Rob Cross and Dave Chisnall among big names to fall at Alexandra Palace
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Former champion Rob Cross and Dave Chisnall crashed out of the PDC World Championship as more seeds were scattered at Alexandra Palace. Fifth seed Cross, the 2018 champion, lost 3-1 to Scott Williams while Ricky Evans survived a match dart against him to upset sixth seed Chisnall in an epic second-round clash decided by a sudden death leg.
Evans walked to the oche in his own personalised festive shirt to the Shakin’ Stevens hit Merry Christmas Everyone – and the Kettering ace again saved his best for the biggest tournament of the year. Having beaten world number six Nathan Aspinall at Ally Pally 12 months ago, Evans held his nerve to win 3-2 after both players had missed match darts to set up a third round date with Welshman Robert Owen.
“I’ve played a world class darts player and it’s nice to say I’ve won a game and played well. Normally it’s poo,” Evans told Sky Sports. “What am I doing the other 11 months of the year?”. Almost unable to accept his status as a crowd favourite, Evans said: “I don’t get this treatment in my household. Why are they cheering me on – ‘Ricky Evans, Ricky Evans’ – I don’t understand it.
“I kept telling them to shut up. I’m trying to win a game here, but they were getting louder and louder. But thank you very much, you’ve made a fat guy very happy.”. Chisnall took the first set in style and seemed on course to maintain his record of having not lost a first round match at the world championship since 2018.
