Players Championship 21: Rob Cross beats Adrian Lewis 6-3 in final

The former electrician has made an amazing introduction to life on the professional circuit this year, and he now tops the Players Championship Order of Merit going into November's Finals in Minehead.

Cross picked up the £10,000 top prize with another fine display as he battled through the field before overcoming two-time world champion Lewis in the final.

A dramatic day also featured a nine-dart finish from Dave Chisnall, which you can watch below.

Cross began his challenge with a whitewash of Ron Meulenkamp before fending off stiff tests from Craig Gilchrist, Steve West and John Henderson.

He then whitewashed former World Youth champion Keegan Brown in the quarter-finals ad overcame Irish ace William O'Connor for the loss of only two legs in the semi-finals as he set up the tie with Lewis.

Having shared the opening two legs of the final, Cross landed six perfect darts as he won leg three, broke on double 10 in the fourth and finished 51 to open up a 4-1 cushion.

Lewis hit back in the sixth before Cross finished 90 on the bull to move 5-2 up, and though Lewis replied with a maximum and a 76 checkout to claim his third leg, two missed darts to continue his challenge allowed the Sussex ace to finish 64 for victory.

"It's nice to come out and play the best in the world and compete, and Adrian is fantastic," said Cross.

"Over the last eight months I've learned to pull through the 6-5 games that I might have lost, and that's how this is possible.

"Winning is a good habit to get into, and the first event I won was majorly important. Instead of coming into the room and saying that I believed I could do it, I knew I could do it, and that's the difference.

"I've got the hunger to win and I want everything. I don't want to lose a leg, let alone a game, and this is a massive confidence boost for going forward.

"To do what I've done this year is fantastic and I've over-achieved from my expectations. To go to Minehead as the number one seed, if that was to happen, is an achievement and something to be proud of.

"I've only had three or four goes on the TV but I'm starting to feel more comfortable and fingers crossed I can get my best game out up there soon."

World number four Lewis had been bidding to win his second Players Championship title of the year as he won through to the final with defeats of Brendan Dolan, Joe Murnan, Mike De Decker, Jeffrey de Zwaan, Gerwyn Price and Jermaine Wattimena.

Ireland's O'Connor followed up his success in Saturday's Tom Kirby Memorial Irish Matchplay final against Jason Cullen by reaching his first-ever PDC ranking semi-final.

He overcame Jan Dekker, Vincent van der Voort, Jamie Caven, Joe Cullen and top seed Peter Wright as he progressed to the last four on a memorable day in Barnsley.

Dutchman Wattimena also reached the last four, seeing off Ross Twell, Ian White, Kevin Painter, Peter Jacques and Michael Smith along the way.

Last week's Unibet World Grand Prix champion Daryl Gurney won through to the last 16 before losing out to Price, who missed match darts in his quarter-final against Lewis before the Stoke ace prevailed with an 11-darter in the deciding leg.

The day also saw Dave Chisnall land a nine-dart finish - his second of the year on the PDC ProTour - during a first round win over Ryan Searle.

Tuesday results

Last 128

Peter Wright BYE

Bernd Roith 6-5 Terry Roach

Andy Boulton 6-5 Chris Dobey

Madars Razma 6-4 Terry Temple

Andy Jenkins 6-5 Steve Beaton

Martin Schindler 6-2 Jimmy Hendriks

Scott Taylor 6-5 Cristo Reyes

Harry Ward 6-3 David Pallett

Joe Cullen 6-4 Devon Petersen

Kirk Shepherd 6-2 Sven Groen

Robert Owen 6-5 Richard North

Max Hopp 6-2 Dimitri Van den Bergh

Jelle Klaasen 6-4 Chris Quantock

Jamie Caven 6-4 Mick Todd

Vincent van der Voort 6-4 Robbie Green

William O'Connor 6-1 Jan Dekker

Jamie Bain 6-3 Simon Whitlock

Richie Burnett 6-3 James Richardson

Barrie Bates 6-3 Ronny Huybrechts

Keegan Brown 6-5 John Part

Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-5 Mervyn King

Mark Barilli 6-5 Vincent Kamphuis

James Wade 6-4 Wayne Jones

James Wilson 6-4 Antonio Alcinas

Rob Cross 6-0 Ron Meulenkamp

Craig Gilchrist 6-4 Peter Hudson

Steve West 6-3 Andrew Gilding

Ryan Palmer 6-2 Yordi Meeuwisse

Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Paul Rowley

Zoran Lerchbacher 6-5 Steve Lennon

John Henderson 6-0 Brian Woods

Callan Rydz 6-5 Mick McGowan

Michael Smith 6-3 Richie Corner

Warrick Scheffer 6-2 Dirk van Duijvenbode

Mark Webster 6-2 Lee Bryant

Mickey Mansell 6-4 Diogo Portela

John Bowles 6-5 Kyle Anderson

Matthew Dennant 6-3 Stephen Burton

Stephen Bunting 6-4 Simon Stevenson

Jonathan Worsley 6-4 Steve Hine

Peter Jacques 6-5 Alan Norris

Matt Clark 6-3 Jim Brown

Justin Pipe 6-5 John Michael

Andy Hamilton 6-3 Adam Hunt

Ian White 6-0 Ryan Harrington

Jermaine Wattimena 6-5 Ross Twell

Christian Kist 6-2 Jeffrey de Graaf

Kevin Painter 6-3 Tony Newell

Dave Chisnall 6-4 Ryan Searle

Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-4 Alan Tabern

Stuart Kellett 6-5 Robert Thornton

Terry Jenkins 6-5 Ryan Meikle

Mike De Decker 6-4 Benito van de Pas

John Norman Jnr 6-2 Berry van Peer

Adrian Lewis 6-3 Brendan Dolan

Joe Murnan 6-4 Darren Johnson

Daryl Gurney 6-4 Wes Newton

Jamie Lewis 6-2 Jim Walker

Jonny Clayton 6-2 Josh Payne

Ritchie Edhouse 6-3 Ted Evetts

Gerwyn Price 6-4 Callum Loose

Harry Robinson 6-2 Ricky Evans

Darren Webster 6-2 Michael Barnard

Paul Nicholson 6-4 Aden Kirk

Last 64

Peter Wright 6-2 Bernd Roith

Madars Razma 6-3 Andy Boulton

Martin Schindler 6-3 Andy Jenkins

Harry Ward 6-0 Scott Taylor

Joe Cullen 6-2 Kirk Shepherd

Robert Owen 6-2 Max Hopp

Jamie Caven 6-3 Jelle Klaasen

William O'Connor 6-3 Vincent van der Voort

Jamie Bain 6-3 Richie Burnett

Keegan Brown 6-4 Barrie Bates

Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-3 Mark Barilli

James Wade 6-2 James Wilson

Rob Cross 6-5 Craig Gilchrist

Steve West 6-2 Ryan Palmer

Zoran Lerchbacher 6-4 Kim Huybrechts

John Henderson 6-1 Callan Rydz

Michael Smith 6-3 Warrick Scheffer

Mark Webster 6-4 Mickey Mansell

John Bowles 6-5 Matthew Dennant

Jonathan Worsley 6-3 Stephen Bunting

Peter Jacques 6-3 Matt Clark

Justin Pipe 6-1 Andy Hamilton

Jermaine Wattimena 6-1 Ian White

Kevin Painter 6-5 Christian Kist

Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-5 Dave Chisnall

Terry Jenkins 6-1 Stuart Kellett

Mike De Decker 6-2 John Norman Jnr

Adrian Lewis 6-3 Joe Murnan

Daryl Gurney 6-1 Jamie Lewis

Jonny Clayton 6-5 Ritchie Edhouse

Gerwyn Price 6-4 Harry Robinson

Darren Webster 6-5 Paul Nicholson

Last 32

Peter Wright 6-4 Madars Razma

Martin Schindler 6-5 Harry Ward

Joe Cullen 6-2 Robert Owen

William O'Connor 6-5 Jamie Caven

Keegan Brown 6-2 Jamie Bain

James Wade 6-4 Rowby-John Rodriguez

Rob Cross 6-3 Steve West

John Henderson 6-4 Zoran Lerchbacher

Michael Smith 6-5 Mark Webster

Jonathan Worsley 6-4 John Bowles

Peter Jacques 6-2 Justin Pipe

Jermaine Wattimena 6-3 Kevin Painter

Jeffrey de Zwaan 6-1 Terry Jenkins

Adrian Lewis 6-1 Mike De Decker

Daryl Gurney 6-4 Jonny Clayton

Gerwyn Price 6-3 Darren Webster

Last 16

Peter Wright 6-1 Martin Schindler

William O'Connor 6-4 Joe Cullen

Keegan Brown 6-5 James Wade

Rob Cross 6-5 John Henderson

Michael Smith 6-4 Jonathan Worsley

Jermaine Wattimena 6-4 Peter Jacques

Adrian Lewis 6-2 Jeffrey de Zwaan

Gerwyn Price 6-4 Daryl Gurney

Last Eight

William O'Connor 6-2 Peter Wright

Rob Cross 6-0 Keegan Brown

Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Michael Smith

Adrian Lewis 6-5 Gerwyn Price

Last Four

Rob Cross 6-2 William O'Connor

Adrian Lewis 6-2 Jermaine Wattimena

Final

Rob Cross 6-3 Adrian Lewis

Related links

• Sky Bet darts odds
• PDC tournament calendar & results