First ADA Resident Pro Match a real thriller

By Rob Coleman, ADA Rep., Virginia

An historic match and match-up as the American Dart League's top darters, Dan Lauby, the Resident Pro from Region V (Midwest) and Bill Cross, the Resident Pro from Region II (Mid-Atlantic) met in the ADA's first Resident Pro Challenge on March 13, 2006. The match lived up to the hype!

Held Friday night during the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship in Hampton, Virginia, this soft tip duel included sets of Cricket and 501 Straight Start, Double Finish (5 games in each set), the first to win 15 games declared the winner. Sponsored by Holiday Inn and Budweiser this "winner take all match" offered over $800 in prizes!

After welcoming the standing room only crowd and a brief introduction of the Pro's by ADA President, Glenn Remick, a toss of the coin determined who shot for bull and started the match. Host Pro Cross won the toss, chose Cricket as the first set and started the first game. From that point on, the Pros alternated the start of each game.

First Set - Cricket
First game jitters were evident but a close game nevertheless, with Cross tossing a Hat Trick to get within one bull of a win. However, it was Lauby who finished the leg with two bulls to win in 18 darts. In game two, Lauby came out firing tossing a 9-mark to start the second leg (3-trip 20's); however, Cross overcame the deficit and on his twenty-first dart won the game with a Hat Trick!

With the jitters over, game three was tight. Both tossed 9-marks with Cross winning the game on his 18th dart and 4.8 marks per round (MPR)! Down 2-1 Lauby opened with another 9-mark - again all 20's and dug a hole Cross could not get out, of winning game four in 17 darts with 5.3 mpr and tying the match at 2-2! It was Cross to start but it ended up being Lauby's game as he tossed his fourth 9-mark winning in 18 darts with a 5.7 mpr, the highest average of the set. Advantage: Lauby 3-2.

Second Set - 501
501 Straight Start, Double Finish with the double bull activated, these games will be scored with 20's or 19's. Finishing with a strong game in the last set, Dan was in control. After tossing the first 180 of the match and reaching 40, he could not turn the double and Cross hit the double 16 on his sixteenth dart to even match with a 31 ppda game. With the start, Cross took advantage taking out another double 16, this time on his fourteenth dart (35.7 ppda) with Lauby sitting on a double 20! With two straight losses and now down 4-3, Dan put a halt to Bill's momentum by winning game three of the set in 17 darts tossing 29.4 ppda game. Against the darts Dan tossed another 180, winning game four taking a 98 out in just 12 darts (41.7 ppda)! Taking a 5-4 lead and starting going into the fifth leg, Dan was stroking, starting the game with back-to-back 140's and tossing a very impressive 13 dart game (38.5) to take a two game lead going into the third set. Advantage: Lauby 6-4.

Third Set - Cricket
It was clear Bill needed a win in this first game of the third set. In the highest scoring game of the series, Bill did just that - scoring 360 to Dan's 350 and tossing 4.3 mpr to cut the lead to one game. Game two of the set was all Dan as he opened with three triple 20's and never looked back winning the game in just 13 darts with a very impressive 6.5 mpr! Bill got his game face on, winning games three (4.5), four (5.9) and five (4.6) to take the series lead! Advantage: Cross 8-7.

Fourth Set - 501
With the match half over it is getting interesting. Both members are allowed a five-minute break between sets and both are taking the full time off to recharge their batteries! Dan needs a win to even the match and starts the sixteenth game with back-to-back 180's! Could we see a perfect game? His seventh dart wires the trip 20 for a single and he cruises to the win in just 12 darts (41.7)! Against the darts, Dan wins the second game of the set in 16 darts (31.3) with Bill sitting on a double 20. Now 9-8 the "tide has turned" and Dan is in control.

Sitting on a double 20, Dan will not get the shot in game three as Bill takes out 60 in 14 darts to even the series. With the darts Bill captures the fourth game of the set in 16 darts with Dan sitting on 40 again! With the start Dan tosses his sixth Ton 80 of the series, winning the final game of the set in just 11 darts, the best game of the night with a very impressive 45.5 points per dart average to tie the series 10-10!

Fifth Set - Cricket
The standing room only spectators now sense they are attending something very special. After 2.5 hours and 20 games played, this match is all tied up. The first game of the fifth set is THE Cricket game of the evening. After six 9-marks and 2746 points between the two Pros, Bill wins this classic game on his forty-eighth dart with an unbelievable 6.2 marks per round! Dan tosses 48 darts with a 5.8 marks per round!

It is clear both Pros want this title! Bill is now in control and wins the next two legs in 24 and 31 darts tossing two more 9-marks. Now up 13-10 the "home" crowd is confident Bill will win the match. Dan and his fans have other plans! Tossing a 9-mark and outscoring Bill 168 to 30 Dan cruises in the twenty-fourth game with a 6.4 mpr. With Bill starting the final game of the fifth set, this game is a must win for Dan. In a high scoring duel (944) Dan emerges the victor with a 5.0 mpr average. Advantage: Cross 13-12.

Sixth Set - 501
A win from Dan will tie the match and he needs it bad. Leaving 50 with the eighteenth dart in his hand for the win, he goes for the double bull, missing it by one hole leaving 25! Bill takes advantage taking out 72 in 17 darts (29.4) for his fourteenth win, one away! With his back against the wall Dan comes out smoking taking game 27 in just 15 darts (33.4). Now 14-13 Bill tosses his best (and final) 501 game of the evening taking out 96 in just 11 darts (45.5) and winning the first Regional Pro Darts Challenge 15-13!

Needless to say this first match by certified Professional Darters was a crowd pleaser. We can now look forward to our second Pro match with many more to follow! Stay tuned!