In a gripping opening round at the 2025 SkyCity New Zealand Darts Masters, 18-year-old darts phenom Luke Littler, known as ‘The Nuke,’ fought through a tough challenge from New Zealand’s Mark Cleaver to secure a 6-4 victory at Auckland’s Spark Arena on Friday, August 15. The world champion, fresh off his Australian Darts Masters triumph, showed resilience despite a below-par performance, setting up a blockbuster quarter-final clash with Mike De Decker. Joining Littler in the next round are defending champion Luke Humphries and former champion Gerwyn Price, both of whom navigated their own challenges to advance, setting the stage for a thrilling Finals Day in the seventh event of the 2025 World Series of Darts.
Littler’s match against Cleaver, a 57-year-old plasterer and World Cup performer, was anything but straightforward. The teenager surged to a 3-0 lead, pinning double 12 to assert early dominance. However, Cleaver, buoyed by the home crowd, fought back with a 15-dart hold to make it 3-1, raising his arms to rally the spectators. “It wasn’t easy up there. Mark’s not the quickest player, so I just tried to get into some sort of rhythm,” Littler admitted, acknowledging the challenge of adapting to Cleaver’s pace. The Kiwi veteran capitalized on Littler’s uncharacteristic struggles, missing a bullseye for a 3-3 tie but leveling the score at 4-4 with two 15-dart finishes. Littler, who remarkably didn’t hit a single 180—a rarity for the prolific maximum scorer—remained composed, sealing the win with back-to-back 13-dart legs, including a crucial break on double 10. “Credit Littler for not panicking though, he stayed composed, tidied up his act and crossed the line,” observers noted, highlighting his maturity under pressure.
Despite the victory, Littler’s performance was far from his scintillating best. Averaging 96.24 compared to Cleaver’s 87.75, he relied on a 46.15% checkout rate to fend off the local star, who managed one 180 and a 33.33% checkout rate. The match marked the end of Littler’s remarkable 222-game streak of hitting at least one 180, a testament to Cleaver’s ability to disrupt ‘The Nuke’s’ rhythm. Now, Littler faces a familiar foe in Mike De Decker, who cruised past Gordon Mathers 6-1 with a commanding display, averaging over 100. The Belgian, who fell to Littler 8-4 in the Australian Darts Masters final, is eager for redemption, making their quarter-final a must-watch rematch.
Elsewhere, world number one Luke Humphries kicked off his title defense with a 6-3 win over New Zealand’s top-ranked Haupai Puha, who had pushed Littler to a last-leg decider in Australia the previous week. Humphries, still battling the effects of a recent illness, admitted to being “out of sorts” with an 89.47 average and no 180s. “I don’t think I have had one good game of darts in two months. Everyone knows that and everyone can see that,” he confessed, expressing frustration with his form since winning the Premier League final. Despite reeling off four straight legs to take control, Humphries faced a late surge from Puha, who hit a 177 and an 11-darter but missed a 152 checkout. Humphries sealed the win on double four, setting up a quarter-final against Damon Heta, who dispatched debutant Dean Reyland 6-1 with a 46.15% doubles success rate despite an 86 average. “Hopefully tomorrow I can be the Luke Humphries that everybody knows,” Humphries added, hopeful of rediscovering his championship spark.
Gerwyn Price, the 2022 New Zealand Darts Masters champion, delivered a standout performance, edging out Jonny Tata 6-4 in a thrilling encounter. Price, who averaged an impressive 103.60 and fired seven 180s, narrowly missed a nine-darter on double 12. “The Iceman” was tested by Tata’s 96.81 average and 50% checkout rate, but his scoring power proved decisive. “I left my opponent in the match too long,” Price reflected, crediting Tata’s resilience. Price now faces Josh Rock, who impressed on his Auckland debut with a 99.87 average in a 6-2 rout of John Hurring, highlighted by a 10-darter and a 14-darter. Rock, who previously defeated Price at the World Matchplay, adds intrigue to their quarter-final showdown.
The first round saw all eight PDC stars triumph over their Oceanic counterparts, with top seed Stephen Bunting defeating Ben Robb 6-3, hitting three 180s, and Chris Dobey overcoming Simon Whitlock 6-4 with notable 130 and 154 checkouts. Bunting, the Bahrain and Nordic Darts Masters champion, faces Dobey in the quarter-finals, while the tournament’s £100,000 prize pool fuels the intensity. Saturday’s Finals Day, starting at 7:00 PM local time, promises high drama as Littler, Humphries, Price, and their rivals battle for the title, with the World Series Finals in Amsterdam (September 12-14) on the horizon. Littler, with four World Series titles and a recent World Matchplay crown, remains the player to watch, but his shaky start in Auckland suggests the road to a Down Under double is fraught with challenges.
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