Rob Cross completes a World Series double after smashing home favourite Damon Heta in Wollongong I we're back for the World Grand Prix at the Morningside Arena in Leicester from 3–9 October - live on Sky Sports
Saturday 12 August 2023 18:18, UK
Rob Cross completed a World Series double with a crushing 8-1 victory over home favourite Damon Heta at the New South Wales Darts Masters.
Cross, who celebrated victory at last weekend's NZ Darts Masters, made it back-to-back titles with an emphatic victory over Australian No 1 Heta in Wollongong.
Heta, nicknamed 'The Heat', famously defeated Cross to win the Brisbane Darts Masters in 2019, but there was to be no repeat at the WIN Entertainment Centre, as the former world champion scooped the £20,000 top prize.
Cross kicked off his campaign with a routine win over DPNZ qualifier John Hurring in Friday's first round, before defying a ton-plus average from Danny Noppert to win a high-quality quarter-final tie.
'Voltage' recovered from 4-3 down to end the Dutchman's spirited resistance, before averaging 109 to whitewash Peter Wright in a sensational semi-final display.
The 32-year-old produced two 11-darters in his rout of two-time world champion Wright, converting 64 per cent of his attempts at double to cap off an imperious performance.
Having won 10 legs without reply in reaching Saturday's showpiece, Cross punished early misses from Heta to establish a commanding 4-0 lead.
The Australian was desperately struggling in the scoring department and Cross capitalised, extending his remarkable run of winning legs to 17 to move a leg away from a whitewash success.
Heta avoided that indignity by taking out a 68 skin-saver with Cross poised on double 18, but this simply delayed the inevitable, as Cross sank double eight moments later to cap off a demolition job.
"It feels fantastic. It's surreal," reflected the former World Matchplay champion, who ended his two-year wait for a televised title in Hamilton last weekend.
"The crowd have been brilliant all tournament. I've really enjoyed my time in Australia and New Zealand, and I'm very grateful.
"Damon didn't turn up in the final and I feel for him a little bit, but you've still got a job to do.
"I think I'm in a good place after the last couple of weeks. I'm enjoying my darts again."
Heta delighted the partisan Australian crowd in Wollongong with thrilling wins over Gerwyn Price and Dimitri Van den Bergh on Finals Day, but he fell just short in his bid for glory on home soil.
NSW Darts Masters
WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong
Saturday August 12
Quarter-Finals
Damon Heta 6-3 Gerwyn Price
Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-4 Simon Whitlock
Peter Wright 6-3 Michael Smith
Rob Cross 6-4 Danny Noppert
Semi-Finals
Damon Heta 7-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Rob Cross 7-0 Peter Wright
Final
Rob Cross 8-1 Damon Heta
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