Key events
Humphries is still wiping away a few tears as he walks up to collect the Sid Waddell Trophy. It’s a heavy beast, but he could probably lift Andre the Giant right now.
Littler 4-7 Humphries (legs 2-3)
When Humphries got to his feet, Littler applaued warmly and then pulled him in for a big hug. He’s taking defeat like a champion at the age of 16. Right now, and I say this with love for both, Littler looks more grown-up than Humphries.
Humphries came from 4-2 down to win five sets in a row, a stunning feat of ability and mental strength when he was being pummelled by a dart-throwing creature from another planet. All that palpitations, all that fear, all those sacrifices… they’re gone now.
Luke Littler will forever be associated with this competition, even when he wins 15 world titles in the next 30 years, but it belongs to the greatest darts player in the world right now: Luke Humphries.
It was such a dramatic last leg. Littler hit 139 to leave 28, then Humphries was too good for his own good. Needing 125, he started with two bulls. But Littler missed three darts – one at D14 and two at D7. Humphries returned, ignored some pathetic, disgusting boos and hit D8 at the second attempt.
Luke Humphries is the world champion!
He falls to his knees and dissolves in tears!
Humphries leaves 125 after nine. Littler is on 167 with the darts…
Littler 4-6 Humphries (legs 2-2) Littler pulls a funny face while hitting 180 to leave 100 on the Humphries throw. Humphries is on 76 – and he takes it on tops despite some boos.
Littler is throwing to stay in the world championship.
Littler 4-6 Humphries (legs 2-1) Littler leaves 46 after nine, then misses two at double. Humphries leaves 38 from 170 for a devastating break of throw. Pressure, pressure, pressure.
Nope. Littler hits D16 first dart. Sixteen this, sixteen that. This kid is astonishing.
Littler 4-6 Humphries (legs 1-1) Humphries holds in the time it takes me to reply to an email.
“Wayne Mardle correctly called both players hitting a 170 out in the Sky intro,” says Martin Hughes. “It might just be this cracking final going to my head but I genuinely think Hawaii 501’s now established as one of the finest commentators in any sport.”
Oh I think he’s wonderful, and I’m afraid that cheap observation is all I’ve got right now. Thankfully Daniel Harris nailed it a few years ago.
Littler 4-6 Humphries (legs 1-0) Humphries is on 146 when Littler misses two at tops. All he can do is set up, though, and Littler gives his bestie D10 a big hug. He just needs to hold in this set and see where it takes him.
“I have to be up at silly o’clock to get an early train to a relatively important early meeting,” says Adam Griffiths. “Am I going to bed early and missing this dartsarama? Am I buttons.”
“You mentioned mental strength earlier; these two have both shown knackers of absolute steel,” says Gregory Phillips. “It’s a tragedy either of them has to lose.”
What’s that you say, Tungsten tes- oh never mind.
Humphries left 36 after nine on throw. Littler barrelled in the 32nd 180 of the match to apply the requisite pressure, and Humphries missed his first two at D18. Then he stopped, took a breath and found the target. He has been phenomenal.
The players walk off for the last break of the match. Littler has the darts in set 11; he has to hold or it’s over. Except it’s not over: win or lose, his debut world championship campaign will last forever.
Humphries wins the tenth set!
Littler 4-6 Humphries (legs 1-3) I don’t know Humphries’ exact average since he went 4-2, but this spell of four consecutive sets is almost up there with Michael van Gerwen going berserk against Barney in the 2017 semi-final. And Humphries was under significantly more pressure.
Littler 4-5 Humphries (legs 1-2) My days! Both miss a dart at the bull, Littler for a break. Most of the boos have stopped, glad to say, and Humphries hits 25 on D8. He’s now a leg away from being a set away.
Littler takes out 170!
Littler 4-5 Humphries (legs 1-1) Haha, of course he takes out 170: that’s what showmen and geniuses do, and Littler is both.
Both men have now taken out the big fish in this game, and Littler roars with delight as he walks to collect his darts. What a game!
Littler 4-5 Humphries (legs 0-1) I’m sorry, I cannot keep out with this. Littler misses one dart for a three-figure out, and another break, and Humphries takes it out.
Humphries wins the ninth set against the darts!
Littler 4-5 Humphries (legs 2-3) Just amazing resilience from Humphries, who breaks in 11 darts with the clowns booing him again. He left 41 after nine and almost didn’t get a look. Littler had left 170 for the umpteenth time; he hit the first treble and would have got the second but for a deflection off the first dart.
When Humphries took out the double, Littler pointedly applauded and then Russ Bray asked the audience to show a bit of effing respect for a thoroughly decent young man in the biggest game of his life.
Littler breaks back!
Littler 4-4 Humphries (legs 2-2) The clowns in the crowd have started booing Humphries when he’s throwing at double. He misses three, going round the board, and Littler gives the clowns what they want on D10. That’s yet another break of throw and Littler, who was 2-0 down, is throwing for the set.
Littler 4-4 Humphries (legs 1-2) Littler holds, just about, though Humphries almost hit his second T20 when going for 156. Littler, who had already missed D6, missed two more at D3 and then somehow – despite two blockers – forced the last dart in.
As the pressure rises, so is the standard.
Humphries holds magnificently!
Littler 4-4 Humphries (legs 0-2) Oh for the love of goodness. Littler hits 165 to leave tops after 12 to break – and Humphries leaves him standing there, wondering what the hell, by taking out 108 on D16.
Humphries breaks!
Littler 4-4 Humphries (legs 0-1) In 2013, an emerging genius called Michael van Gerwen, playing in his first world final, missed a dart to go 5-2 up against Phil Taylor and eventually lost 7-4. As Barney wrote in these pages, it was a victory for experience.
Humphries isn’t Phil Taylor, but he is more experienced and maybe that is starting to tell. Maybe. Littler misses one at tops for a hold; Humphries hits him where it hurts, in this case double 16.
The players are back on stage. It’s a best-of-five game now.
Humphries has averaged in excess of 113 in the last two sets, with Littler dropping to 103 and then 97. I honestly think any other player in the world would have cracked in that seventh set because Littler was hitting him with everything: maximums, savage finishes, the lot.
Humphries breaks again to win the eighth set!
Littler 4-4 Humphries (legs 1-3) This time Humphries does hit the bull for a match-levelling 121. Littler was waiting on 120 to take us to a deciding leg but he didn’t get a look, never mind a poke.
Let’s save the deciding leg for the 13th set, eh lads.
Set averages Littler 96.84, Humphries 114.17
Littler breaks back!
Littler 4-3 Humphries (legs 1-2) Littler misses bull for a break, but Humphries makes a mess of 74 and gets only one dart at bull. He doesn’t get it and Littler cleans up. That’s 18 breaks in 33 legs; preposterous.
Humphries breaks!
Littler 4-3 Humphries (legs 0-2) Humphries, who is throwing beautifully now, breaks in 11 darts with Littler nowhere. He needed all of his resilience to stay in the game; now he’s a leg away from being level.
That was the 17th break in 32 legs. The two best players in the world aren’t even safe on their own throw, such is the quality of their opponent.
Littler 4-3 Humphries (legs 0-1) A relatively calm 14-dart hold for Humphries, during which he hits the 902nd 180 of the tournament – that’s a new record.
Littler misses D2 to go within two sets of glory, having accidentally hit two T18s on when 112. Humphries, who had been behind for most of the leg until he belted another 180, took out D14 for a 13-darter.
Humphries showed remarkable mental strength to win that set. Had he not done, so I think he’d have lost 7-2 because Littler is hitting him with everything. Instead, the match is back on throw. Not that that’s much of an advantage in this momentous game: only one of the seven sets has been won by the player throwing first.
Set averages Littler 103.48, Humphries 113.22
Humphries wins the seventh set!
Littler 4-3 Humphries (legs 2-3) This is about as good as it gets.
Littler breaks back again!
Littler 4-2 Humphries (legs 2-2) With Humphries waiting on 48 for the set, Littler nails 122 in the blink of an eye: D18-D18-T7. That is disgusting. Disgusting. Utterly unacceptable in polite society.
Humphries breaks again!
Littler 4-2 Humphries (legs 1-2) This is the best set of the match to date. After more punishing scoring, Humphries misses the big number to set up tops from 71. Littler almost takes out 94 on the bull despite a blocker – but it goes just above the wire and Humphries returns to go out in 13 darts.
Littler breaks back!
Littler 4-2 Humphries (legs 1-1) Amazing! Humphries has a chance for a 10-darter, but he misses three at double and Littler is waiting to pounce. He needs 84 and starts with a single 5. Before you can say ‘Oh flip man’, he hits T13 and tops to steal the leg.
Finishes like that can break an opponent, even the world No1.
Humphries breaks with a 170!
Littler 4-2 Humphries (legs 0-1) That’s his A-game. My word, I can’t keep up with this. Littler was on a two-dart finish, nodded as the last dart forced its way into the bullseye. Game, meet game.
Littler wins the sixth set!
Littler 4-2 Humphries (legs 3-0) A cruel and untimely bounce-out for Humphries, who knocks out a T20 and loses another dart in the process. Littler takes advantage to sweep the set against the darts. Both players missed darts at double; Littler had the last dart, and the last word.
Humphries is in big trouble here. He’s won only two of the last 11 legs.
Littler 3-2 Humphries (legs 2-0) Humphries throws six perfect darts and still loses the leg! Littler missed bull for a 170, Humphries missed D18 for a 76 – having not been sure which one to go for – and Littler punished him again. He is rampant. He is 16 years old.
Littler breaks again!
Littler 3-2 Humphries (legs 1-0) I’m sorry, this is disgusting. Littler is all over the world No1 and could well be starting to break Humphries’ will. He leaves D8 after nine, misses three and still has time to return for a 13-darter. Humphries needs his A-game, fast.
Littler takes the fifth set!
Littler 3-2 Humphries (legs 3-1) Littler breaks emphatically to ensure there’s no last-leg decider! Humphries had a poor leg on his own throw, including one awful attempt at T18 that ended up in single 4. Littler punished him with a 180 to leave 51, which he pop-popped on D16 for an 11-dart break.
Right now, and with the caveat that there are multiple moodswings in most darts matches, he looks the likelier winner. He’s won six of the last eight legs; more importantly, Humphries has started to look ever so slightly rattled.
Littler 2-2 Humphries (legs 2-1) Littler hasn’t yet been ahead in sets, even though he threw first, but he’s a leg away now. Humphries had two at tops for a potentially set-winning break; Littler had already missed three at D8 but returned to take it out at the fifth attempt. The scruffy legs are sometimes the most important.
Littler 2-2 Humphries (legs 1-1) Now Humphries starts with five perfect darts, including his ninth 180 of the match. This time Littler is miles back and Humphries hits D20 at the second attempt for an even jauntier 12-dart hold.
Littler 2-2 Humphries (legs 1-0) Littler starts set five with his sixth maximum. His focus is fascinating and a little scary; he looks at his chosen target the way Francis Begbie looks at people. With Humphries nowhere, Littler misses D8 for a 130 finish, but he’s soon back at the oche for a jaunty 13-dart hold.
Littler started with four perfect darts. Humphries stayed with him for two visits before being left behind in the scoring. Littler missed two at D15, Humphries couldn’t get a shot from 136 and Littler returned to hit D4 last dart. And he had to, because Humphries was on tops.
Littler celebrated by making his increasingly familiar calm-down gesture before strolling off the break. The standard isn’t yet stratospheric – the match average are 99 for Littler and 101 for Humphries – but it has ebbed and flowed beautifully.
Littler wins the fourth set!
Littler 2-2 Humphries (legs 3-1) It’s all square, and all four sets have been won against the throw.
Littler 1-2 Humphries (legs 2-1) Humphries holds on, just about, by taking out 73 on tops with Littler waiting on 40. But Littlier has the darts to make it 2-2.
Littler 1-2 Humphries (legs 2-0) A scruffy leg, with poor set-ups and one missed dart apiece, is eventually taken by Littler on D20. That was a very rare 19-dart leg.
Littler breaks!
Littler 1-2 Humphries (legs 1-0) This is fantastic stuff. Littler goes out on D10, last dart, with Humphries waiting on a two-darter. We’ve already had eight breaks of throw in 15 legs.
Humphries wins the third set!
Littler 1-2 Humphries (legs 2-3) Just as in the second set, Luke has come from 2-0 down to win the set against the darts! He missed the bull for a 12-darter but returned to take out 25 on D8. A bounce-out didn’t help Littler; even so, Humphries controlled the leg. And, ultimately, the set.
Littler 1-1 Humphries (legs 2-2) We’re heading for another last-leg decider. Humphries bangs out 116 on D18 for an everyday 12-dart hold. After a modest first set, the standard is approaching the roof.
Humphries breaks back!
Littler 1-1 Humphries (legs 2-1) Now it’s Littler who is bullying Humphries with his scoring – but he misses two darts for the set, one at D20 and one at his beloved D10. Humphries hits D8 last dart in hand for a break. This is already seesawing like a beauty.
Littler breaks!
Littler 1-1 Humphries (legs 2-0) Humphries has started to drop off, one of those momentum shifts that makes darts so compelling. Now isn’t the best time for a dip, because I can confirm Littler has gone into beast mode: he takes out 217 in four darts to move within a leg of a 2-1 lead. He’s won the last five legs.
Littler 1-1 Humphries (legs 1-0) Littler might be going into beast mode. He leads for only the second time in the match after hitting D20, last dart in hand, with Humphries waiting on 60.
“Can we officially start the ‘Darts at the Olympics’ campaign tonight, Rob?” says Simon McMahon. “Forget the 100m final, Humphries / Littler v MVG / Barney would be the hottest ticket in town. Maybe throw in some bar billiards or shove ha’penny. Ok, let’s just bring back Indoor League is what I’m saying.”
Those unfamiliar with Indoor League, please read entry No2 here. In fact read all of it, it’s Scott Murray.
Littler wins the second set!
Littler 1-1 Humphries (legs 3-2) An astonishing mini-comeback from Luke Littler! He breaks Humphries in 12 darts, finishing on Shanghai, to win the set against the throw – and having been 2-0 down. He won all three legs in just 37 darts, at a time when Humphries was threatening to get away with him. His mental strength is mind-boggling.
Littler takes out 142!
Littler 0-1 Humphries (legs 2-2) Humphries starts with four perfect darts on the Littler throw. Littler is first to a finish, 142, but Humphries leaves 81 after nine.
He doesn’t get a look: Littler pops T20-T20-D11 for a majestic finish! He’s right back in this game.
Littler breaks back!
Littler 0-1 Humphries (legs 1-2) The muscle memory is kicking in! Littler nicks the darts and then hits 180 to leave 106. Humphries does likewise to leave 107. Both men miss a dart at tops – Humphries’ for the set – before Littler returns to infiltrate D15. That’s a superb response.
Humphries breaks!
Littler 0-1 Humphries (legs 0-2) Littler is having a bad spell. Humphries breaks on D2 after Littler missed the bull for 128 – but Humphries, who is bullying Littler with his scoring, had a dart at D5 before that. He’s won five legs in a row.
Littler 0-1 Humphries (legs 0-1) Humphries has the darts in the second set. He starts with 135, 137 and then 180 to leave 49 after nine. Littler, who is struggling, is back on 259 when Humphries returns to hit D16 for an 11-darter.