Luke Littler to lock horns with Rob Cross in another major TV darts tournament

THERE have been some great battles between Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler and Rob Cross this year – and another is in prospect.

The Warrington 17-year-old will meet his 2024 Premier League rival in the first round of the Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals, which will be broadcast live on ITV4.

Following the conclusion of the 30-event 2024 Players Championship season, the top 64 players on the series’ order of merit will assemble at Butlin’s Minehead Resort from Friday, November 22 to Sunday, November 24.

And Littler’s battle-royal with 2018 world champion Cross will be among the highlights of the opening games – and a repeat of their recent first-round tie at the World Grand Prix and their semi-final in the World Darts Championship on January 2.

Before this event, 'The Nuke', who now lives in Appleton, will have a date with Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton from Saturday, November 9 to Sunday, November 17 - with more details on this tournament to be announced in the coming days.

But in Minehead the weekend after, world number one Luke Humphries will begin his defence of the Ladbrokes Players Championship title against German number two Gabriel Clemens.

Michael van Gerwen opens his challenge against 2019 semi-finalist Ian White, as the Dutch superstar eyes a record-extending eighth Players Championship Finals title.

Chris Dobey will be the top seed after winning a trio of Players Championship titles in 2024, and the Bedlington star faces world number eight Nathan Aspinall in a blockbuster clash.

Stephen Bunting – a six-time Players Championship runner-up in 2024 – meets Belgium’s Mario Vandenbogaerde, while third seed Damon Heta faces two-time finalist Mervyn King.

2021 runner-up Ryan Searle plays Sweden’s Jeffrey de Graaf for a place in round two, as fifth seed Dave Chisnall takes on Joe Cullen in a repeat of the 2022 Masters final.

Following a hat-trick of Players Championship successes across the campaign, 2014 champion Gary Anderson makes his Minehead return with a tie against Suffolk star Ryan Meikle.

Daryl Gurney and Peter Wright lock horns in a battle of the former Players Championship Finals winners, with world number two Michael Smith pitted against newcomer Dom Taylor.

Ross Smith plays reigning UK Open champion Dimitri Van den Bergh, while World Grand Prix winner Mike De Decker goes up against Richard Veenstra.

Former finalists Jonny Clayton and Gerwyn Price take on Florian Hempel and Thibault Tricole respectively, as emerging Dutchman Wessel Nijman meets 2012 runner-up Kim Huybrechts in his opener.

Newly-crowned European Champion Ritchie Edhouse faces Luke Woodhouse in a repeat of their semi-final showdown in Dortmund, while Raymond van Barneveld and Chris Landman collide in an all-Dutch affair.

Seventh seed Josh Rock will play Ricky Evans in a quick-fire contest, with 2018 semi-finalist Danny Noppert set to take on debutant James Hurrell for a last 32 berth.

The first round will take place across a marathon opening day on Friday, November 22, with Saturday’s double session featuring the second round in the afternoon, followed by round three in the evening session.

The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will then be held on Sunday, November 24.

The schedule of play will be announced in due course.

2024 Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals draw bracket:

(1) Chris Dobey v (64) Nathan Aspinall

(32) William O'Connor v (33) Niels Zonneveld

(16) Mike De Decker v (49) Richard Veenstra

(17) Michael van Gerwen v (48) Ian White

(8) Luke Littler v (57) Rob Cross

(25) Ritchie Edhouse v (40) Luke Woodhouse

(9) Danny Noppert v (56) James Hurrell

(24) James Wade v (41) Stephen Burton

(4) Ryan Searle v (61) Jeffrey de Graaf

(29) Gerwyn Price v (36) Thibault Tricole

(13) Wessel Nijman v (52) Kim Huybrechts

(20) Gian van Veen v (45) Scott Williams

(5) Dave Chisnall v (60) Joe Cullen

(28) Andrew Gilding v (37) Kevin Doets

(12) Ross Smith v (53) Dimitri Van den Bergh

(21) Wesley Plaisier v (44) Mensur Suljovic

(2) Stephen Bunting v (63) Mario Vandenbogaerde

(31) Martin Lukeman v (34) Connor Scutt

(15) Daryl Gurney v (50) Peter Wright

(18) Michael Smith v (47) Dom Taylor

(7) Josh Rock v (58) Ricky Evans

(26) Alan Soutar v (39) Jermaine Wattimena

(10) Jonny Clayton v (55) Florian Hempel

(23) Dirk van Duijvenbode v (42) Callan Rydz

(3) Damon Heta v (62) Mervyn King

(30) Krzysztof Ratajski v (35) Madars Razma

(14) Raymond van Barneveld v (51) Chris Landman

(19) Luke Humphries v (46) Gabriel Clemens

(6) Gary Anderson v (59) Ryan Meikle

(27) Brendan Dolan v (38) Martin Schindler

(11) Cameron Menzies v (54) Jim Williams

(22) Ryan Joyce v (43) Karel Sedlacek