Luke Humphries celebrates a famous win (Picture: Lawrence Lustig)

PDC World Darts Championship results: Luke Humphries knocks out defending champion Rob Cross

By Chris Hammer

Darts

Sat December 29, 2018 · 6y ago

A review of Friday's action at the PDC World Darts Championship, as Luke Humphries knocked out defending champion Rob Cross to reach the quarter-finals.

Scroll down for full round-up, results, match highlights and interviews
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Humphries pulls plug on Voltage

Luke Humphries produced a sensational comeback from two sets down to defeat defending champion Rob Cross 4-2 and reach the quarter-finals of the William Hill World Darts Championship.

The 23-year-old is regarded as one of the brightest rising stars in the sport and followed up his impressive victories over Aaron Hunt, Stephen Bunting and Dimitri van den Bergh with another special performance that belied his inexperience of the big stage.

Cool Hand, who won the PDC's Development Tour Order of Merit for the second year in a row despite also competing in the Pro and European Tours for the first time, didn't look fazed after spurning four darts to win the second set and simply upped his game to outplay Cross and cause the latest shock in what has been a tournament of underdog stories.

The Newbury thrower averaged 100 compared to Voltage's 97 and threw two more 180s with seven although his finishing was fractionally worse with a checkout percentage of 38%.

Humphries, who arrived at Alexandra Palace with his only previous appearance live on TV being his first round defeat here 12 months ago, will now meet third-favourite Michael Smith on Saturday evening for a place in the semi-finals.

The defending champion started well enough in the opening set as he defied a 180 from Humphries in the opening leg with a 106 checkout and followed it up with a finish from 107 after his opponent missed three darts at tops.

After completing the whitewash, Cross nailed a 116 checkout en route to edging the second set but only after pinning double one in a shambolic decider, in which Humphries spurned four darts to level the scores.

However, the youngster showed no signs of being dispirited as he upped his game to take the third 3-1 thanks to a pair of 14 darters and a 116 checkout to close it out.

Humphries was now averaging close to 100 as his momentum continued by moving 2-0 up in the fourth and although Cross managed to stop the rot to pull a leg back, the Hastings man missed a dart to force a decider and Cool Hand punished him by taking out 64.

Humphries' charge showed no sign of stopping as he won his third set in succession, taking it 3-1 after the 28-year-old missed an attempt at double 18 to force a decider.

Cross, who won the world title on his tournament debut 12 months ago, took a 2-0 lead in set six but back came Humphries with three legs on the spin, including a brilliant 11-darter to claim the biggest victory of his young career.

Considering he's now only lost four sets during this incredible run, another upset against Smith would hardly be too surprising.

"I'm absolutely over the moon to knock out the World Champion on a stage he's never lost on before," said Humphries.

"When I went 2-0 down I said to myself 'if you want to be World Champion you've got to dig deep' and that's what I did, I didn't give up because you've got to fight back in those situations.

"Two years ago I might've given up there but I believe in my own ability and I'm hugely proud of myself for that performance tonight.

"I take a lot of inspiration from Rob and his win last year has given players like me the belief that I can win this, and if I keep showing resilience like this then I can go all the way."

Chizzy puts Lewis in a spin

Dave Chisnall maintained his relentless momentum as he thrashed Jamie Lewis 4-0 to reach the William Hill World Darts Championship quarter-finals for just the second time in his career.

Chizzy, who is still searching for his first televised title, averaged 99 despite missing 22 of his 33 darts at doubles so if he can improve on his finishing then he'll give Gary Anderson a real test on Saturday afternoon.

His job was made a lot easier by his opponent's greater double struggles, with the Welshman only hitting six of his 21 attempts in what was an error-strewn game at times.

It all started so well for last year's semi-finalist, who seems to save his best for the Alexandra Palace stage, as a 118 checkout put him 2-0 up in the first set but he never earned a dart at a double to win it as the St Helens man came storming back with three successive legs, including a 10-darter in the decider.

An 11-darter helped Chisnall rattle through the second set 3-1 but then came the double troubles in the next as both players missed 17 attempts between them in the second leg, which Lewis lost before fighting back to force a decider thanks to a 118 checkout and Chizzy's eight spurned set darts.

The 27-year-old then let Chisnall off the hook by missing four of his own to win his first set and the Englishman took advantage before racing through the fourth 3-1.

Chizzy has an inferior head-to-head record with Gary Anderson but he did get the better of him at the World Series of Darts Finals last month so there's no reason to think an upset isn't possible, especially given the titanic battles the Flying Scotsman has been involved in so far.

By contrast, since trailing Josh Payne 2-0 in sets in his first match, Chizzy has won 32 of the 46 legs he's played so he seems to be hitting his best form at the right time.

Smith bullies Searle

The highly-fancied Michael Smith produced a superb display to ease past debutant Ryan Searle 4-1 and reach the William Hill World Darts Championship quarter-finals - but it could have been over much sooner.

Bully Boy, tipped up at 16/1 pre-tournament, missed two match darts when leading 3-0 and although Searle made him pay to force a fourth set, it would merely delay the inevitable as Smith took out 106 in the deciding leg to complete a fine victory.

The Premier League and World Series of Darts Finals runner-up, who has won three titles this season, averaged 100 and hit 10 180s in a fast-paced affair while he also converted 46% of his doubles.

Smith raced through the first set 3-1 but was up against it in the second when the Somerset thrower, who had previously knocked out Mensur Suljovic, found his range and took out a 104 checkout for a 2-0 lead.

However, the St Helens man finished from 72 and 76 to restore parity before landing a superb match high 130 checkout to complete a 12-darter that clinched the set.

If you'd gone to make a cup of tea during the third set you'd have missed it as Smith wrapped it up in four minutes thanks to back-to-back 11 darters as he moved to the brink of the last eight.

At 2-2 in the fourth set - after Smith replied to Searle's 12-darter with a 126 checkout on the bullseye - the 28-year-old spurned two match darts and although his opponent was able to add some respectability to the scoreline, he got the job done at the next time of asking.

Searle, 31, can head home proud of his efforts having bagged a life and career changing £35,000 which will help him climb the PDC rankings from the 61 he started at two weeks ago.

Joyce stuns Wade to reach quarters

Ryan Joyce caused the latest shock at this dramatic William Hill World Darts Championship as he survived five match darts to defeat James Wade and reach the quarter-finals.

The affable 33-year-old, who is making his Alexandra Palace debut, only joined the PDC Tour at the start of the season and the £35,000 he'd already pocketed from this dream run prior to this clash was more than the rest of his 2018 combined.

It looked like his fairytale journey, which started with a win over Anastasia Dobromyslova and was followed by victories against Simon Whitlock and Alan Norris, was about to end when the Machine had match darts at 2-2 in the sixth set, but he missed the lot and Joyce eventually capitalised after initially spurning five of his own in a nervy deciding leg.

Wade, who was confident of landing his first world title having returned to top form in recent months by winning the European Championship and World Series of Darts Finals, responded by taking the opening leg of the final set but Joyce levelled with a 110 checkout under pressure before moving 2-1 up.

The former Matalan employee from Newcastle then missed two match darts at double eight but after Wade blew three at double 18 to stay alive, he came back and made no mistake again as he claimed the biggest victory of his career that seals a minimum of £50,000.

Wade, who still didn't have a great deal of crowd support due to the controversy that followed his second-round clash with Seigo Asada, got off to a sluggish start, taking 38 darts in the match before he finally had a shot at a double, and although it was his 40th that pinned double five to level the first set at 1-1, it was Joyce who won it 3-1 thanks to a superb 138 checkout.

The 35-year-old then trailed 2-1 in the second, but he responded with a 13-darter before taking out 81 on the bullseye to complete a 12-dart deciding leg and gain a foothold in the match.

A 120 checkout helped Wade take the third 3-1 as Joyce missed darts at doubles in all three legs he didn't win but the affable Geordie, who only joined the PDC Tour this year, wasn't fazed as he raced through the fourth 3-0 with the aid of a 123 finish on the bullseye.

The nine-time major winner from Aldershot then found another gear to take the fifth by the same scoreline before the drama of the gripping final two sets unfolded.

Joyce's average of 88 was three points lower than Wade, who also hit three more 180s with six, while his checkout percentage of 30% was also inferior to the Machine's 36% in a match of 58 missed doubles.

But on this occasion Wade was 'out timed' by his opponent.

Joyce, who was 1000/1 at the start of the tournament, will now face the daunting test of Michael van Gerwen in the quarter-finals but there's no doubt he'll feel like a winner by just getting that far.

Aspinall's dream debut continues

Nathan Aspinall secured his place in the quarter-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship with a dramatic tie-break victory over Devon Petersen.

Aspinall produced a 13-dart leg against the throw to win 4-3 and extend what's been a remarkable Alexandra Palace debut, one which has seen him come from 2-0 behind to beat Gerwyn Price in dramatic circumstances and also dump out Kyle Anderson.

Just as was the case against Price, the Stockport thrower had to claw his way back into the game having lost the first set when Petersen took out 115, before losing the second without taking a single leg.

Aspinall was then 2-0 down in the third and heading towards the exit door, but after Petersen missed three darts for a 3-0 lead the turnaround began as Aspinall stole the set.

A 12-dart leg completed on double 16 saw him draw level at 2-2 and although Aspinall averaged 104 in a fifth set that he edged 3-2, his South African opponent kept his alive with a second 115 checkout to clinch the sixth 3-1.

Petersen, who was enjoying his own career-changing run which has been enough to help him retain his PDC Tour card but, battled hard to take the decider to 2-2 but Aspinall then won back-to-back legs to progress.

Aspinall averaged 95 compared to Petersen's 90 despite hitting one fewer 180 with five while he landed 38% of his doubles which was slightly less than his opponent's 40%.

Having been quoted at 300/1 prior to the tournament despite a breakthrough season which saw him win his maiden PDC title back in September, Aspinall will now surely be well fancied to beat Brendan Dolan in the quarter-finals.

The 27-year-old has now pocketed a life-changing £50,000 from his dream run and certainly doesn't want it to end now.

Dolan downs Benito

Brendan Dolan will face Nathan Aspinall in the World Championship quarter-finals after beating Benito Van de Pas 4-1 in an arduous clash.

The Northern Irishman had never previously ventured beyond the second round here even during his peak years when ranked as highly as 10th in the world so few would have expected him to get this far after one of his poorest seasons in which he has won less money than the £50,000 he's now collected from this surprising run, which also includes victories over Joe Cullen and Mervyn King.

And on this occasion he even looked set to wrap-up a straight sets win only for a clinical 88 finish from Van de Pas to keep the match alive.

Trailing 3-1, the 25-year-old Dutchman then took control of the fifth set with a break, only to immediately hand back the advantage to a nervous-looking Dolan who took the fourth leg to earn the right to throw for the match.

Dolan then needed 17 darts to set up a chance at the bullseye, which he missed, but with Van de Pas unable to take out 128 the Northern Irishman returned with 25 left for a quarter-final place.

Despite missing with his first dart at double eight, Dolan steadied himself to hit double four and win a scrappy match in which neither man averaged 90.

Dolan's success came courtesy of his slightly heavier scoring, while he hit four 180's compared to van de Pas' two. Although both men missed doubles galore, Dolan did at least give the distracted crowd something to get excited about with a 148 checkout - although they spent most of the time entertaining themselves.

Not that Dolan will mind, and both he and Aspinall now have a real chance to make the last four.

Friday results & tournament schedule

Friday December 28
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Fourth Round (Best of 7 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Nathan Aspinall 4-3 Devon Petersen
Benito Van de Pas 1-4 Brendan Dolan
Ryan Joyce 4-3 James Wade

Evening Session (1900)
Fourth Round (Best of 7 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Ryan Searle 1-4 Michael Smith
Jamie Lewis 0-4 Dave Chisnall
Rob Cross 2-4 Luke Humphries

Saturday December 29
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Quarter-Finals (Best of 9 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Nathan Aspinall v Brendan Dolan
Dave Chisnall v Gary Anderson

Evening Session (1900)
Quarter-Finals (Best of 9 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Luke Humphries v Michael Smith
Michael van Gerwen v Ryan Joyce

Sunday December 30
Evening Session
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts
Semi-Finals (Best of 11 sets)

Aspinall/Dolan v Smith/Humphries
MVG/Joyce v Anderson/Chisnall

Tuesday January 1
Evening Session (1900)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Final (Best of 13 sets)

Full World Championship results and round-ups