Five-time winner Michael van Gerwen and 2020 champion Peter Wright enjoyed wins on Day Two of the Cazoo Masters in Milton Keynes.
Van Gerwen averaged 104 and posted ten maximums to open his challenge with an impressive 10-7 win over last year’s semi-finalist Jose de Sousa.
Despite a significant disparity in the averages, De Sousa had an opportunity to restore parity at four apiece, until Van Gerwen restored his cushion with a 14-dart break.
De Sousa reduced the arrears to 4-6 with a classy 120 checkout in leg ten, although he was unable to make any inroads on the Van Gerwen throw, as the Dutchman advanced in convincing fashion.
“I think I played well. My scoring power was there,” said Van Gerwen, who now faces Cross in a repeat of November’s Players Championship Finals decider.
“I was cool, I was calm. Jose finished well and took his chances, but I think I deserved to win this game.
“It is a fantastic line-up tomorrow, but I just have to focus on my own game. I’m a winner and I’m here to win this tournament, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.”
Wright survived a scare as he continued his bid for a second Masters title, fending off a spirited revival from Dave Chisnall to complete a 10-7 success.
Wright, a winner at last weekend’s Nordic Darts Masters, stormed 4-0 ahead with legs of 14, 13, 15 and 12 darts, and a clinical 113 finish in leg 11 catapulted him to the brink of a comprehensive win.
However, Chisnall won four successive legs from 9-3 adrift to threaten a famous fightback, only to miss double 18 for a 150 skin-saver in leg 17 as Wright wrapped up proceedings with a 101 average
Sunday’s final stages will see the quarter-finals take place in the afternoon session, before the semi-finals and final are held in a bumper evening session at the Marshall Arena.
Saturday January 28
Afternoon Session
Danny Noppert 10-9 Stephen Bunting
Rob Cross 10-6 Gary Anderson
Jonny Clayton 10-3 James Wade
Chris Dobey 10-8 Luke Humphries
Evening Session
Second Round x4
Dirk van Duijvenbode 10-8 Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright 10-7 Dave Chisnall
Michael Smith 10-7 Ross Smith
Michael van Gerwen 10-7 Jose de Sousa
Sunday January 29
Afternoon Session (1245 GMT)
Quarter-Finals x4
Dirk van Duijvenbode v Chris Dobey
Michael Smith v Danny Noppert
Peter Wright v Jonny Clayton
Michael van Gerwen v Rob Cross
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
Semi-Finals & Final
—–ENDS—–
Images: Taylor Lanning/PDC
