CROSS PRIMED TO TURN OFF THE POWER
PHIL TAYLOR marking his retirement by reaching the final of a tournament he has won 16 times was already a tale worthy of a Hollywood script. The fact that the man who tonight will try to turn off ‘The Power’ is the former electrician who turned professional less than a year ago only thickens the plot. Rob Cross is a World Championship debutant who is already guaranteed to take home at least £170,000 for a fortnight’s work, though he has not forgotten his roots. Two weeks ago, ahead of a television interview, the cameramen were having issues with their electrical equipment. Cross, nicknamed ‘Voltage’, took a look. Problem solved. His next job will be to try to ruin Taylor’s retirement party in tonight’s final, with one tout asking for more than £3,000 per ticket on the black market. All eyes are on Taylor, the 57year-old grandad from Stoke. Win or lose, Taylor insists he will embrace his final fling. ‘Can I tell you a secret? I’ve never really believed I can win this tournament,’ Taylor said. ‘And I still don’t think I’m going to win it — but I am going to enjoy it. ‘I can relax now. It didn’t matter to me whether I played Rob Cross or Michael van Gerwen in the final because it’s like choosing whether to fight Anthony Joshua or Mike Tyson. One way or another, you are going to get a good hiding or you’re going to give them one back, so you might as well enjoy it.’ The first time Cross met Taylor was at the Grand Slam of Darts in November. Star-struck, the newbie on the circuit asked for a photo. ‘It sounds sad now, doesn’t it?’ said Cross, who defeated defending champion Michael van Gerwen in a sensational semifinal on Saturday that was settled by a sudden-death shootout. ‘Phil did say to me: “You and me, final in the Worlds”. He is like Mystic Meg. I have watched Phil since being a young boy around 12 when I fell in love with the game. I remember being 15, watching Phil dominate. You won’t get another sportsman like him. He is a true legend. But I am here to win.’ One of 27-year-old Cross’s friends put money on him to lift the trophy and £400,000 winner’s cheque, with bookmakers offering 250/1 odds at the start of the year. ‘He is sitting on a pretty portion,’ Cross said. ‘Knowing him, he would have put on quite a bit. ‘I watched last year’s final in my living room. This is the place to play darts. The buzz. I still think I have 30 per cent more to give. Then hopefully I can do more damage.’ This clash has the potential to be the most-watched match in history: the battle between a departing legend and the
debutant.