Sporting Life
Rob Cross with his New Zealand Darts Masters trophy (Pic: Photosport/PDC)
Rob Cross with his New Zealand Darts Masters trophy (Pic: Photosport/PDC)

Darts results: Rob Cross beats Nathan Aspinall in thrilling conclusion to New Zealand Darts Masters

By Sporting Life
Darts
Sat August 05, 2023 · 1y ago

Rob Cross fought back superbly to defeat newly crowned World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall 8-7 and claim the New Zealand Darts Masters title in Hamilton on Saturday.

Cross also overcame reigning champion Gerwyn Price on his way to clinching his second World Series of Darts title, which ends his two-year wait for a televised crown.

The 2018 World Champion was also forced to recover from 5-2 down to stun Aspinall in an enthralling finale at the GLOBOX Arena, denying the Stockport star back-to-back televised titles.

Cross almost kicked off proceedings with back-to-back 12-darters, but after missing multiple darts to double his lead, he gave Aspinall an early lifeline which the Stockport star duly exploited.

The pair then traded three consecutive breaks of throw in a topsy-turvy spell, before Aspinall stretched his lead to 5-2 with legs of 14 and 13 darts – aided by 171 set-up shots in consecutive legs.

Cross responded by winning four of the next five legs in 12, 14, 13 and 14 darts to cut the gap to 5-6, and he then levelled at six apiece with a crucial 64 outshot, after Aspinall missed one dart at tops for 7-5.

The pendulum swung once again as Aspinall broke to move a leg away from victory, but Cross wasn’t to be denied, following up a 14-dart skin-saver with an 88 combination in the decider to complete the comeback.

“To win this title is absolutely amazing,” reflected Cross, a Brisbane Darts Masters champion back in 2019.

“At the moment, every chance you give Nathan he normally takes, but he let me off a little bit later in the game, after I missed some opportunities early on.

“The standard is so high, so when you can win [a title] when you’ve not been at your best, it speaks volumes about where my game is.

“It’s all memories. When I pack up eventually, I will look back and see what I’ve won and remember the great moments and people along the way.”

New Zealand Darts Masters: Results and Schedule

Friday August 4
First Round
Afternoon Session (1900 local time, 0800 BST)

  • Rob Cross 6-3 Warren Parry
  • Damon Heta 6-2 Darren Herewini
  • Haupai Puha 6-2 Dimitri Van den Bergh
  • Jonny Tata 6-3 Peter Wright
  • Nathan Aspinall 6-2 Kayden Milne
  • Gerwyn Price 6-1 Simon Whitlock
  • Michael Smith 6-5 Darren Penhall
  • Danny Noppert 6-2 Ben Robb

Saturday August 5
Evening Session (1900 local time, 0800 BST)

Quarter-finals

  • Gerwyn Price 6-1 Danny Noppert
  • Jonny Tata 5-6 Rob Cross
  • Michael Smith 6-5 Damon Heta
  • Haupai Puha 1-6 Nathan Aspinall

Semi-finals

  • Rob Cross 7-3 Gerwyn Price
  • Nathan Aspinall 7-3 Michael Smith

Final

  • Rob Cross 8-7 Nathan Aspinall

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