SECOND ROUND
Rob Cross 8 Adrian Lewis 11
PDC rising star Rob Cross missed out on a place in the quarter-finals of the BetVictor World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool as he lost out to two time world champion and former matchplay runner-up Adrian ‘Jackpot’ Lewis in a highly fought second round encounter 11-8.
The match was played in great spirit. In the opening leg of the match Lewis missed two darts at double sixteen as Cross took out double top in a 16 dart leg to break throw.
This would be the only time Cross lead in the match despite playing some exceptional darts. Having already hit an opening leg maximum, Lewis hit two more back-to-back as he levelled the tie at 1-1, taking out 40 in a 14 dart leg.
The next three legs were all finished in 13 darts and all going with throw to give Lewis a 3-2 lead going into the first interval.
Cross then threw his worst leg of the match as the the Stoke-on-Trent man broke throw with yet another 13 dart leg, notching his fifth 180 in the process.
Cross responded well by breaking back in the next in 14 darts but was broken again in the eighth leg as Lewis finished a 12 darter with what was to be the highest outshot of the match (144).
Cross wasn’t going to fold though and came back superbly by hitting 140, 180, 145 and hitting double eighteen for a 10 darter to trail 5-4. He then followed this with scores of 97, 100, 100, 140 and took out 64 in two darts to level at 5-5 going into the second interval.
The next four legs were shared with both players holding their throws. Lewis finishing his legs with two 15 darters and Cross taking his out with two 13 darters.
With the match level at 7-7 Lewis threw in a 12 dart leg, finishing on 121. The next leg saw Lewis have another chance of a 144 finish. Having hit the two treble twenty’s his final dart clipped the double 12 wire and bounced out leaving Cross to take out 32 and level at 8-8.
Lewis then held throw in 15 darts to go 9-8 up. It was the next leg that swung the match in Lewis’s favour, with Lewis waiting on 24 after throwing 12 darts, Cross had a chance to level by taking out 64. He hit two single sixteen’s but missed the crucial shot at the double sixteen. Lewis then took out the 24 in two darts, finishing on double six for a break of throw and lead 10-8.
Lewis then held throw with a 56 finish for a 15 darter to claim the victory with Cross left on 58 having thrown 12 darts.
In his post match interview, Lewis was full of praise for Cross and jokingly revealed that Cross had told him “you’re good but I’m going to be taking your place in the top 10”. Lewis then said “he’s awesome, his attitude is amazing, he believes in himself and will be a top 16 player without a shadow of a doubt”.
Former matchplay runner-up Wayne Mardle was also full of praise for Cross, saying “he is the real deal” and commended him for being able to stick with Lewis who was playing his best darts for some time.
Lewis finished up by hitting nine 180’s and averaging 100.93.
Cross hit seven 180’s, averaged 104.08 and hit eight doubles from fourteen attempts.