Where to watch day seven of the Grand Slam of Darts
Live on Sky Sports+ and Sky Sports Main Event, 7pm Thursday
Best bet
Cameron Menzies (4-7) and Rob Cross (4-9)
4pts double bet365
Grand Slam of Darts day seven predictions
Rob Cross is the headline act at the Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton on Friday night, as the 2018 world champion toes the oche against Martin Lukeman.
Cross, who crushed Phil Taylor 7-2 in a one-sided 2018 final at Alexandra Palace, has proved himself on the biggest stage of them all. Voltage is warming to his task in the Grand Slam of Darts and can be fancied to make short work of Lukeman in their quarter-final meeting.
Cross provided a masterclass of finishing in his 10-4 destruction of Ritchie Edhouse on Wednesday night. Edhouse, who won the European Championship last month, started the match full of confidence, but was left shell-shocked by Cross taking out 164, 160 and 110 checkouts in a ruthless manner.
Cross closed legs in such deadly fashion against Edhouse, it seems likely that the Kent man progresses to a second successive Grand Slam final. Cross lost to a buzzing Luke Humphries in last year’s final, but does not have to worry about him this time. Lukeman edged Cross 5-3 in the group stages, but over 31 legs, class should tell.
Cameron Menzies appears a likely semi-final opponent for Cross – and the pair can feature in a solid Friday-night double which pays 5-4. Every match is played over 31 legs from the quarter-finals onwards, so the best players have plenty of time to assert their superiority.
Cross is in a different league to Lukeman, while the peers of Menzies are well aware that he has the potential to be an elite arrowsmith. The part-timer, who continues to work as a plumber when not competing in darts tournaments, produces some incredible averages in floor events. He won a Players Championship in Leicester at the end of last month, destroying Stephen Bunting 8-4 in the final.
Menzies has struggled to do himself justice in televised tournaments, but a courageous 10-9 success over James Wade on Wednesday could be a coming-of-age moment for the talented Scot. Expect Mickey Mansell to be brushed aside with ease.
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