Euro Tour 11 

Friday 22nd September 2017 - Sunday 24th September 2017

Number 13 seed Rob Cross was beaten is the second round of the HappyBet International Darts Open in Riesa, Germany on Saturday evening, losing out to Gravesend's Josh Payne 6-4.

 

A quick fire start from Payne saw him win the opening three legs as Cross took a while to get going.

 

Payne opened up with an eleven dart leg with scores of 139, 180, 150 before taking out double sixteen at the second attempt. He then broke Cross's throw by hitting double top for a 14 darter and then held throw by picking off double five for an 18 darter.

 

Payne missed a dart at bull in the fourth leg allowing Cross to fire home a 76 finish (20, 20, D18) to take the fourth leg in 18 darts.

 

The Hastings man then upped his play by taking out 108 in the fifth leg (T19, 19, D16) for a 15 darter. He then took out 170 for a 12 dart sixth leg to level the scores at three all.

 

Double eight for a 16 darter gave Cross another break of throw to go 4-3 up but some slack scoring in the next allowed Payne back in as he took out double two for a 17 dart leg.

 

Cross hit his only maximum of the match to kick off the ninth leg but it wasn't enough to stop Payne holding throw as he hit double three for another 17 darter to go back in front.

 

Payne then went on to take out 49 in the next leg (17, D16) for victory and a place in the last 16

 

Cross averaged 92.82, Payne hit three maximums and averaged 94.39.

 

In the last 16 Payne ended up on the wrongside of a 6-3 scoreline against Ron Meulenkamp.

 

Peter Wright was the eventual winner, beating Kim Huybrechts 6-5 in the final.

 

Cross picked up £2,000 in prize money although this is not added to any of the Order of Merit tables as he was a seeded player and received a bye to the second round.