Rob Cross has given himself a narrow but meaningful Blackpool buffer as the World Matchplay race moves into its final stretch before the July 8 cut-off.
The latest World Matchplay Race has Cross 20th on the main Order of Merit section on £426,500, just ahead of Mike De Decker on £425,000 and Damon Heta on £413,750. The same table places him 17th on the ProTour Order of Merit section, where the top 16 not already seeded complete the Winter Gardens field.
Cross Has Margin, But Not Comfort
That distinction matters. Cross is not locked into a seeded route, but he is positioned strongly enough that every late movement beneath him now piles more heat onto the chasing pack, including Michael Smith, Peter Wright and Joe Cullen.
The Betfred World Matchplay remains one of the PDC calendar’s most severe ranking filters, with only 32 players reaching the Winter Gardens. Cross, the 2019 Matchplay champion, has rebuilt his case at the right time after a strong June, including a Players Championship 22 title and a run to the Slovak Darts Open final.
For Smith, the problem is the gap. The current race has him 33rd on £301,500, outside the provisional places and more than £7,000 behind 32nd-placed Ritchie Edhouse. Cross is operating from the opposite side of the line.
The final days before July 8 are now less about Cross chasing and more about Cross resisting.
