Wright, Van Barneveld, Cross, Whitlock, K. Anderson and McGrath join pair in last eight after an exciting first day in New Zealand
Monday 6 August 2018 13:12, UK
World Matchplay champion Gary Anderson will face world No 1 Michael van Gerwen in the Auckland Darts Masters quarter-final on Friday.
Anderson, who won the World Matchplay at Blackpool Winter Gardens on July 29, produced a 6-3 win over Australian Tim Pusey while Van Gerwen defeated Cody Harris 6-2.
"It will be good to play Michael, we always have great games so I'm looking forward to it," Anderson said. "It was great to win in Blackpool last week and hopefully I can carry on the run here in New Zealand."
There were also wins for world No 2 Peter Wright and Raymond van Barneveld at the Trusts Arena, who eliminated Tahuna Irwin 6-3 and Warren Parry 6-4 respectively.
The experienced Van Barneveld will face shock quarter-finalist Mark McGrath in the last eight after he stunned world No 9 Michael Smith.
"It's the best win of my career but hopefully there are a couple more to come," McGrath said.
Elsewhere, world champion Rob Cross saw John Hurring miss two-match darts to set up a quarter-final with Simon Whitlock.
Cross produced a piece of magic in the third leg, taking out 150 to move into the lead, but Hurring was able to stick with the 27-year-old pushing the game into a deciding leg.
"I needed a bit of luck but if I come back and play as well as I can then I know I've got a good chance of doing well," Cross said.
Whitlock also had to survive a match-dart as Ben Robb pushed him all the way to a last leg decider, but 'The Wizard' came out on top, admitting that he was "really happy just to have gotten over the line".
Reigning Auckland Darts Masters champion Kyle Anderson got his title defence underway with a 6-4 win against Haupai Puha and will face Wright in the quarter-final.
Puha, a former champion golfer, started the better of the pair, racing into a 3-1 lead before a spirited comeback saw Anderson win five of the final six legs to progress in Auckland.
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