Euro Tour 12 

Friday 13th October 2017 - Sunday 15th October 2017

Number six seed Rob Cross made it through to his second Euro Tour final as he contested the HappyBet European Darts Trophy in Gottingen, Germany losing out to world number one Michael van Gerwen 6-4.

 

Having stormed to the top of the Players Championship Order of Merit with a fourth title just a few days earlier the former electrician received a bye to the second round where he took on Jamie Caven.

 

In a tightly contested match Cross took out 116 (20, T20, D18) in a 12 dart deciding leg after scores of 180, 100 and 105 to win 6-5. The Hastings man held throw in the opening leg, hitting double sixteen for a 16 darter. A couple of misses at doubles in the second leg allowed Caven back in as he finished off 60 (20, 20, D10) for a 21 darter. 'Jabba' then broke throw as he hit his only maximum of the match and took out 77 (19, 18, D20) in a 15 dart leg. Cross broke back immediately with an 11 darter, scoring 84, 180, 140 and taking out 97 (T19, D20). A 14 darter followed for 'Voltage', taking out 68 (T20, D4) to lead 3-2. Caven wasn't going away though as he fought back with legs of 15 and 18 darts to go back in front. Another 11 dart leg from Cross with scores of 140, 177, 168 and a 16 finish (x, D8) made it 4-4. Cross started the next leg with another 180 and closed out with a double twelve for a 16 darter to lead 5-4. Caven won the tenth leg in 17 darts. Cross hit five maximums and averaged 99.74, Caven averaged 89.20.

 

In the third round, Cross put in a solid performance in beating Keegan Brown 6-2, hitting two maximums and averaging 105.40. A good start from the Sussex man saw him take the opening three legs in 14, 14 and 11 darts. An error from the marker in the opening leg saw Cross take out 36 (x, D18) when he actually left himself 38. It took two pokes at double sixteen to win the second leg, the next was won with scores of 180, 134, 140 and a 47 checkout (15, D16). One missed dart at double top allowed Brown to get a leg on the board as he finished off by hitting double ten for an 18 darter. Cross then fired in a 13 dart fifth leg to restore a three leg advantage, once again taking out double sixteen. Another 18 dart leg from Brown made it 4-2 as he picked off double eighteen. A second 13 dart leg followed from Cross, this time taking out double ten. This was another leg where the marker had made an error. Cross had left 109 after nine darts after scoring 137, 140 and 105 but was told he had 119 left. The last leg of the match was won in 18 darts with Cross taking out 52 (20, x, D16).

 

In the quarter-finals, Cross hit two maximums and averaged 93.15 as he beat number three seed Michael Smith 6-3. Cross started off with a 17 dart leg, taking out double eight. Smith levelled with an 85 finish (T15, x, D20) for an 18 darter. A 13 dart leg with a double ten finish followed for Cross. He then broke throw in a scrappy fourth leg, taking out double six for a 20 darter. The livewire rookie then held with another double six finish for a 16 darter to go 4-1 up. Two 17 dart legs followed, Smith taking the first by hitting double twelve then Cross hitting double sixteen to go 5-2 up. 'Bullyboy' then produced his best leg of the match, taking out double sixteen for a 13 darter but it was all to no avail as Cross finished the next leg  in just 11 darts with scores of 95, 140, 180 and taking out 86 (T18, D16) to advance to the last four. Smith hit one maximum and averaged 79.02.

 

In the semi-finals, Cross beat Kim Huybrechts for the fourth time this year with a 6-1 victory that included a last leg checkout of 115 (T19, 18, D20) as he recorded an average of 98.80. Surprisingly this match failed to produce a 180 from either player. Cross broke throw in the opening leg, taking out 74 (14, 20, D10) for a 15 darter. He then held throw in 18 darts, again hitting double ten. Huybrechts won the next in 16 darts, poking home double sixteen. The next three legs were won in 13, 14 and 13 darts by Cross and the last was won in 18 darts. Huybrechts averaged 83.42.

 

In the final, Cross won the opening leg in 16 darts, hitting double sixteen, in the next he was left on 83 after 12 darts as the world champion took out a 160 finish to level. Cross then pinged double nine for an 18 dart third leg but his dutch opponent hit back with two 15 dart legs with finishes of 68 (20, 12, D18) and 100 (20, D20, D20) to lead 3-2. Cross drew level with another double nine finish for a 16 darter but back came MvG with legs of 13 and 15 darts, finishing on 40 and 150 (T20, T18, D18) to lead 5-3. Cross took the next in 14 darts, taking out double sixteen then Van Gerwen hit double five for an 18 dart final leg to claim the title. Cross hit one maximum and averaged 93.23. Van Gerwen hit one maximum and averaged 96.70.

 

Next up for Cross is The Unibet European Championship in Hassalt, Belgium from 26th-29th October. LIVE ON ITV4.