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Players Championship 21: Rob Cross beats Adrian Lewis 6-3 in final
Rob Cross claimed his fourth PDC ProTour title of 2017 with a 6-3 defeat of Adrian Lewis in the final of Tuesday's Players Championship 21 in Barnsley.
The former electrician has made an amazing introduction to life on the professional circuit this year, and he now tops the Players Championship Order of Merit going into November's Finals in Minehead.
Cross picked up the £10,000 top prize with another fine display as he battled through the field before overcoming two-time world champion Lewis in the final.
A dramatic day also featured a nine-dart finish from Dave Chisnall, which you can watch below.
Chizzy going big on the celebrations for his nine-darter! 🎯👏
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife)
Cross began his challenge with a whitewash of Ron Meulenkamp before fending off stiff tests from Craig Gilchrist, Steve West and John Henderson.
He then whitewashed former World Youth champion Keegan Brown in the quarter-finals ad overcame Irish ace William O'Connor for the loss of only two legs in the semi-finals as he set up the tie with Lewis.
Having shared the opening two legs of the final, Cross landed six perfect darts as he won leg three, broke on double 10 in the fourth and finished 51 to open up a 4-1 cushion.
Lewis hit back in the sixth before Cross finished 90 on the bull to move 5-2 up, and though Lewis replied with a maximum and a 76 checkout to claim his third leg, two missed darts to continue his challenge allowed the Sussex ace to finish 64 for victory.
"It's nice to come out and play the best in the world and compete, and Adrian is fantastic," said Cross.
"Over the last eight months I've learned to pull through the 6-5 games that I might have lost, and that's how this is possible.
"Winning is a good habit to get into, and the first event I won was majorly important. Instead of coming into the room and saying that I believed I could do it, I knew I could do it, and that's the difference.
"I've got the hunger to win and I want everything. I don't want to lose a leg, let alone a game, and this is a massive confidence boost for going forward.
"To do what I've done this year is fantastic and I've over-achieved from my expectations. To go to Minehead as the number one seed, if that was to happen, is an achievement and something to be proud of.
"I've only had three or four goes on the TV but I'm starting to feel more comfortable and fingers crossed I can get my best game out up there soon."
World number four Lewis had been bidding to win his second Players Championship title of the year as he won through to the final with defeats of Brendan Dolan, Joe Murnan, Mike De Decker, Jeffrey de Zwaan, Gerwyn Price and Jermaine Wattimena.
Ireland's O'Connor followed up his success in Saturday's Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay final against Jason Cullen by reaching his first-ever PDC ranking semi-final.
He overcame Jan Dekker, Vincent van der Voort, Jamie Caven, Joe Cullen and top seed Peter Wright as he progressed to the last four on a memorable day in Barnsley.
Dutchman Wattimena also reached the last four, seeing off Ross Twell, Ian White, Kevin Painter, Peter Jacques and Michael Smith along the way.
Last week's Unibet World Grand Prix champion Daryl Gurney won through to the last 16 before losing out to Price, who missed match darts in his quarter-final against Lewis before the Stoke ace prevailed with an 11-darter in the deciding leg.
The day also saw Dave Chisnall land a nine-dart finish - his second of the year on the PDC ProTour - during a first round win over Ryan Searle.
Tuesday results
Last 128
Peter Wright BYE
Bernd Roith 6-5 Terry Roach
Andy Boulton 6-5 Chris Dobey
Madars Razma 6-4 Terry Temple
Andy Jenkins 6-5 Steve Beaton
Martin Schindler 6-2 Jimmy Hendriks
Scott Taylor 6-5 Cristo Reyes
Harry Ward 6-3 David Pallett
Joe Cullen 6-4 Devon Petersen
Kirk Shepherd 6-2 Sven Groen
Robert Owen 6-5 Richard North
Max Hopp 6-2 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Chris Quantock
Jamie Caven 6-4 Mick Todd
Vincent van der Voort 6-4 Robbie Green
William O'Connor 6-1 Jan Dekker
Jamie Bain 6-3 Simon Whitlock
Richie Burnett 6-3 James Richardson
Barrie Bates 6-3 Ronny Huybrechts
Keegan Brown 6-5 John Part
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-5 Mervyn King
Mark Barilli 6-5 Vincent Kamphuis
James Wade 6-4 Wayne Jones
James Wilson 6-4 Antonio Alcinas
Rob Cross 6-0 Ron Meulenkamp
Craig Gilchrist 6-4 Peter Hudson
Steve West 6-3 Andrew Gilding
Ryan Palmer 6-2 Yordi Meeuwisse
Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Paul Rowley
Zoran Lerchbacher 6-5 Steve Lennon
John Henderson 6-0 Brian Woods
Callan Rydz 6-5 Mick McGowan
Michael Smith 6-3 Richie Corner
Warrick Scheffer 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Mark Webster 6-2 Lee Bryant
Mickey Mansell 6-4 Diogo Portela
John Bowles 6-5 Kyle Anderson
Matthew Dennant 6-3 Stephen Burton
Stephen Bunting 6-4 Simon Stevenson
Jonathan Worsley 6-4 Steve Hine
Peter Jacques 6-5 Alan Norris
Matt Clark 6-3 Jim Brown
Justin Pipe 6-5 John Michael
Andy Hamilton 6-3 Adam Hunt
Ian White 6-0 Ryan Harrington
Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Ross Twell
Christian Kist 6-2 Jeffrey de Graaf
Kevin Painter 6-3 Tony Newell
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Ryan Searle
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-4 Alan Tabern
Stuart Kellett 6-5 Robert Thornton
Terry Jenkins 6-5 Ryan Meikle
Mike De Decker 6-4 Benito van de Pas
John Norman Jnr 6-2 Berry van Peer
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Brendan Dolan
Joe Murnan 6-4 Darren Johnson
Daryl Gurney 6-4 Wes Newton
Jamie Lewis 6-2 Jim Walker
Jonny Clayton 6-2 Josh Payne
Ritchie Edhouse 6-3 Ted Evetts
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Callum Loose
Harry Robinson 6-2 Ricky Evans
Darren Webster 6-2 Michael Barnard
Paul Nicholson 6-4 Aden Kirk
Last 64
Peter Wright 6-2 Bernd Roith
Madars Razma 6-3 Andy Boulton
Martin Schindler 6-3 Andy Jenkins
Harry Ward 6-0 Scott Taylor
Joe Cullen 6-2 Kirk Shepherd
Robert Owen 6-2 Max Hopp
Jamie Caven 6-3 Jelle Klaasen
William O'Connor 6-3 Vincent van der Voort
Jamie Bain 6-3 Richie Burnett
Keegan Brown 6-4 Barrie Bates
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-3 Mark Barilli
James Wade 6-2 James Wilson
Rob Cross 6-5 Craig Gilchrist
Steve West 6-2 Ryan Palmer
Zoran Lerchbacher 6-4 Kim Huybrechts
John Henderson 6-1 Callan Rydz
Michael Smith 6-3 Warrick Scheffer
Mark Webster 6-4 Mickey Mansell
John Bowles 6-5 Matthew Dennant
Jonathan Worsley 6-3 Stephen Bunting
Peter Jacques 6-3 Matt Clark
Justin Pipe 6-1 Andy Hamilton
Jermaine Wattimena 6-1 Ian White
Kevin Painter 6-5 Christian Kist
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Terry Jenkins 6-1 Stuart Kellett
Mike De Decker 6-2 John Norman Jnr
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Joe Murnan
Daryl Gurney 6-1 Jamie Lewis
Jonny Clayton 6-5 Ritchie Edhouse
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Harry Robinson
Darren Webster 6-5 Paul Nicholson
Last 32
Peter Wright 6-4 Madars Razma
Martin Schindler 6-5 Harry Ward
Joe Cullen 6-2 Robert Owen
William O'Connor 6-5 Jamie Caven
Keegan Brown 6-2 Jamie Bain
James Wade 6-4 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Rob Cross 6-3 Steve West
John Henderson 6-4 Zoran Lerchbacher
Michael Smith 6-5 Mark Webster
Jonathan Worsley 6-4 John Bowles
Peter Jacques 6-2 Justin Pipe
Jermaine Wattimena 6-3 Kevin Painter
Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-1 Terry Jenkins
Adrian Lewis 6-1 Mike De Decker
Daryl Gurney 6-4 Jonny Clayton
Gerwyn Price 6-3 Darren Webster
Last 16
Peter Wright 6-1 Martin Schindler
William O'Connor 6-4 Joe Cullen
Keegan Brown 6-5 James Wade
Rob Cross 6-5 John Henderson
Michael Smith 6-4 Jonathan Worsley
Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Peter Jacques
Adrian Lewis 6-2 Jeffrey de Zwaan
Gerwyn Price 6-4 Daryl Gurney
Last Eight
William O'Connor 6-2 Peter Wright
Rob Cross 6-0 Keegan Brown
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Michael Smith
Adrian Lewis 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Last Four
Rob Cross 6-2 William O'Connor
Adrian Lewis 6-2 Jermaine Wattimena
Final
Rob Cross 6-3 Adrian Lewis