PDC World Darts Championship: Former champions Rob Cross and Peter Wright into last 16
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Cross (left) and Wright both came through testing matches
Former world champions Rob Cross and Peter Wright made it through to the last 16 of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.
Cross, who won the 2018 title, progressed after beating Northern Irishman Daryl Gurney 4-3 in a high-quality battle.
The 2020 world champion Wright came from 2-0 down to beat Australian Damon Heta 4-2.
Wright, 51, improved after changing his darts in the third set.
He looked more comfortable with his throw following the switch and nailed a 161 bullseye checkout on his way to victory, winning four sets on the bounce.
"I got there in the end, you're playing trying to win 4-0 and get off the stage as quick as possible, but you can't do that against Damon," said Wright.
"I tried to use darts I got on the 22nd of December and practice-wise they were lovely. [There are] just a few little things which need some tweaks but they didn't quite work today."
Scotland's Wright now faces England's Ryan Searle in the fourth round, in a rematch of the recent final at the Players Championship Finals. Searle advanced after beating Dutchman Danny Noppert 4-2 earlier in the day.
In the first match of the evening session, Englishman Cross, 31, took out a superb 'big fish' 170 bullseye checkout to seal the win against Gurney.
In a see-saw match, 11th seed Cross won the first two sets but former World Grand Prix winner Gurney, 35, came back to win the third set.
Cross won the fourth and Gurney took the fifth and sixth to level at 3-3 but it was the former world champion who got over the line in the final set.
"I deserved the lead but I relaxed a bit too much at 2-0 up and made myself edgy so it was all about getting through it in the end," said Cross.
Cross will face the winner of the match between Gary Anderson and Ian White in the fourth round.
"It's about getting my head down now, when I'm enjoying the game - anything's possible," added Cross.
The last match of the evening was supposed to see three-time world champion Michael van Gerwen play England's Chris Dobey but was cancelled after Van Gerwen was forced to withdraw after testing positive for Covid-19.
In the afternoon session, Dutchman Martijn Kleermaker survived a late comeback from 13th seed Joe Cullen, who clawed his way back from 3-0 down to level the match at 3-3.
Kleermaker took out a 130 checkout to break Cullen's throw in the deciding set and won 4-3 to go through to the last 16 on his Ally Pally debut.
England's Mervyn King cruised to a 4-0 victory over Ireland's Steve Lennon.
Wednesday schedule of play
Afternoon
Jose De Sousa (Por) v Alan Soutar (Sco) (R3)
Dave Chisnall (Eng) v Luke Humphries (Eng) (R3)
Nathan Aspinall (Eng) v Callan Rydz (Eng) (R3)
Evening
Gary Anderson (Sco) v Ian White (Eng) (R3)
Gerwyn Price (Wal) v Dirk van Duijvenbode (Ned) (R4)
Jonny Clayton (Wal) v Michael Smith (Eng) (R4)