Adrian Lewis

PDC World Darts Championship results: Rob Cross, James Wade and Adrian Lewis win

By Press Association

Darts

Sun December 23, 2018 · 6y ago

Adrian Lewis had no trouble swatting aside Lithuania's Darius Labanauskas to reach the fourth round of the PDC World Darts Championship.

Lewis overcomes illness to win

Adrian Lewis had no trouble swatting aside Lithuania's Darius Labanauskas to reach the fourth round.

Labanauskas had potentially ended the World Championship career of Raymond van Barneveld on his last visit to the oche, but barely sniffed another big scalp here as Lewis dominated from the very first dart.

The two-time world champion threw seven maximums and upwards of 50 per cent of his attempts at double, very few of which were under any real pressure.

Despite feeling unwell, Lewis won the first five legs of the match and dropped just three in total as he earned a last-16 clash with Michael van Gerwen.

"You want to see where your game's at, and obviously playing against Michael will tell me that," he said.

"I'm ready for the fight, I'm ready for a good battle."

Cross in cruise control

Defending champion Rob Cross wasted little time in seeing off Cristo Reyes 4-0.

The Spaniard performed close to his best but had no answer to a quality display from Cross, who averaged 101.72 and only gave up one leg on his own throw.

Cross won six of the first seven legs to race into a 2-0 lead, a 126 checkout in the second set confirming that he meant business in the final match before Christmas.

Reyes threatened a nine-dart finish in the third set, eventually taking 11 after starting the leg with seven perfect darts, but Cross was unmoved and fought back to take the decider and go 3-0 in front.

A 12-dart leg from Reyes saw him again lead in the fourth, but once more Cross responded, this time with a 147 finish which left his opponent ruefully shaking his head.

As if to demonstrate what he had to do to get close, Reyes threw a 10-dart leg to force Cross to throw for victory, but the world champion was dominant in the next as he rounded things off on double 18.

Next he'll face either Dimitri Van den Bergh, the world youth champion who averaged 104.45 in his previous match, or surprise package Luke Humphries.

Aspinall continues dream run

Nathan Aspinall beat Kyle Anderson 4-1 in a match which was so much closer than the final scoreline would suggest.

Anderson won the first two legs of the match only for Aspinall to reel off the next three to steal the set, doing so with a 120 finish which would prove a microcosm of the game.

A 13-dart leg saw the Englishman dominate the second set, but Anderson broke quickly in the third and halved the deficit.

At this point, Anderson - now throwing first - looked ready to draw level but then came the first of two pivotal legs, as he missed six darts at double 12 and gave away his advantage.

Aspinall, who needed five of his own to break, held throw to win the set and move into a 3-1 lead, with the advantage of throwing first in the fifth set to come.

Again Anderson fought back and he had bullseye to win the set and get back on throw, but when that missed his ruthless opponent stepped in to take out 87 and earn the right to throw for the match.

Anderson effectively stole the darts thanks to a maximum and had six in hand from 153, but two darts at double 20 both missed by a distance and left Aspinall needing 50 to win.

After missing double 16 by a whisker, he hit double eight to advance to the fourth round where either Steve West or Devon Petersen will await.

Australia's Anderson will be left to rue his failure to hit doubles at key moments, as he in fact produced the higher average, more 180s and a better checkout percentage.

But while Aspinall hit four 100-plus finishes, each at a crucial time, Anderson's highest outshot was 86 and that perhaps proved the difference at the end of an engrossing encounter.

Wade produces epic comeback

James Wade kept his name in the headlines with one of the most remarkable comebacks of his career to beat Keegan Brown.

Trailing 3-1 in sets, Wade halved the deficit to 3-2, but he was one leg away from defeat as Brown held firm towards the start of the sixth stanza.

James Wade in action against Keegan Brown

Wade produced a 111 finish to force Brown to throw for the match, before hitting tops with his one and only dart in hand to force a deciding set.

Another dart at tops, again the only one in hand, saw the left-hander break early in the seventh and while Brown rallied, Wade would not be denied as a 101 finish completed a superb victory.

Wade had trailed 2-0 early in the match and looked to be heading out when falling 3-1 behind, only to conjure the reserves required to beat former world youth champion Brown.

Next for Wade is a clash with Ryan Joyce, with the winner likely to face Michael van Gerwen for a semi-final spot.

"It feels amazing, I'm so happy and Santa has come a little bit early for me," said Wade.

"I was numb at the end of the match. I can't explain how I came back and won.

"I'm going to enjoy myself now. I'm very excited for Christmas. It's my first one with my son and as a family so I'm really excited and really happy."

Dobey edges thriller

Chris Dobey won the opening game of the afternoon session on day 11 of the World Darts Championship with a 4-3 victory over Vincent Van Der Voort.

Englishman Dobey twice took the lead before Van Der Voort levelled twice to make it 2-2. The Dutchman got his nose in front for the first time with a clean sweep in set five.

But Dobey battled back again in a pulsating encounter at Ally Pally. He held his nerve to take the deciding set 3-1 and secure a meeting with Gary Anderson.

Dolan slays the King

Brendan Dolan built on his dismissal of Joe Cullen to beat Mervyn King 4-2 and reach the fourth round.

King began the match with a maximum and took the first leg in 13 darts, but a 116 checkout from Dolan saw him earn a chance to throw for the set and it was one he took.

A 106 finish from King saw him break in the first leg of the second set, but Dolan replied with a 126 checkout as the pair exchanged breaks of throw before Dolan held his nerve to move 2-0 in front.

King did well to take the third set despite another high-class finish from Dolan, and it was 2-2 when King cruised to the fourth set.

Dolan threw a 12-dart leg to take the fifth set and two more three-figure checkouts - 107 and 105 taking him to five for the match - saw the Northern Irishman dominate the sixth to finally shake off his opponent.

In truth there was little between them bar some mammoth finishing efforts from Dolan, who will face either Toni Alcinas or Benito van de Pas for a place in the quarter-finals.

Sunday December 23
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Third Round (Best of 7 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts