PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP 21
Metrodome, Barnsley
Tuesday 10th October 2017
Rob Cross won his fourth Players Championship title of the year beating Adrian Lewis 6-3 in the final at the Barnsley Metrodome.
Coming into the event as the number four seed 'Voltage' started Players Championship 21 with a 6-0 win against Ron Meulenkamp. He then scraped past Craig Gilchrist 6-5 to make it through to the last 64.
In the third round the Hastings man beat Steve West 6-3, hitting three maximums and averaging 94.64. West hit two maximums and averaged 82.82. In this match Cross opened up a three-nil lead with legs of 13, 18 and 13 darts. West then went out in 18 darts with Cross taking the next two legs in 15 and 16 darts to go 5-1 up. Just as it was looking as though Cross was cruising to victory a few missed doubles in the seventh leg allowed West back in as he hit double ten for a 19 dart leg and then followed it up with a 13 darter. Cross then closed out the match with an 11 dart leg, hitting scores of 139, 140, 180 and checking out on 42 by hitting a single ten and double sixteen.
Cross then beat John Henderson 6-5 for a place in the quarter-finals.
In the last eight Cross beat Keegan Brown 6-0, hitting three maximums and averaging 94.93. Brown hit one maximum and averaged 81.70. Cross won with legs of 21, 12, 16, 18, 15 and 13 darts. The second leg was won with scores of 140, 134, 137 and a 90 outshot (20, 20, bull). The final leg was won with scores of 60, 180, 180, 49 and a 32 outshot.
Cross produced an average of 106.76 as he booked his place in the final with a 6-2 win over recent Tom Kirby Memorial Trophy winner William O'Connor in the semi-finals. The Sussex superstar opened up with scores of 100, 100, 134, 139 and hit double fourteen for a 13 dart first leg then hit 100, 80, 177 and took out 144 (T18, T18, D18) for a 12 darter to go two in front. A 16 dart leg followed before O'Connor took his first leg in 19 darts. Cross then fired in 100, 100, 98, 171 and took out double sixteen for a 13 dart fifth leg to go 4-1 up. O'Connor hit back with a 14 dart leg, opening with a 180 and closing with a 64 checkout (T8, D20). Cross then closed the match out with legs of 15 and 12 darts. The 15 dart leg included a 180 and an 88 finish (T20, x, D14). The final leg saw the PDC rookie hit 99, 140, 180 and a checkout of 82 (25, 17, D20).
The final against Adrian Lewis was a great battle as Cross fired in four maximums and averaged 98.52. Lewis hit five maximums and averaged 106.99. Cross won the opener in 16 darts taking out double top. Lewis fired back with scores of 139, 121, 140 and checked out 101 (20, T19, D12) for a 12 darter. Cross then hit tops again to go back in front and took out 44 to break (D12, D10). Both these legs were won in 14 darts. Cross extended his lead with an 18 dart leg to go 4-1 up, Lewis took out the next in 14. Cross then took out 90 (20, 20, bull) in a 15 dart leg to go 5-2 up. Lewis then had a 15 darter of his own, finishing on 76 (20, 16, D20) before Cross sealed his place at the top of the Players Championship Order of Merit with a 15 dart leg, finishing on 64 (T7, 11, D16).
Next up, Players Championship 22 at the Barnsley Metrodome tomorrow afternoon.