The last visit to Blackpool this summer will see a new World Matchplay champion crowned for the second year in succession. Unlike 2018's elderly veterans in the final, 2019 sees two younger men of a remarkably similar age competing for their first ever Phil Taylor Trophy. Three days separated Michael Smith and Rob Cross's births back in September 1990, and a minimum of 35 legs will decide who takes home the big one.
Bully Boy's run to the final has been the far more challenging of the pair; having been down 1-4 in both of his opening matches against Jamie Hughes and Max Hopp, also going 3-6 down in the former and 9-10 in the latter, Smith had to use all of his natural ability to turn both games around and make it through to the quarter-finals for the first time, where he was dominant from the off against Mervyn King. A more improved dominance ended Glen Durrant's dream run, but in both games against the middle-aged men he let them in when he went off the boil and a recurrence of that dip in form could prove fatal this evening.
Voltage's run has strangely been the opposite of his fellow 28-year-old; Chris Dobey and Krzysztof Ratajski were never a challenge to the former World Champion and only provided 7 legs of resistance. Stephen Bunting in Friday's remarkable quarter-final on the hand was the first man to actually try and stop Cross, but despite levelling the match from 9-4 down was never able to break him. Daryl Gurney's remarkable binning of a 13-6 lead last night was more in part to the baldie absolutely surging than Superchin bottling it, but these games also demonstrated that Rob can go just as easily off as his opponent.
The pair's last big meeting was back in March with the UK Open semi-final where Smith's groin abscess finally became too much for him to cope, but the big factor is that in 3 TV meetings so far in 2019, they have all gone the way of the ex-electrician.
Coverage starts from 7:00pm UK time on Sky Sports Action.
>Tonight’s match (Best of 35 legs) Michael "Snackpot 2.0" Smith (5) v Rob "BAuLDtism" Cross (2)
All matches must be won by 2 clear legs, with up to 5 extra legs played to decide a winner. If the match is tied after 5 extra legs, a final sudden death leg will be played.
another live show is planned on rtl7 at 22:00 (21:00 british time), hope they are fucked
Lincoln Evans
At least we get 2 guys in the final who could really push eachother to the limit. Don't want a shitshow like Smith Durrhurr last night.
Nicholas Smith
inb4 both of them flop and it's a rerun of the UK Open final
Logan Nelson
I just can't fucking stand this negative personality boring bald cunt and hate everything about his on-stage persona.
>his stupid throwing action >the faces he makes after bad darts >the fistpump after winning a leg >how he pauses before a double >the faux humble no celebration after winning >"u know"
And above else:
His fucking walk-on. Such a fucking lame walk-on. The absolute worst in darts. And most infuriatingly he used to have one of the best walk-ons.
I dislike the Bully Boy but i'd absolutely love it (tune: Kevin Keegan) if he beats the bald fraud today.
>guys we need to have a more diverse darts commentary team >ok, we'll just get one of the black darts players to commentate >oh shit that's literally just this fucking saffer Should have got my boy Prakash Jiwa in. Or Deta.
forgot about Jenks and his chokes, he is just a good guy
Jeremiah Torres
What did he say to Pilth in 2009 kek
Jackson Scott
miss woolly bully man
Jacob Nguyen
Pretty sure he's fully retired now. Hasn't played an event since the Worlds qualifiers.
Nolan Adams
One of the few genuinely good guys in darts.
Carter Barnes
Smith now at the Dudbridge/Wright level for legs won in a Matchplay final.
Adrian Morales
worry
Chase Fisher
Dear lord, why did I watch that boring TdF finale, and why did I forget to switch channels in time? Well, looks like I made it just in time when the game finally gets interesting.
kek, saved.
Colton Hernandez
Cross is actually playing terribly and yet he's still going to be probably steal this title.
So that's it for Blackpool this year. The final wasn't the greatest standard-wise: there hasn't been a winning average lower than 95.16 since Phil Taylor's massacre of Wayne Mardle in 2003, but Bobby George's old adage paid off again: "Trebles for show, doubles for dough" as Rob Cross FINALLY got the "his Worlds was a fluke" monkey off his shoulder to claim his second major title. But what could have been if Michael Smith, fast becoming the new Terry Jenkins/Dave Chisnall in major finals, was able to finish in the first 9 legs.
Voltage claimed the opening 2 legs with 72 finishes and thumped in a 12 darter to ominously go 3-0 up. Bully Boy was scoring better throughout but the trouble on the outer ring started in leg 4 with a triplet missed and the same happened in the next 2 legs. Smith was nowhere in the next 3 and mercifully got on the board in leg 10 with an 84 finish. Three of the next four legs got the gap back to 6 but a 115 extended Cross's lead to seven.
The lead returned to 8 with the next leg but Michael cleared the oche with a stunning 147 out and got the gap back to 5 legs. Rob lengthened it to 6 but the ex-World Youth Champ burst into life, running three off to get it to 10-13. The first killer blow followed as with Mike waiting on 16 for a 2 leg game, that trusted D18 for the ex-World Champ came to save him to close out a 110 and go 14-10 up. Three holds followed and then Cross missed 6 for the gap to become 2 legs. A missed bull for 87 was the killer moment with a last dart D6 extending the gap to 3 and broke the next leg before serving it out on D4 to complete the historic double for the former electrician. To achieve both titles is something; to do it in 18 months is something else entirely.
While it wasn't the best ending, the tournament as a whole saw some great stories; Glen Durrant's run to the semifinals on debut clearly the most significant.
/180/ returns on 6th October with the dubl'in double out fun of the World Grand Prix. See you then.
Need Belly boy out of business another non event final because of the choking cunt
Jackson Rivera
Oh for fucks sake, this a joke. I really wanted him to win but as soon as I saw he was in the final I knew he'd choke. One of the most naturally gifted darts players ever but he has no nerves at all.
