Archive News - June 2017
17th June 2017
Players Championship 13 (Wigan)
Rob Cross made it to the semi-finals of Players Championship 13 in Wigan with wins against Jan Dekker, Vincent Kamphuis, Mervyn King, Peter Wright, and Robert Thornton.
In the semi-finals, Steve Beaton defeated Cross 6-3 and went on to beat Gary Anderson in the final by the same margin.
In the first round, Cross beat Jan Dekker 6-2. The opening four legs went with throw. Cross taking the first and third legs in 22 and 13 darts. Dekker taking legs two and four in 14 and 15 darts including a 107 checkout to level at 2-2. Cross took the next four legs to seal victory in 18, 15, 17 and 11 darts. Cross hit four 180's and averaged 95.93.
Cross started slowly in his second round match against Vincent Kamphuis. Cross found himself 2-0 down against his Dutch opponent but fought back by taking the next six legs in 15, 19, 14, 14, 14 and 13 darts to win 6-2. Cross hit six 180s a 113 (T20, 17, D18) checkout and averaged 94.35.
Cross's best performance of the day was in the third round as he beat Mervyn King 6-1 to reach the last 16. Cross took the opening five legs in 15, 13, 12, 12 and 12 darts. King then won the sixth leg in 14 darts then Cross took the seventh in 14 for the win. Cross's win included checkouts of 83, 88, 132 (25, T19, bull) and 83 again. Cross hit four 180s, a 177, a 174 and averaged an impressive 112.87. King averaged 101.09.
In the fourth round, Cross beat Peter Wright for the first time in three attempts. Cross opened up a 2-0 lead with 14 and 17 dart finishes and from then on each leg went with the throw with Cross finishing his winning legs in 18, 17, 13 and 13 darts. Wright won his legs in 14, 16, 13 and 13 darts. Cross hit two 180s and averaged 93.29.
Cross then put in a decent performance to beat Robert Thornton 6-1 in the Quarter-Finals. Cross won the opening three legs in 13, 17 and 15 darts before Thornton won the fourth in 15 darts. Legs of 13, 13 and 15 sealed the victory. Cross hit two 180's, took out finishes of 70, 86 and 111 and averaged 104.73.
Steve Beaton got off to a good start in the semi-final tie, checking out on 124 and 120 to gain a 2-0 lead. Cross got it back to 2-2 with legs of 14 and 16 darts but Beaton won the next three legs in 15, 16 and 19 darts. Cross then won the next in 15 darts and Beaton took the ninth leg in 13 darts. Cross hit three 180's and averaged 89.31. Beaton averaged 91.63.
Cross won £3,000 prize money.
18th June 2017
Players Championship 14 (Wigan)
Rob Cross matched his run from yesterday by making it to the semi-finals of Players Championship 14 in Wigan. This time Cross had wins against Paul Rowley, Andy Jenkins, Antonio Alcinas, Mensur Suljovic and Daryl Gurney.
It was two times world champion and current world number two Gary Anderson that ended Rob's run in the last four, inflicting a 6-4 defeat.
Cross beat Paul Rowley 6-1 in the opening round taking out finishes of 92, 89, 110, 84 and 111 as he dominated the tie. The opening two legs were won in 15 and 13 darts with Rowley then winning his leg in 14 darts. Cross took the final four legs in 20, 15, 11 and 15 darts to post an average of 99.29.
Cross then won 6-4 against Andy Jenkins in the second round, posting a 96.14 average. The first four legs went with throw. Cross winning legs one and three in 17 and 14 darts. Jenkins won legs two and four in 14 (100 finish) and 18 darts. Cross then won the next three legs in 14 (90 finish), 18 (76 finish) and 15 darts to go 5-2 up. Jenkins then held throw with a 75 checkout for an 18 darter and broke in 14 darts to reduce the deficit to 5-4. Cross then broke back with a 134 (T18, T16, D16) finish for a 12 dart leg to move into the last 32.
Cross came from 4-0 down to beat Antonio Alcinas 6-4 in the third round with the Spaniard taking the opening legs in 17, 14, 15 and 13 darts. Cross's revival started with a 20 dart fifth leg followed by a 13 darter in leg six.
Cross then won the final four legs in 18, 14, 19 and 15 darts. The winning leg producing a 120 finish. Cross averaged 87.41 in this match.
Cross beat second seed Mensur Suljovic 6-5 in the fourth round hitting four 180's and averaging 98.79. The opening two legs went with throw. Cross winning the opener in 17 darts and Suljovic the second in 15 darts, finishing on 84. Cross then won the next two to go 3-1 up. A 16 darter followed by an 85 finish for a 12 darter. Suljovic hit back with a 130 finish in an 18 dart leg to trail 3-2 then Cross went 4-2 in front with an 11 dart leg and extended his lead by checking out on 80 in a 14 dart leg. From 5-2 down Suljovic responded well to level at 5-5, finishing in 18, 13 and 18 darts. Cross held throw in the last leg, taking out double top for a 14 darter.
The qurter-final tie against Daryl Gurney proved to be the best of the day with Cross winning 6-4. The best leg of the match was one that Cross lost when he held a 5-3 lead. Gurney taking it out in ten darts with scores of 180, 140, 145, D18. Cross was back on 105 after scoring 123, 140 and 133. The opening two legs were shared with both players breaking each other's throw with 16 darters. Cross won the next in 14 darts and checked out on 85 (19, 16, bull) for a 15 darter to go 3-1 up. Gurney won the next in 16 to trail 3-2. The next two legs were shared, both 15 darters. Cross hit a 121 checkout to win his and Gurney took out 106 for his. Cross then went 5-3 up with a 13 dart leg, then after Gurney's 10 darter Cross took the tenth for the win in 14 darts by pinging double 16. Cross averaged 100.45 and Gurney averaged 101.26.
In the semi-final against Gary Anderson, Cross won the opening leg against throw in 13 darts. Anderson then levelled in 15 darts and held throw to go 2-1 up. Cross levelled for 2-2 in 16 darts then Anderson went back in front in 17 darts. Cross then won the next to make it 3-3 with an 11 darter, hitting 134, 180, 171 and taking out 16 in two darts. The next two legs were shared, Anderson finishing the seventh leg in 18 darts and Cross taking the eighth in 13 darts. Anderson then won the next two legs to advance to the final by checking out on 113 for a 15 darter and 97 for a 12 darter. Cross hit three 180s and averaged 100.53. Gary Anderson went on to beat Ian White 6-1 in the final.
Rob won £3,000 prize money.
23rd-25th June 2017
Euro Tour 7 - Austrian Darts Open (Vienna)
Rob Cross was beaten 6-0 by Jelle Klaasen in the second round of the Austrian Darts Open following a 6-4 victory over Andy Jenkins in the opening round.
In the first round, Cross fought back from 4-2 down to win 6-4 against Andy Jenkins. The opening four legs went with the throw. Jenkins taking legs one and three in 21 and 19 darts, Cross taking legs two and four in 17 and 20 darts. After Jenkins had taken the next two legs to establish an advantage with legs of 17 and 16 darts, Cross turned on the heat with legs of 12, 15 and 15 darts that included three 180's and finishes of 88 and 64 to lead 5-4. Cross then held throw with an 18 dart leg to advance to the second round. Cross averaged 89.69.
In the second round, Cross suffered his worst result since joining the PDC tour as Jelle Klaasen got off to a flyer by breaking in the first leg in 13 darts and then holding his throw in 15 with a 92 finish to lead 2-0. Cross missed chances to take the third as Klassen hit tops in a 16 dart leg. Klassen then hit tops again for a 19 dart fourth leg. Cross missed the bull for a 164 finish in leg five with Klassen taking out 67 for a 15 darter and then sealed his place in the last sixteen with a 17 dart sixth leg, finishing on 60. Klassen hit two 180's, hit six doubles in seven attempts and averaged 94.93. Rob averaged 83.26.
Klassen lost out to Michael Smith in the third round. Michael van Gerwen went on to beat Michael Smith 6-5 in the final.
Cross won £2,000 for making the second round.
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