Archive News - May 2017
5th - 7th May 2017
Euro Tour 4 - HappyBet European Darts Grand Prix (Sindelfingen, Germany)
For the second Euro Tour event running Rob Cross made it to the quarter-finals.
In the opening round the PDC rookie saw off Luke Woodhouse 6-3 having raced into a 5-0 lead, finishing in 17, 19, 13, 14 and 13 darts. Woodhouse responded by winning the next three legs that included checkouts of 120 and 121 before Cross sealed victory with a 13 dart final leg. Cross hit five maximums and averaged 96.31.
Simon Whitlock was Cross's next victim, falling 6-3 in the Second Round. Whitlock broke throw in 14 darts to go one up with an 84 finish before Cross won four legs on the bounce in 15, 16, 18 and 15 darts that included checkouts of 115, 110 and 72. The final four legs all went with throw with both players missing the bull for 170 finishes. This was Cross's third victory this year over the former PDC world finalist. Cross hit three 180's and averaged 95.93.
In the Third Round, Cross pulled off a convincing 6-1 victory against Steve West. Cross broke throw in the opening leg with a 14 darter then doubled his lead with a 16 dart second leg. West hit back with an eleven dart third leg before Cross rattled off legs of 13, 14, 14 and 18 darts to move into the last eight. Cross hit just the one maximum and averaged an impressive 103.32,
Cross's run was thwarted by Dave Chisnall in the quarter-finals where Chizzy hit eight 180's and missed a dart at double 12 for a 9 dart finish. The opening leg was scrappy with both players struggling to hit a double. Chisnall eventually won it by hitting double four for a 19 darter. Chisnall then won the next in 21 darts and extended his lead to 3-0 in just 11 darts. Cross then pulled two legs back, both in 14 darts. Chisnall then took out the next in 13 darts having missed his chance of a nine darter. Cross then responded with a 13 dart leg before Chisnall took the next two legs in 14 and 17 darts to advance to the semi-finals. Cross hit three maximums during the match and averaged 91.70.
Cross won £4,000 for making the last eight bringing his total for the year to £38,250.
12th - 14th May 2017
Euro Tour 5 - Gibraltar Trophy
The Gibratar Trophy saw Cross in his third straight Euro Tour quarter-final.
Cross came through the opening round with a 6-0 victory against Mario Robb. After a slow start Cross reeled off the opening legs in 22, 17, 21 and 18 darts against his dutch opponent. The final two legs were won in impressive fashion, taking out 81 (19, T12, D13) for a 15 darter and 52 (20, D16) for a 14 darter. Cross hit two maximums in the match and averaged 84.28.
Joe Cullen was Cross's opponent in the second round. This time Cross came through with a 6-5 victory. The first three legs went with throw then Cross broke to go 3-1 up with a 94 (T18, D20) checkout for a 14 darter to go 3-1 up. Cullen responded well by taking the next two legs in 13 and 16 darts to level at three apiece. Cross then hit a 13 dart leg himself to go back in front before Joe levelled with a 15 dart leg. Cross then had his best leg of the match, an eleven darter finishing on 41 to go 5-4 up. Cross missed three match darts in the tenth leg as Joe took out 50 for a 17 darter. Cross then sealed victory with a 17 dart final leg also finishing on 50. Cross hit six 180's and averaged 93.83.
Cross was in great form in the third round as he dispatched Dave Chisnall 6-2, gaining revenge on the previous week's encounter. Cross took the final five legs, having trailed 2-1. Cross broke throw in the opening leg with a 15 darter before poor finishing let him down in the second as Chisnall finished in 20 darts. Chizzy then hit an 11 dart third leg before Cross levelled in the fourth by taking out 114 (T20, 14, D20) for a 15 darter. Cross then had an eleven dart fifth leg to go 3-2 up and checked out on double six in a 16 dart leg to extend his lead. 14 darts is all it took for Cross to go 5-2 up. Chisnall then missed bull for a 104 checkout in the eighth leg before Cross took out 153 (T19, T20, D18) to claim victory. Cross hit four 180's and averaged 97.50.
In the quarter-finals, Cross was up against Michael Smith. The first four legs went with throw, Cross checking out the opening leg in 14 darts with an 86 (T18, D16) finish and the third leg in 15 darts with a 90 finish (20, 20, bull). Smith took the second leg in 18 darts and the fourth leg in 12 darts with an 88 finish. Smith then broke throw in 12 darts, checking out on 111 and extended his lead to 4-2 in 17 darts after Cross had missed a dart at the bull for a 164 finish. Cross then held throw in 18 darts before Cross took out 64 in a 15 dart leg to go 5-3 up. Cross held throw again, hitting tops for a 15 darter and took the match to a decider by finishing off 77 (19, 18, D20) for an 18 darter. Smith won the deciding leg in 12 darts, checking out on 81. Cross hit two 180's and averaged 99.93.
Smith went on to beat Peter Wright 6-5 in the semi-finals and Mensur Suljovic 6-4 in the final.
Cross won £4,000 in prize money and moved up from 61st to 58th in the PDC Order of Merit.
19th May 2017
Euro Tour 6 - UK Qualifier (Milton Keynes)
Rob Cross missed out on a place in Euro Tour 6 - European Darts Matchplay after being defeated by Richard North in the final round of the UK Qualifier in Milton Keynes. Cross beat Robert Owen 6-0 before going down 6-3 against North.
Euro Tour 7 - UK Qualifier (Milton Keynes)
Rob Cross qualified for EuroTour 7 - Austrian Darts Open, coming through tonight's UK Qualifier in Milton Keynes with wins against Nathan Aspinall 6-5 and Paul Harvey 6-0. The Austrian Open will be held in Vienna from 23-25 June.
20th May 2017
Players Championship 11 (Milton Keynes)
Rob Cross started Players Championship 11 with wins against Matthew Edgar 6-2, Devon Petersen 6-4 and Cristo Reyes 6-3.
In the fourth round, Cross was up against Michael Smith. In their previous encounter just six days ago Cross won a last leg decider in Gibraltar but this time around Cross came away with a 6-3 win.
In the quarter-finals, Cross beat in-form Jonny Clayton 6-2.
The semi-finals saw Cross take on Peter Wright in what was a high class match up. Wright was in devastating form as he ended Cross's run by posting an average of 120.71 in a 6-3 victory. Having won the bull off to start things off Wright opened up with his first of six maximums and checked out on 76 for a 12 dart opening leg. Cross levelled with a 15 dart leg finishing on 87 before Wright took out 41 for another 12 darter. Cross made it 2-2 with a 12 darter himself, checking out on 81 after opening with his only 180 of the match. 'Snakebite' then finished the fifth leg in 10 darts, finishing on 32. Cross levelled again for 3-3 with a 14 dart leg, finishing on 70 (T18, D8). Wright then held throw once more with a 14 dart leg finishing on 32 before breaking with a 12 darter then sealing his place in the Final with a fourth 12 dart leg finishing on 91. Cross averaged 109.19.
Wright went on to beat Daryl Gurney 6-3 in the Final.
Cross won £3,000 prize money.
21st May 2017
Players Championship 12 (Milton Keynes)
Rob Cross started Players Championship 12 with wins against Max Hopp 6-4, Tony Newell 6-1 and James Wade 6-2.
In the fourth round, Cross came up against Mensur Suljovic for the first time on the PDC circuit, fighting back from 4-2 down to win 6-4. In this match Cross took out finishes of 106, 84, 144 (T18, T18, D18) and 84 again, hit two 180's and averaged 101.08.
Cross then beat Darren Webster 6-1 in the quarter-finals and followed that with an extremely impressive 112.36 average as he blew away Kim 'The Hurricane' Huybrechts in the semi-finals 6-1 with winning legs of 14, 12, 13, 12, 14 and 11 darts, finishes of 124 (T20, T14, D11), 107 (T19, 18, D16) and 81 (T15, D18), three 180's and a 177.
In the final, Cross was up against Ian White. In their previous two meetings White ran out the winner but this time around Cross came from 5-4 down to win 6-5 against to claim his second title of the year. Cross won the opening leg against throw, Cross won the next two then Cross made it 2-2, hitting back to back 180's and finishing on 41 in a 14 dart leg. White then took out 121 in a 12 dart leg to go 3-2 up. Cross levelled in 17 darts only for White to take out 122 to go back in front. Cross made it 4-4 with a 13 dart leg then White went back in front with a 14 darter. Cross made it 5-5 by taking out 76 in an 18 dart leg. In the decider, White missed match darts before Cross took out 36 for a 16 darter. Cross hit four maximums to White's one. Cross averaged 95.34. White averaged 93.57.
Cross won £10,000 prize-money and moved up six places in the PDC Order of Merit to 52nd.
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