2019 Betfred World Matchplay – Rob Cross vs Stephen Bunting Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Rob Cross vs Stephen Bunting taking place? Friday 25th July, 2019
Where is Rob Cross vs Stephen Bunting taking place? Winter Gardens, Blackpool
What channel is Rob Cross vs Stephen Bunting on? Sky Sports Action
Where can I stream Rob Cross vs Stephen Bunting? Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via Sky Go
Where can I get tickets for Rob Cross vs Stephen Bunting? Check https://www.pdc.tv/betfred-world-matchplay-tickets for ticket information
THE STATISTICS
All-time meetings: Rob Cross 2-0 Stephen Bunting
Last meeting: Rob Cross beat Stephen Bunting 6-2
THE PLAYERS
ROB CROSS
- Rob Cross has made it through to the quarter-finals at the World Matchplay for the first time, and has done so with ease, dropping only eight legs during the first two rounds of the tournament in the process of defeating Chris Dobey and Krzysztof Ratajski.
- After going 2-0 down in his second match against Ratajski he won nine consecutive legs with a display of consistently good scoring and doubling to put the game out of reach. Although his final match average was just under the 100 mark, he did average over 102 over the course of the nine-leg winning run.
- Voltage’s finishing in his two matches so far has been mightily impressive and efficient, which is highlighted by his tournament checkout percentage of 58.33% and only one leg lost when he has had a dart at a double.
STEPHEN BUNTING
- Stephen Bunting has had to ride his luck in coming through epic tussles against both Gerwyn Price and Ian White to reach the quarter-finals at the World Matchplay for the first time in his career.
- Having survived two match darts against Gerwyn Price in round one, he had to come from 9-4 down against Ian White in the second round to win 14-12 in ‘extra time’. The number ten seed missed five match darts to finish off Bunting in a thrilling encounter in which there was a total of 19 180s between the two players.
- Although Bunting has made it through to a couple of finals on the tour this season – including one only a month ago on the European Tour – he is striving to make it through to his first TV tournament semi-final since the 2015 UK Open.
THE PREDICTION
Rob Cross and Stephen Bunting have had very contrasting routes to the quarter-finals with Cross cruising through with ease and Bunting having had to survive match darts in his victories against Gerwyn Price and Ian White. The fact that Bunting has played a total of 22 more legs than Cross during the course of the tournament so far sums up the extra struggles the St. Helens man has had to go through.
Although Cross has not really been tested yet, he looks in the mood to step up to the plate and deal well with any challenge put in front of him, and as he often improves as a match progresses, he will relish the longer format in the quarter-finals. Bunting has done well to reach the last eight, and there can be no doubt he has battled well and held his nerve at key moments, but it has to be pointed out that both Price and White were architects of their own downfalls and Cross is unlikely to be as charitable.
Voltage should have far too much leg-on-leg consistency and if he gets an early break he may run away with the game, therefore Cross to cover a handicap of -4.5 is the prediction.
