Rampant Rob Cross books showdown with Luke Humphries in final of 2023 Grand Slam of Darts, ends run of Stephen Bunting

Sunday, 19 November 2023 at 17:12

Rob Cross will contest the final of the 2023 Grand Slam of Darts after ending the run of Stephen Bunting and will set up a showdown with Luke Humphries for the latest major title on Sunday evening in Wolverhampton.

Cross saw off Stephen Bunting 16-13 in the end with a 95 average, five 180's and a high checkout of 127. It would be a fifth major title for Cross and is the furthest he has ever reached in Wolverhampton. Luke Humphries now awaits.

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To begin the tie, Cross hit three legs on the spin with a 70 checkout to go 3-2 up and a run of ton plus checkouts of 121 from Bunting and 108 from Cross saw them both square it up at 3-3 and 4-4.

Cross nearly hit a nine-darter going seven darts in but led 6-4 from there. It continued to be back and forth before Cross finally started to pull away.

He hit a 110 checkout to make it 9-7 before breaking to make it 11-7. Bunting kept up the pressure making it 12-9 and continuing to sit only a few legs down, but Cross hit 127 to make it 13-9.

Cross soon went one away at 15-10. But he missed a match dart and Bunting took out 78 on double 12 to break and make it 15-12 down and was throwing to go two behind. He did just that as Cross had likely one final chance to throw for the win.

On 69, he hit treble 19, single six and then readjusted for double three to take the win and move through to face Humphries.

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CROSS INTO THE FINAL!! It got very nervy at the end but Rob Cross gets over the line to beat Stephen Bunting 16-13 and reach the final of the 2023 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts! 📺 bit.ly/GSODLive #GSOD