Cross ends Michael Smith's unbeaten start to the 2018 Premier League
Friday 9 March 2018 10:33, UK
"From the outset Rob Cross looked like a man who was going to hit nothing and by the end he looked like a man who was going to miss nothing," says Wayne Mardle.
Smith began the night at the top of the table after winning his opening four matches in his return to the Premier League, but was unable to continue his run as he came up against Cross, who had to come from 5-3 behind to seal a win which moves him up to fourth place.
Inspired finishes of 112 and 121 on the bull, in the final leg, gave Cross his third consecutive Premier League win after a slow start to the campaign.
We've spoken about Smith, he's taken his chances, but he was giving them away tonight and Rob Cross didn't need a second invitation.
"The game flip-flopped within a five- or six-minute period," Mardle told Sky Sports' host Dave Clark. "Michael Smith kept giving him chances.
"We've spoken about Smith, he's taken his chances, but he was giving them away tonight and Rob Cross didn't need a second invitation.
"Cross really ran away with that match and he punished every mistake that Michael made."
John Part hailed Raymond van Barneveld's comeback to deny Gerwyn Price his first Premier League victory as the Dutchman secured a 7-5 victory and spoke about how newly-crowned UK Open champion Gary Anderson "is making this hard work" after the Scot survived two missed match darts from Daryl Gurney to secure a 6-6 draw and a point to remain clear of the elimination zone.
"You feel sometimes that he's not getting as much as he should for as well as he is playing, but on the other hand in Berlin he fought back from 6-3 down to earn a point against Peter Wright and he fought back to earn a point here [in Leeds] so he's working hard," added Mardle.
The 2018 Premier League heads to the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham next Thursday with coverage underway from 7pm on Sky Sports Action & Sky Sports Main Event. Nine weeks of tungsten action will then continue through to the season's conclusion with the Play-Offs on May 17 at The O2 in London.
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