Premier League darts in Brighton: Hastings star Rob Cross looking to improve form

The multiple major winner, originally from Hastings, is looking forward to playing in Brighton, as he described it as a special night. “I'm really looking forward to it. It's obviously only really an hour back from where I used to live and I always love coming to Brighton because I have so many friends trying to get tickets here, so they'll be in there tomorrow night.

“It's just a special venue, I suppose. I really do enjoy this evening.”

Cross has a tough opening game against world number one Luke Humphries, with the two of them meeting last year in the semi-finals on the Sussex coast.

‘Cool-Hand Luke’ prevailed that time, beating the home-favourite 6-3 before he defeated Michael Smith in the final that night.

Cross goes into the rematch looking for revenge, as he said: “Yeah, obviously, it'd be nice to get the win. I think I'll play well tomorrow. I actually do believe I'll win.

“He's a good player. He's obviously very organised. Last year when I played him, I think I lost. I think he had 108. So, this is part and parcel of the game.

“It's a tough school sometimes, but look, I really, really do look forward to that game.”

‘Voltage’ will be hopeful of a good result against the former World Champion, with him winning five of the previous seven games between them, including a European tour final where Humphries nailed a nine darter before going onto lose.

Cross said: “Yeah, me and him always seem to produce against each other. He always plays great against me. You can look back when I've lost also in the Grand Slam final.

“So, it's a great, great sort of game to what you want to be involved in, is what I'm trying to say. It's one of them that you know you've got to turn up, otherwise you won't win.”

Being in the Premier League means playing the best players in the world week-in, week-out, something that Cross embraces and uses to push his game to the next level.

He said: “I think I've always had a game in me where I can compete with the best in the world, and I have an understanding that I can beat the best in the world.

“But then on the other end, a different day, maybe I might lose to anyone in the world. So, mine is just getting up there, enjoying it, embracing it, and just try to get that performance out. If I do that, I believe I'll beat anyone.”

After four enthralling nights, Cross sits in sixth position on four points after only having won his opening night game twice.

WATCH full Rob Interview in the video at the top of this page.

It has been a slow start for the 2019 Premier League runner-up, but he remains calm with there still being so many nights remaining.

He said: “Obviously two points first week, we're week five this week. I'd say I've probably thrown a few points away. I would say that whether it's slow or whether it's not, Humphries is really the only one that's really got a massive gap there. It's a marathon. It's not a sprint. We're only a quarter of the way through at the minute, a lot can happen in 12 weeks.

“Would I say that I was massively behind at the minute? No, not at all. We've still got time to make it up.”

Out of the eight participants, the top four would head to the O2 for finals night on the 29th May, with Cross emphasising the fact that everyone in the league aims for the top four, not specifically first place.

He said: “I think everyone comes in not to win the league. I think they just want to make the top four, realistically.

“If you were to come in and just offer four people top four, they'd all say yes. So yeah, being top's one thing, but going in there, going in there into those semis and that final, what I've made before is a very special night at the O2.”

Back in 2018, Cross won the darts World Championships, darts’ most prestigious event after beating Phil Taylor in ‘The Power’s’ final professional game. With that completed, Cross has eyes on the Premier League as the next major tournament he wants to win. Cross said: “I think, obviously, yeah, I would say, yeah, the Premier League's the second highest event, but obviously not being ranking.

“It's without doubt the second biggest to the world championships, without doubt.”

Looking forward to the rest of the year, Cross has hopes of winning majors and titles to keep him in the top four in the rankings, and to carry on making him a force in darts.

Despite this, Cross is not looking too far ahead as he said: “Don't get me wrong, I want to win another major, but I'm one of these people who just try and sort of, just look to the end of my nose because if I start looking at certain tournaments and setting targets in that tournament.

“For instance, nine months away, World Championships. If I want to win that World Championships, I've got to wait nine months to win it. How many other tournaments could I potentially overlook in my head and sort of look too far? I'm one of these people; I'm in a moment for that time and I'll keep going every week and how I feel and play the game and try and win everything every week.

"Obviously in the long run, I'd love to win another world title, but nine months away, you couldn't overlook the rest of what's there at the minute.”