9:18 p.m
Lucky set equalizer for Littler
Cross continues to play an outstanding game and also averages over 108 points in the second set. But because he missed five darts at the doubles and couldn’t get through his throw-in leg to win the set, Littler came back into the set and was calm as usual. The 16-year-old doesn’t score as well as in previous rounds, but he hits 3/3 darts on doubles in the second set and is fully in the game.
9:16 p.m
Sentence compensation by The Nuke
Both score in lockstep. Cross gets on the big fish after nine darts. Littler is still out of the finishing range, but with a 133 he brings himself to 74 points remaining. Voltage doesn’t manage the 170 nish and The Nuke takes advantage of this coldly: he checks 74 via triple 18 and double 10 to equalize the set!
9:14 p.m
There is the next decider
With his second shot without a triple of the game, Cross lets Littler into the leg again, who responds with his fourth maximum. However, he can’t take out 164 and Cross is on 86 points. He can’t get it to 0, after Single 18, Single 18 he misses the bullseye again. Littler is there and breaks out on double 12 with the first dart.
9:11 p.m
First break of the game goes to Voltage
With two more 140s, Voltage brings his average to over 115 points. So he puts pressure on Littler’s throwing leg, who is still not on a finish even after nine darts and can only face 150 points even then. Cross can’t check 128, but faces double 18. The Nuke only throws 39 points but Cross actually misses three fresh break darts. However, Littler bounces the first dart out of the bullseye, so the 111 finish is no longer possible. Voltage is there and breaks with an 18 finish via single 10 and double 4.
9:10 p.m
11 darters to make it 1:1
Voltage scores strongly again and after 100, 140 and 180 he has 81 points remaining after nine darts. He also takes that out safely via triple 19 and double 12. The 11-darter to equalize in the second set.
9:06 p.m
Littler in set two up front
Both come out of the break with a little less scoring power, but with his second maximum Cross has 167 points. Littler answers with his third 180 and leaves himself with 12 points remaining. Voltage almost takes out the 167, but after triple 19, triple 20 he only hits the single bull. Littler checks 12 points with the second dart over double 3.
9:03 p.m
Strong start
Things get off to a good start in this semi-final and Rob Cross in particular gets off to an impressive start. You quickly notice that the 33-year-old wants to make it clear early on that he is confident enough to beat the shooting star. After the first set, Voltage’s average is 108.67 points and has already thrown seven 140s and a maximum. But Littler is also right there, playing an average of 103.18 points and winning both of his throwing legs. The first sentence already indicates how exciting this encounter could be.
9:01 p.m
Cross with 13-darter to set
Cross has 164 points remaining in the decider after nine darts, Littler is not yet in the finishing range. Voltage sets himself perfectly with 32 points remaining, but gets more pressure from Littler’s second 180. He leaves him cold, he hits double 16 with the first dart and takes set one!
8:59 p.m
Littler forces a decider in set one
Littler only hits a triple in the first three innings and that’s not enough against Cross. The Nuke is still out of the finish zone when Cross leaves 54 points remaining. With a 128, Littler gets down to 76 points and Voltage actually misses two set darts. After single 14 he misses both double 20 and double 10. Littler is there and checks 76 over single 20, single 16 and tops to the decider!
8:57 p.m
Voltage with 12-darter to make it 2:1
Cross pulls away with a 140 and his first maximum and is left with 76 points after nine darts. Littler gets to 124 but Voltage checks 76 points with the last dart in hand via triple 20 and double 8. The 2018 world champion is in first sentence again at the front.
8:55 p.m
The Nuke equalizes
Littler throws the first 180 of the game, but Cross also scores well. Again Littler has 170 points remaining after nine darts and Voltage is 121. The Nuke misses the big fish after T20, T20 on the bullseye and only hits the single 16. Cross also can’t check 121 and Littler takes 34 points over single 14 and Double 10 out with the last dart in hand.
20:51
Cross with 15-darters to the first leg
Cross starts the game and both start off with good scoring. Voltage has 121 points remaining after nine darts, Littler is facing the big fish. Cross faces Tops and The Nuke 45. With the third dart, Cross checks double 20 and leads 1-0.
8:30 p.m
Game On!
In the semi-finals, one more set is needed to move into the final. So today we will play in best-of-11 mode. A player must win six sets to win the game. Littler and Cross are already on stage, the Ally Pally is ready. It’s about to start, have fun!
8:14 p.m
Can Littler actually make it to the World Cup final?
Luke “The Nuke” Littler is the shooting star of this World Cup and superlatives are hardly enough to describe the 16-year-old’s run. In the quarter-finals, Littler never left any doubts about reaching the semi-finals. His opponent Brendan Dolan plays well below his potential (86 average), but The Nuke plays his game consistently and looks like an experienced world-class player. Once again his average is above the 100 point mark and although he misses nine darts for doubles in the fifth set, he ends up with a double rate of 47.06%. It seems like the youngster never stops to think and just keeps performing. Today we will see whether this will work in a World Cup semi-final against a very solid Rob Cross, who has already lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy.
8:00 p.m
Cross wants to stop Littler’s run
Rob “Voltage” Cross would hardly have thought that he would be able to play in this semi-final today when he was already down 4-0 against a strong Chris Dobey in the round of the last eight. Voltage also played a good game up to that point and then made a historic comeback – a 4-0 deficit has never been turned around at the World Cup. Dobey’s doubles weakness paved the way to victory for Cross, who was himself very strong on doubles and ended up with a doubles rate of 57.14% over nine sets. The 2018 world champion survived a match dart and refined the comeback with a 70 finish to make it 5:3 in legs in extra time of the ninth set. So the semi-finals should feel like a pure encore for Cross. Nevertheless, as a world champion and long-time top 10 player, he would of course like to put prodigy Luke Littler in his place with his experience.
19:58
Who will make it to the World Cup final?
Welcome to the penultimate day of the PDC Darts World Championship 2024! It was a crazy quarter-final day yesterday, on which Rob Cross achieved one of the greatest comebacks in World Cup history and then title favorite Michael van Gerwen completely unexpectedly lost to Scott Williams. Shooting star Luke Littler rushed into the semi-finals with the next 100+ average, while Luke Humphries also confidently made it into the semi-finals and showed a really good performance for the first time at this World Cup. Today Rob Cross meets Luke Littler before Scott Williams and Luke Humphries duel.