against a struggling missed bull as he nearly finished with a 170 but he secured victory by cleaning up the remaining 25 on his next visit."The way I've been playing, I was wondering if I was going to win another title again," Bunting, who won the Bahrain Masters in January, told ITV. "My doubles have been atrocious over the last couple of months. It's something I need to work on. "But, when you win titles like this against the calibre of players that I'm playing week-in week-out, it means an awful lot."Luke Littler and Luke Humphries had both been knocked out in the champion Littler suffered a 6-3 loss to Nathan Aspinall, who was beaten 7-5 by Bunting in the champion Gerwyn Price won 6-3 to end the challenge of world number one Humphries but the Welshman lost 7-4 to Cross in the last four.


The Sun
8 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Stephen Bunting storms to Nordic Darts Masters to deny Rob Cross a £30,000 jackpot
STEPHEN BUNTING stormed to the Nordic Masters Darts title - as he denied Rob Cross a particularly handy £30,000. Cross has been banned as a company director for five years after his firm failed to pay more than £450,000 in tax. 2 2 And Voltage looked on course to one better than his runners-up spot last year when he led the Bullet 3-2 in the final. But Bunting hit a purple patch on the way to an 8-4 triumph. Both finalists hailed the raucous Copenhagen crowd. But fittingly, it was fans' favourite Bunting who came on stronger to land his second World Series crown of 2025. The Bullet had beaten Jonny Clayton in the quarter-finals before overcoming Luke Littler's conqueror Nathan Aspinall in a thriller. Meanwhile, Cross whitewashed Chris Dobey 6-0 before sinking last year's champion Gerwyn Price in the semis.


Scottish Sun
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Luke Littler dumped out of Nordic Masters in quarter-finals after surprise loss to stablemate Nathan Aspinall
Worst prep ahead of huge debut for Littler later this week NOT SO GREAT DANE Luke Littler dumped out of Nordic Masters in quarter-finals after surprise loss to stablemate Nathan Aspinall LUKE LITTLER was dumped out of the Nordic Darts Masters by Nathan Aspinall. The reigning world champion headed to Copenhagen as the pre-tournament favourite. Advertisement 3 Luke Littler was knocked out of the Nordic Darts Masters Credit: Reuters 3 His close pal Nathan Aspinall beat him 6-3 in the quarter-finals Credit: Getty But he suffered a shock 6-3 defeat by his stablemate in the quarter-finals. This was Littler's first match against a top player since losing to Luke Humphries in the Premier League final last month. And The Nuke was unable to become a Great Dane this weekend in Denmark. Aspinall, 33, roared in delight when he took out double 16. Advertisement READ MORE ON DARTS DART BORED Phil Taylor makes explosive claim about PL Darts and demands urgent change And he gave it back to those in the crowd who had booed him on the oche. For the Stockpot thrower, who is ranked sixth in the world, it was only his SECOND win over the teen sensation in a professional capacity in 16 meetings. It is the first success over the sport's biggest name since a Prem night in Nottingham in March 2024. World No2 Littler won the overall World Series of Darts crown last year in Amsterdam. Advertisement CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Yet this loss is not exactly ideal preparation for his debut appearance at the PDC World Cup of Darts in England colours. Littler will team up with Humphries later this week. Darts host forced to apologise after Nathan Aspinall's X-rated interview with Asp left covering his face in horror The World Cup takes place at Frankfurt's Eissporthalle, with defending champions England given a bye to the second round. Advertisement Humphries teamed up with Michael Smith to lift the trophy in 2024.


Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Rob Cross enjoys win and breaks silence after being hit with five-year director ban
Englishman sets off-oche issues aside to progress at Nordic Masters by beating Swede Andreas Harryson 6-4 Battling Rob Cross made a winning return on his first appearance since receiving a five-year ban as a director after his company failed to pay over £400,000 in tax. News broke on Thursday over the former World Champion's issue away from the oche. But, as he returned for the Nordic Darts Masters on Friday night, Cross got a success as he defeated Swede Andreas Harryson 6-4 to progress to Saturday's final stages. The Englishman was delighted to get the win in Denmark and, when asked after the victory about his experiences in Copenhagen, he said: 'Yesterday, I walked 14 and a half miles around the city, so it's been nice and I enjoyed it. It's a great place just to go out, really. Fill your lungs up with a bit of air. I've enjoyed my time here. I enjoyed my time last year and it's always a privilege to come back." Cross made the final in 2024 and, asked what it would mean to go one better, he said: "Just a great tournament, a great place in the world and the World Series always offers itself. But to win it this weekend, it would mean a lot. I've had a little bit of time off, a few difficulties, but, at the same time, it would mean a lot to me.' Cross didn't find his best against Harryson, but said: 'I enjoyed the match, I'm not going to lie. I've walked in this weekend, I've just come off of probably two and a half weeks off, I've not really picked them up. A little bit lazy, I suppose. But I needed that. A little bit of a freshen up, but to win that match there, I'll be better tomorrow now. That's 100 per cent. 'I'm where I'm at, you know, if I've not really been playing, where do you (know where your game is? I could have gone out there tonight and hit 120, or I could have gone out there and hit a 48, to be honest. I'm very happy just to get over the line and keep pushing. 'To win this would be fantastic. The crowd's amazing. There's no booing out there, there's only fairness and credit to the Copenhagen people that come out and watch. I appreciate that. That could have been even tougher for me with a few boos, a few whistles. "That could have really swung the game in his favour, I suppose. Not having that gives me the comfort. We all feel it sometimes when they're not quite going, if the crowd gets on your back, darts can be tough. They are very appreciative, but to win it this week, it would mean a lot to me.'


Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Former world darts champion, 34, is BANNED as company director for five years over failure to pay £450k tax bill
Rob Cross has been banned as a company director for five years after his business failed to pay more than £450,000 in tax. The ban prevents him from being involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company, without the permission of the court, until June 2030. The 2018 world champion set up Rob Cross Darts Limited in 2017 to receive prize money and it took in more than £1.4million in winnings and sponsorship as he embarked on the most successful spell of his career. But, before Mr Cross liquidated the company in 2023, he took out £300,000, which should have been paid to creditors, including to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). He also took more than £400,000 from the company in the form of a director's loan before the company was liquidated. Meanwhile, £665,419 was paid into the personal account of someone with links to Mr Cross. By the time it went into liquidation, Rob Cross Darts Limited owed the taxman £465,403. The 34-year-old, who is playing in the Nordic Masters in Copenhagen this weekend, entered into an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) last year and will make monthly contributions to pay off the money he owes. Kevin Read, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: 'When directors fail to pay the correct amount of tax, it directly impacts the government's ability to fund vital public services such as the NHS, schools, transport infrastructure and our national defence.'