A WIN FOR WADE! Vintage stuff from James Wade, who made the final here last year, as he beats former champion Rob Cross 6-3 to reach the Second Round. 📺 bit.ly/EC24Live #ECDarts24 | R1
James Wade dumps out Rob Cross in vintage display as home hero Ricardo Pietreczko in Heta comeback win
PDCFriday, 25 October 2024 at 21:09
James Wade has produced a vintage display to down two-time champion Rob Cross at the European Championship in Dortmund to reach the second round on Saturday.
Wade who showed superb form at the World Grand Prix faced one of the toughest first tests against a player who often won these titles despite never winning a European Tour. So he knows how to win in Dortmund but not tonight.
It was a superb start from both as Cross fired in a cracking 117 checkout to make it 1-1 after a 12-darter to open from Wade. But 'The Machine' started to motor and made it three legs without reply. He pinned 31 as Cross missed 110 for 3-3 and he went into a 4-2 lead.
Wade though missed chances initially to go towards the brink at 5-2 and Cross hit a superb 140 checkout to get the match back on throw at 4-3. Albeit Wade turned on the afterburners again and averaging over a ton, he was exquisite as he set up 139 with Cross way back and took aim at double 10 again for the win.
While Ricardo Pietreczko delivered for the home crowd in a last gasp comeback win over Damon Heta in Dortmund 6-5.
Martin Schindler couldn't produce last night in particular so it was up to 'Pikachu' to restore German hopes and it looked to be another poor night at the office for the home heroes. Heta went 2-0 up early on with Pietreczko slow to start. But he led at 3-2 only for Heta to turn it around after misses from the German for 4-3 himself and Heta hit 65 to lead. He then went one away from silencing the crowd. But Pietreczko kept chipping away. He made it 5-4 down and then sent it all the way.
He showed supreme bottle to hit a 102 checkout for a 15-darter tow in with Heta waiting on 71 for the match. He got one chance and he certainly took it to move through.
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- Agreed, thebogeyman. Remember the boxing farce at this year's Olympics... a guy posing as a woman winning the Gold Medal, grim. They should do men who think they are women (separate) competition and award a pair of tight pants for the winner.MrYnyslas197125-10-2024
- What a paltry pay day. Is the Championship going to be on TV or YouTube. I still believe the BBC sunk the BDO when they dumped it for that ridiculous champions league that also died without trace. The prize money for the girls is terrible, why can't they win the same as the boys. It will hardly entice girls to enter the sport. Although hell knows what the future is for darts with the transgender craze.richieburnettrocks24-10-2024
- "Surely darts has little to do with physicality?" If that was true, there would not be women's events for the mentally ill bloke to play in.thebogeyman24-10-2024
- My god what a clown this guy is.... So REAL women should take pills to suppress natural processes to make it equal as he does not have such symptoms? And no: you are not winning because you put in the time and money, you are winning because you have an unfair advantage. Men play better than women, it is a fact. And let's not forget he was in the top 10 of the world in the boys earlier in life!DannyJ23-10-2024
- My god what a clown this guy is.... So REAL women should take pills to suppress natural processes to make it equal as he does not have such symptoms? And no: you are not winning because you put in the time and money, you are winning because you have an unfair advantage. Men play better than women, it is a fact. And let's not forget he was in the top 10 of the world in the boys earlier in life!DannyJ23-10-2024