James Wade lands 9-darter at PDC World Darts Championship

James Wade achieved perfection at Alexandra Palace (Picture: Getty Images)

James Wade hit the first PDC World Darts Championship 9-darter since 2016 when he landed the perfect leg against Stephen Bunting on Tuesday afternoon.

The Machine managed a 9-darter for the seventh time in his career, and for the third on television, as he hit back-to-back 180s followed by a 141 checkout on double 12.

It is almost five years since the last perfect leg on the Alexandra Palace stage, with Gary Anderson hitting a 9-darter against Jelle Klaasen on 2 January 2016 in the semi-finals.

It is the 10th in the history of the PDC World Darts Championship, with Raymond van Barneveld hitting the first, also against Klaasen, back in 2009.

Adrian Lewis, Michael van Gerwen, Dean Winstanley, Terry Jenkins and Kyle Anderson are the other players to hit 9-darters at the PDC World Championship.

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Three 9-darters on television puts Wade level with Gary Anderson at fifth on the all-time list.

Phil Taylor still leads the way with 11, followed by MVG on seven, with Van Barneveld and Lewis landing five each.

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Unfortunately for Wade he could not keep up that kind of form for the whole of the match, as he fell to a 4-2 defeat to Bunting, despite taking a 2-0 lead.

The Bullet goes on to take on Ryan Searle in the last 16 at the Alexandra Palace as Wade goes another year without improving on his previous best World Championship performance of the semi-finals.

Wade finished with an average of just 87.94 as his form deserted him over the last four sets, with Bunting finishing on 93.18.

Sky Sports pundit Wayne Mardle said of the perfect leg: ‘Where the 9 came from I have no idea, it was in and amongst a lot of rubbish from James Wade.’

MORE : Gary Anderson threatens to quit darts over Mensur Suljovic tactics in World Championship clash

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