Luke Humphries and Rob Cross both hit nine darters in the BetMGM Premier League in Brighton, but it was Luke Littler that won Night Five.
Despite the nine darters, Humphries and Cross both lost the matches in which they struck perfection. Humphries bowed out 6-4 to Cross in the quarter-finals, before the latter himself lost 6-5 to Nathan Aspinall in their semi-final clash.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt will be an especially bitter blow for the 2018 World Champion – Cross averaged over 111 against Humphries and then almost 107 against Aspinall, but fell short.
Doubles made the difference, with Cross’s checkout rate at 33% compared to Aspinall’s 55%, which saw Aspinall sneak through with a 96 average.
For their nine darters, Humphries and Cross will receive a set of 18-carat golden darts from sponsor BetMGM, worth £30,000.
Embed from Getty ImagesAside from the nines, it was Littler’s night once again. He beat Aspinall 6-3 in the final for his second nightly win since Glasgow on Night Two, averaging over 100.
The teenage sensation beat Chris Dobey 6-5 in his opening match with a clutch 110 checkout, before dismantling Michael van Gerwen 6-2 with a 106 average before his victory in the final.
Embed from Getty ImagesStephen Bunting was unable to record his first win, suffering a 6-2 defeat to Aspinall in their quarter-final. Shades of Peter Wright’s 2024 campaign, who won just two games that year, are beginning to appear for ‘the Bullet’, who faces Gerwyn Price in his opening match next week.
As for the table, Littler rises to 13 points, two behind Humphries, before the pair lock horns in the quarter-final in Nottingham next week. Aspinall rises to third on eight points.
