Cross advocates inclusion of women in expanded World Championship: "It's amazing to have two women in the event"

The World Championship was expanded earlier this week to include two ladies players through qualifiers held before the event. Rob Cross speaking to Sky Sports at the media event advocated this move calling it 'amazing'.

'Voltage' who claimed the World title at the Alexandra Palace in January admitted that there is no reason why women can't compete with men in terms of averages and that the exposure given will hopefully help bring on the women's game. He also spoke about his beginnings and how he was beaten by his mother when he was starting out in the pub game. Cross did say though that he wouldn't let his children beat him now and that's what his mother was like with him. "It's amazing to have two women in the event," he says. "At the minute the men's averages are higher than the women but there is no real reason why that is the case - no-one can answer that so the exposure to top level darts can only help and bring on the women's game too." "I definitely did," says Cross when he is asked if has ever lost to a woman. "I played lots of pub darts when I was growing up and played against women. In fact when I first learned to play darts we had a board at home and the whole family would play - mum, dad, uncle - all having games. "That's how I started and my mum - she beat be a few times and I wasn't too happy but it's your mum, you have to let her off! My son loves it and my daughter if she wants to play but I won't let them beat me!

Photo: Chris Dean/PDC