2018 Betway World Cup Of Darts 

Thursday 31st May - Sunday 3rd June 2018

Eissporthalle, Frankfurt, Germany.

Rob Cross made his World Cup Of Darts debut alongside Dave Chisnall as they represented England in the thirty-two nation tournament at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt, Germany. They took on the Czech Republic in the opening round, winning 5-3. They then beat Singapore 2-1 in the last sixteen before losing out 2-1 against Belgium.

First Round (vs Czech Republic)

In the opening round the English pair were up against Karel Sedlacek and Roman Benecky of the Czech Republic. The format was pairs over the best of nine legs. England broke the Czech throw in the opening leg with Chisnall taking out double four in an 18 dart leg. This was followed with a 13 darter. Cross hit scores of 96, 138 and took out double eighteen in one dart with Chisnall scoring 100 and 131. Missed doubles from both Cross and Chisnall allowed their opponents to win the third leg in 21 darts. Chisnall hit a 180 in the fouth leg as Cross made it 3-1 by hitting double eight at the first atrempt for a 19 darter. This was followed with England's best leg of the match. Cross scored 93 and 174 with Chisnall hitting 100 and an excellent 134 finish (T20, T14, D16). The Czech Republic pairing won the sixth leg in 14 darts, hitting a 180 and checking out on 52. They then won the next in 18 darts with a 104 finish for an 18 darter to trail 4-3. England then stepped on the accelerator to win the eighth leg and the match 5-3 with another 13 darter, Cross scoring 140, 93 and hitting double top in one dart, Chizzy scoring 134 and 94. As a pair England averaged 93.27, individually Cross averaged 89.73 and Chisnall averaged 97.37

Second Round (vs Singapore)

The format for the second round was two singles followed by pars (if required), all best of seven legs.

Rob Cross vs Paul Lim

64-year-old Paul Lim made a great start to this tie by kicking off with a 180 on the way to taking the opening leg in 14 darts, hitting double top at the second attempt, with Cross left waiting on 40 after 12 darts thrown. Cross missed a dart at the bull to level the scores in the next leg as Lim found tops again, this time for a 13 darter to make it 2-0. It was Lim's turn to miss the bull in third leg as Cross won it against throw in 15 darts, poking home double one after missed efforts at double seven and double two. Cross then fired in a 12 dart leg to make it 2-2 with scores of 140, 180, 88 and a 93 finish (19, T18, D10). Cross missed a dart at bull to make it three legs on the spin as Lim won the fifth leg in 17 darts, once again finding double top. Cross missed darts at double eight, four, two and one in the next as Lim sealed a 4-2 victory by hitting double twenty again, this to in a fourteen dart leg. Cross hit three 180s and averaged 103.50. Lim hit two 180s and averaged 102.29.

Dave Chisnall vs Harith Lim

Dave Chisnall made a great start to the second singles tie by opening up with scores of 180 and 140 as he took the first leg in 14 darts, taking out double ten. Both players missed chances in the second leg before Lim eventually won it in 20 darts by taking out double six to make it 1-1. Chisnall then took out 142 (T20, T14, D20) to win the third leg in 15 darts. Back came Lim as he took out 101 (20, T19, D12) to make it 2-2 with a 15 dart leg. Chisnall then moved back in front with a 17 darter finishing on double five and won the sixth leg in 18 darts with a double ten finish for a 4-2 win. Chisnall hit three 180s and averaged 89.87. Lim averaged 89.67.

Pairs

The pairs was a game of missed chances. Paul Lim took out double sixteen in the opening leg to win it in 21 darts. Cross then completed a 15 dart leg for England with a 52 finish to make it 1-1 and hit double top for a 21 darter to go in front. Cross then hit double eleven to win the fouth in 20 darts.Chisnall then hit double top for a 52 finish, a 4-1 win and a place in the last eight. Both teams hit one 180. As a team England averaged 86.52. Cross averaged 86.52. Chisnall averaged 73.79. Singapore averaged 73.79. 

Quarter-Finals (vs Belgium)

The format for the quarter-finals was the same as the second round tie.

Rob Cross vs Kim Huybrechts

Cross was in decent form in this tie as he gave Engalnd the lead with a 4-2 win over Huybrechts. The former electrician won the opening leg in 16 darts by taking out double sixteen at the second attempt then won the next in 14 darts by hitting double five after missed efforts at double twenty and double ten. Huybrechts won the next with an 82 finish (bull, D16) for a 14 darter himself. Cross took out double top at the third time of asking to win the fourth leg in 13 darts to go 3-1 up. Back came Huybrechts with a 13 darter of his own, once again taking out double sixteen. Cross then won the tie with another 13 darter ending on double sixteen. Cross hit two 180s and averaged 107.48. Huybrechts hit one 180 and averaged 98.78.

Dave Chisnall va Dimitri Van den Bergh

'Chizzy' made a poor start to this match as he struggled to get a rhythm going. Van den Bergh won the opener in 21 darts by taking out double seven. Chisnall then smashed in a 12 darter with scores of 140, 180, 134 and a 47 finish, taking out double ten. Van den Bergh then took out 121 (T20, T11, D14) to go 2-1 up with a 15 darter. 'The Dream Maker' then extended his lead with a 71 finish (T13, D16) in a 14 dart leg with Chisnall back on 160. In the next leg Chisnall took out 160 to win it in 15 darts and trail 3-2. Van den Bergh missed chances to win the tie in the next leg as Chisnall took it with a double eight finish in an 18 dart leg. Van den Bergh made no mistake in the decider as he won it in 14 darts finishing on double sixteen. Chisnall hit one 180 and averaged 86.86. Van den Bergh hit two 180s and averaged 91.25.

Pairs

The Belgian pair produced some decent darts to win the deciding pairs tie and send England packing. They took the opener in 17 darts with Van den Bergh hitting a 180 and taking out double eight. Three scores of 140 put them in control of the second leg as Huybrechts fired home double sixteen in a 13 dart leg. Another maximum from Van den Bergh sent them on their way to winning the third in 16 darts, this time it was Van den Bergh who hit double sixteen. One missed dart at double top from Cross in the fourth leg as he attempted to take out 142 having hit two treble seventeens proved costly as the Belgian duo sealed a 4-0 win as Huybrechts took out double double eight after Van den Bergh had hit a third 180 earlier in the leg. As a pair England averaged 87.40. Belgium averaged 100.20. Cross averaged 92.92. Chisnall averaged 79.12.