proved to be the turning point, and having gone in at the break at 2-2
Bunting began to grow in confidence when the players returned. The St
Helens-based thrower took the fifth set 3-2 on his own throw, although
only after trailing 1-0, before he went on to come from 2-1 down in the
sixth to break the Hofstra throw and spirit.
By the time the seventh set came around Bunting was in a more relaxed
mood and despite Hofstra’s at times incredibly slow play he went on to
take the set comfortably, landing his highest finish of the tournament,
a 158, on the way to sealing the set 3-0.
Photo: Tip Top Pics Ltd/Chris Sargent
Alan Norris fell behind early on in his quarter final clash as James
Wilson, who was averaging nearly 110, took the opening set 3-0. But
the big man who hails originally from Yeovil was in a fighting mood and
he responded by taking the second set 3-0 in return, before moving
into the lead after taking the third 3-2, despite four 180s from Wilson.
Yorkshireman Wilson fought back to level the match up at 2-2 heading
into the break, but it was a flowing Norris who had the final word, with
the former Zuiderduin Masters runner-up taking nine of the ten legs
after the break to seal a 5-2 victory.
Photo: Tip Top Pics Ltd/Chris Sargent
The pair both averaged in the high 90s for the match and landed an
impressive 22 180s between them as they produced one of the finest
matches ever seen on the Lakeside stage.
Jan Dekker reached the semi-finals at Lakeside for the second time
after he defeated three-time champion Martin Adams 5-2 in the last of
the quarter finals.
Dekker raced into a 3-0 lead after Adams made a slow start to the
match, before a resurgent Adams brought the match to life.
The former England captain took the last set before the break thanks
to a 161 checkout in the deciding leg, and after the break he was able
to close the gap to 3-2 as he averaged over 98 during the fifth set,
taking it 3-1.
Dekker then regained his composure and his dominance as he landed
three 180s and a 177 during the final two sets, taking them both 3-2 in
crucial deciding legs to book his spot in the semi-finals for the second
time in only three Lakeside appearances.
Photo: Tip Top Pics Ltd/Chris Sargent