Cross bows out to UK Open champion Wade

Rob Cross in UK Open action / Picture: Christopher Dean - PDC

The 2018 world champion from St Leonards was beaten 10-7 by James Wade in round five of a tournament televised live on ITV4. That was despite Cross registering an impressive 101.8 average - the highest losing average in the last 32 at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes.

Cross won the first two and three of the opening four legs before Wade put together a five-leg burst, all of them in 15 darts or fewer, including an 11 and 12-darter, to lead 6-3. The two players traded holds of throw thereafter, with Cross producing two 12-darters of his own and an 11-darter, as Wade completed his victory.

Wade went on to clinch the title for the third time, beating world number one Gerwyn Price on the way, and he moved one place above Cross to fourth in the latest rankings list as a result.

Ritchie Edhouse, noe Hastings based, with his new sponsors

Cross, nicknamed Voltage, previously pulled off a superb comeback from 7-3 down to defeat Andy Hamilton 10-8 in round four on Friday night. From a position of real peril, Cross clinched seven of the last eight legs, including all of the final five, to come through his opening match of the tournament.

The turnaround included legs of 11 and 12 darts as 30-year-old Cross - the runner-up in 2019 - found his game when he really needed it.

Meanwhile, Ritchie Edhouse was also in action at the UK Open. The 37-year-old, who is originally from London but has moved to Hastings, had to start at the first round stage on Friday afternoon and lost 6-4 to Damian Mol.

Edhouse has regained his PDC ProTour card for the 2021 season courtesy of being in the top two on the 2020 Challenge Tour Order of Merit. He reached the last 32 in Players Championship 2 the previous weekend before losing to two-time world champion Gary Anderson.

Players Championship events 5-8, collectively known as Super Series 2, will take place in Milton Keynes from next Tuesday (Mar 16) to Friday (19).

Incidentally, the Unibet Premier League - which Cross is part of for the fourth year running - will get under way in Milton Keynes next month. Nights one to five will be played from Monday April 5 to Friday April 9 and night six to Judgement Night will follow from Monday April 19 to Thursday April 22.