Darts news: Luke Littler embroiled in 'cheating' scandal as big complaint made

Right that wraps up another intense day of darting action. Here's a look at the results:

Wesley Plaisier 3-4 Kryzsztof Ratajski

Andrew Gilding 1-4 Luke Woodhouse

Jonny Clayton 4-3 Niels Zonneveld

Andreas Harrysson 4-3 Ricardo Pietreczko

Stephen Bunting 3-4 James Hurrell

Luke Littler 4-0 Mensur Suljovic

That's the Luke Littler we've all come to expect. The world number one was absolutely irresistible. Devastating finishing, clinical on the doubles. Incredible.

Mensur Suljovic fought back and finally got a look in at the doubles, nearly getting a first set off of Luke Littler this whole tournament.

However, the world number one slams the door shut, taking a 3-0 lead and going one away from the next round.

Pure domination from Luke Littler. There is simply no reply from Mensur Suljovic, as the world number one continues to apply pressure with a 2-0 lead.

Cool as you like from Luke Littler, who has started as he means to go on. Three legs without reply has seen him take the first set.

Luke Littler vs Mensur Suljovic is now on the way in what is the headline match of the evening session. Both players are now on their way out to the Ally Pally crowd.

And Stephen Bunting is out! That's the highest seed, number four, knocked out.

James Hurrell played well, stuck in there, and took it with some consistent darts.

Stephen Bunting survives, taking the darts off James Hurrell to draw himself level. This is now the decider, but the Bullet is finding his rhythm again.

James Hurrell has the game in his hands now. He takes the fifth set, and Stephen Bunting now needs to win the next two to stay in this year's competition.

The Hill Billy puts that 121 stunner aside to draw level again with a confident fourth set. It's still anyone's game here at Ally Pally.

Stephen Bunting is fired up. He takes out 121 to go ahead in another tight set, and roars after taking the lead over James Hurrell.

What a set we have witnessed there! James Hurrell had three set darts with a 2-0 lead, but Stephen Bunting hangs in there and hits back.

He checks out a 161 and Ally Pally erupts as he hits the bullseye. We're now level!

Well then, James Hurrell takes the first set against the darts.

The Hill Billy looked solid, but Stephen Bunting was looking very off colour. The Bullet is ill, which may be impacting his performance levels, but he'll need to step it up after the break.

Stephen Bunting vs James Hurrell is up next for us here, in the second match of three for this evening's session. Bunting is the favourite, but hasn't hit his best levels yet, while Hurrell has performed well so far.

Wow, debutant Andreas Harrysson continues to make his mark, beating Ricardo Pietreczko 4-2 in sets. His scoring was the real difference, eventually overpowering the German.

WOW! Just when Ricardo Pietreczko needed it, he finds a moment of brilliance.

Pikachu looked like he might have thrown this set away to go 2-0 down.

Pietreczko wanted 158 and goes T20, T20 and D19, sparking huge celebrations inside Ally Pally.

That could be a definining moment in this tie.

An upset on the cards?

A poor scoring leg when it mattered cost Ricardo Pietreczko and Andreas Harrysson takes advantage in the decider.

After five consecutive holds of throw the Swede holds an advantage, having been given six attempts at 100.

Evening Session (7pm)

Andreas Harrysson vs Ricardo Pietreczko

Stephen Bunting vs James Hurrell

Luke Littler vs Mensur Suljovic

This year's breakout World Championship star, David Munyua, is in attendance during Chelsea's Premier League clash with Aston Villa.

The Kenyan darts hero is a Chelsea fan and walked on the Stamford Bridge pitch before the match. He was also presented with his own shirt after his exploits at Ally Pally this month.

Krzysztof Ratajski 4-3 Wesley Plaisier

Luke Woodhouse 4-1 Andrew Gilding

Jonny Clayton 4-3 Niels Zonneveld

Jonny Clayton is into the last 16 for the fourth year in a row, seeing off a very threatening Niels Zonneveld.

The Ferret held his nerve when it mattered most, a deciding leg, going out on his favoured D16 to set up a tie with either Harrysson or Pietreczko.

This match deserves to go all the way!

A strong 11-dart leg from Niels Zonneveld sealed the sixth and the momentum is on his side.

Can Jonny Clayton avoid another upset at this year's World Championship?

Jonny Clayton leads 3-2 but what an incredible match this has been.

The scoring, from both the Welshman and Niels Zonneveld, has been nothing short of excellent.

The Ally Pally crowd want a nine-darter from Clayton but he keeps his head down and just focuses on winning the leg.

Zonneveld takes the fourth set with ease, crusing to a 3-0 win to level the scores 2-2.

Zonneveld fails to clear 94 and Clayton takes the third set with a double 8 after narrowly missing his favoured 121 checkout.

Clayton leads 2-1.

The standard has been raised here as Clayton and Zonneveld share a set apiece as they make their way off the stage for a brief break.

Very little separating these two players in the final match of the afternoon session.

Woodhouse thrashes Gilding 4-1 to race into the fourth round and he is not getting carried away with any lofty ambitions.

"The first two sets weren't the best in the world. I tried to get myself going and luckily came back out firing," he said.

"Everybody wants to be world No 1 and win the World Championships, but I believe I can be in the top 16.

"I am more than happy getting through. Hopefully I can keep going."

Woodhouse is in cruise control against Gilding, he leads 3-1 and it might not be long until we see Jonny Clayton step out to face Niels Zonneveld.

Krzysztof Ratajski has revealed that a health issue caused his drop in form prior to the World Championship - but now he is fighting fit and ready to take on the best.

"I had a little health problem with my head. I have an injury, so it was a difficult time for me. But everything now is OK," he said.

"Last year it was OK. So now I hope I will go up in the ranking and everything will be OK."

A nervy start to the second match of today's afternoon session between Luke Woodhouse and Andrew Gilding.

Both players take turns at shooting at double 3 in the opening leg and it's Gilding that lands first.

However, Woodhouse rallied to win the next three legs in a row to take the opening set.

Ratajski completes the remarkable comeback to win 4-3. What an epic way to announce that darts is back from the Xmas break.

Sky Sports' Glen Durrant said on commentary: "What a match that was. Ratajski was down and out trailing three sets to one and facing three match darts.

"I don't think he can believe what happened in that game but he produces a masterclass of finishing as 116, 117, 127 and 152 get the job done."

Incredible scenes here as Ratajski fights back to level it at three sets each.

In the deciding leg of the sixth set, Ratajski almost checked out 127 but narrowly missed the double eight.

Plaisier stepped up with three match darts but missed every attempt - and Ratajski landed his shot at the next attempt.

We're heading into a deciding set.

Plaisier has motored through the gears and now leads Ratajski 3-1. Talk about commentators curse, looks like this isn't going the distance after all. 

What an engrossing opening match we have here. Plaisier and Ratajski split the first sets 1-1 and I wouldn't be surprised if this tie went the full seven sets.

The third round is about to get underway as Wesley Plaisier makes his way to the stage to the tune or Angels by Robbie Williams.

He's already 1-0 up with this crowd for selecting such a banger.

Not a bad choice from Kryzsztof Ratajski who enters to the tune of Status Quo - Whatever You Want, but it didn't have quite the impact.

Damon Heta wants Ally Pally bosses to crack a window open as he feels the World Championship venue has turned into a blistering infernos that is putting players off their game.

"In the practice room, perfect conditions, everything’s right. Come out and it felt like opening an oven door," he said.

"A bit stale and straight away you felt it. It was hot and your hands were sweating and everything. My first game wasn't like that. I don’t know why. Someone needs to open a window or something.

"It got me. I didn’t think it would be like this. I did hear from someone [Tim Pusey] and then I went out and I was like: Oh jeez. But I got my mindset right, I’m alright, you’ve got a fight here, you’ve got a battle and just throw the darts that feel good just let it rip."

Luke Littler says he will not be engaging in any mind games or change the way he practices when he comes up against a tricky customer in Mensur Suljovic tonight.

"With the player you're playing or with the crowd, just expect the worse. If it's not as bad as what you think then I'll be happy with it," Littler said.

"I won't prepare to throw slowly or approach the oche slowly - I'll just practice how I do."

Wesley Plaisier shook Ally Pally to it's core when he knocked out Gerwyn Price in round two.

But the towering Dutchman is keeping his feet firmly on the ground ahead of his third-round tie with Krzysztof Ratajski this afternoon.

“I’m just looking at the tournament match-by-match,” he said. “Hopefully I can win the next one.

“The draw is open, but there are still a lot of good players in. Every game is really hard, there are no easy games.

“Krzysztof is my next opponent, he’s a good player and also dangerous. I won’t underestimate him.”

Raymond van Barneveld claims that a prime Phil Taylor would beat Luke Littler in his pomp.

"In their primes, I still think Taylor wins. Because Luke likes to play in a certain rhythm, and Phil always controlled the pace himself," Van Barneveld told BoyleSports.

"I don’t think many players played their A-game against him, not many. Apart from Van Gerwen, maybe Anderson or Rob Cross when he beat Phil in the final, maybe me.

"I think Phil in his prime and Luke in his prime, it’s so hard to compare, but I’d still say Phil Taylor."

Michael van Gerwen has made a bullish statement that he does not care about Luke Littler and Luke Humphries.

The two Lukes are predicted to meet in next Saturday's final but Van Gerwen is not keeping an eye on the world's top two players.

"I don't care about Luke and Luke at this moment. I just need to concentrate myself on my own performance. I can't meet them until the semi-finals and final anyway," he said.

Afternoon session - starts 12.30pm

Wesley Plaisier vs Kryzsztof Ratajski

Andrew Gilding vs Luke Woodhouse (25)

Jonny Clayton (5) vs Niels Zonneveld

Evening session - starts 7pm

Andreas Harrysson vs Ricardo Pietreczko

Stephen Bunting (4) vs James Hurrell

Luke Littler (1) vs Mensur Suljovic

Luke Littler has revealed that he was forced to have corrective eye surgery when he was a child.

Littler underwent treatment at Warrington Hospital to repair strabismus, a condition commonly known as cross eye, where the eyes do not align.

"Well, who knows? It's one of those things, obviously, it had to be sorted. My mum and dad wanted that sorted," Littler revealed.

"But obviously, when I was younger, I didn't really care. But now you look at it, it was a good thing to get done at the time, but I don't have memories of it now. But obviously it had to be done. And it got done.

"I think that's the last time I was in there. So when I was four or five, got it sorted.

"Obviously, eyesight is really important. I don't have many memories of that happening. There are pictures that my family put on. I was very tired at the time, obviously resting. But yeah, now we're all good."

Luke Littler got himself embroiled in a cheating row at Alexandra Palace by weighing in on the controversy surrounding tonight's opponent Mensur Suljovic.

Joe Cullen slammed the Austrian-Serbian after crashing out in the second round, claiming his conqueror was playing too slowly.

Cullen fumed: “If that’s darts, I don’t want no part of it! Always liked Mensur away from the board but that was plain for all to see! I don’t think I’m alone in feeling this way. The old guard will say it’s part of the game but word it how you wil - it’s CHEATING! That’s not darts.”

And Littler has weighed into the cheating row saying: "No, it’s not cheating. That’s just how he plays. I took a bit of notice of the match. Obviously Joe’s felt like he’s slowed it down. It’s not cheating. It’s just for Mensur. He flicks his flight and obviously he’s doing it until he feels settled and, if he does it a bit longer against me, then I just have to wait for him and throw my darts."

Good morning and welcome to Express Sport's live coverage of the World Darts Championship. 

Luke Littler returns to action tonight when he takes on Serbian-Austrian Mensur Suljovic.

Stay tuned as we build up to play getting underway at Alexandra Palace at 12.30pm.