St Leonards ace seeks to secure Premier League top spot

Darts star Rob Cross will be aiming to secure top spot in the regular season of the Unibet Premier League tomorrow night (Thursday).
Rob Cross at the oche against Mensur Suljovic in Sheffield last week. Picture courtesy Lawrence Lustig/PDCRob Cross at the oche against Mensur Suljovic in Sheffield last week. Picture courtesy Lawrence Lustig/PDC
Rob Cross at the oche against Mensur Suljovic in Sheffield last week. Picture courtesy Lawrence Lustig/PDC

The world number two from St Leonards will top the league phase - and clinch the £25,000 league leader bonus - if he beats James Wade at the First Direct Arena in Leeds.

Anything less than a victory, though, and he will have to hope second-placed Michael van Gerwen slips up against Mensur Suljovic in one of the other matches on the final night of the regular season.

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See also: * St Leonards star stays top of Premier League and books Play-Offs spot* St Leonards star back on top of Premier League* Cross sinks Taylor to win world titleCross moved a step closer to joining Phil Taylor and Van Gerwen as only the third player in history to top the league phase with an 8-4 victory over Suljovic in Sheffield last week.

If he does finish top, the former world champion would end Van Gerwen’s record of topping the league phase every year since his 2013 debut.

“It would be a real privilege to join Phil and Michael on the list of league phase winners,” said Cross, who has won 10 of his 15 matches so far in this year’s competition - more than any other player.

“If it was easy to do, then there would be a fair few more players on that list, so I can’t take for granted how special it would be.

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“I’ve got a tough game against James on Thursday. He’s played brilliant darts throughout the Premier League and he’s got a great chance to qualify. I’m going to have to play proper darts to get the win and I believe I will.”

The top four players after tomorrow night’s games will qualify for the Play-Offs at The O2 in London next Thursday (May 23) and Cross is already guaranteed to finish no lower than second.

Standings (all played 15 matches): 1st Rob Cross 22pts, 2nd Michael van Gerwen 21, 3rd James Wade 18, 4th Mensur Suljovic 17, 5th Daryl Gurney 17, 6th Gerwyn Price 16, 7th Michael Smith 10, 8th Peter Wright 9.