Warwickshire v West Midlands
There was not only local pride to play for when Warwickshire took on West Midlands in the second fixture of the season in the Premier Division of the BDO Inter County Championships but also both teams after losing their opening fixtures of the campaign were eager to get a win under their belt and West Midlands keen to avenge last season’s 19-17 defeat.
There were mixed fortunes for both teams in Saturday’s ‘B’ games as Warwickshire opened up the ladies game with a 3-1 win for Angela Jones against Heather Wright only to see Kat McLean continue her bright start to playing for the West Midlands as she won 3-1 against Donna Pinch, Kat taking the teams match award for her 21.01 average.
West Midlands went ahead in the third when Shellbie Simmons won 3-0 against Chloe McKivett, however the away teams lead was quickly cancelled out as Marian Conway won the Warwickshire ladies match award for her 18.79 average in a straight 3-0 win over Shannon Hall.
Elizabeth Arnold was taken to a deciding leg by Melanie Jones but won the leg for a 3-2 win to take West Midlands into a 3-2 lead and the final game saw Jacqueline Maiden (West Midlands) beat Helen Rigg 3-0 to put the final score at 4-2 to West Midlands.
Warwickshire got off to a fine start in the men’s ‘B’ game as James Hykin began a trio of wins when he beat Alfie Jacques 4-2 then man of the match Tom Martin made it 2-0 when he won 4-3 against Avtar Singh. Martin went 3-0 up but was pegged back to level terms by Singh before he won the deciding leg in seventeen darts for a 25.52 average. Taking the score to 3-0 was David Hill who accounted for Jonathan Platt with a 4-1 result.
Shane Price was West Midlands first winner but he had to work hard for his win as Anthony West opened up leads of 1-0 and 2-1 before he went on to not only win the game 4-2 but also take the match award for his 28.44 average.
Trevor Brennan looked as though he would reduce the arrears even further for West Midlands when he went 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 up against Mark Strong, but the Warwickshire player lived up to his name and was too strong for Brennan as he finished the 4-3 winner.
By the middle of the match West Midlands had drawn to within two games of their opponents as their Paul Wells rounded off the half with a 4-1 win over Carl Green.
Robert Comben got Warwickshire back onto winning ways as he began the second half with a 4-1 win over Steve Gillam, then after going 2-0 and 3-1 down to Stephen Jones Karl Reynolds (Warwickshire) responded brilliantly to win the last three legs and the game 4-3 to take his team’s lead to 6-2.
Jack Wareing opened up a 3-0 lead over Martin Greenwood, his final two throws in the fourth saw him hit 100 and check out on 125 for not only a personal 4-0 win but at the same time making sure of the points for his team as they now held an unassailable 7-2 lead.
Mark Dyke (West Midlands) pegged Mark Carter back to level terms three times before he finally lost out 4-3, however in the penultimate game of the day the away side chalked up their third winner in the shape of Matthew Coleman who beat Ashley Hykin 4-2. With a final 4-3 win for Tommy Ryan against Danny Coyle the result was a 9-3 win for Warwickshire taking the running total to nine each after the first day’s play.
For a seventh consecutive fixture and a second successive time this season Sue Gulliver won the ladies ‘A’ match award as she opened up with a straight 3-0 win over Cheryl Alcock in 22,25 and 21 darts to give her a 22.10 average. Lisa Badger cancelled out Gulliver’s win when she beat Caroline Pike 3-1 and take the West Midlands match award for her 17.41 average, then with a further 3-2 win from Gemma Barrett against Kat Spanswick West Midlands had opened up a 2-1 lead.
Nina Bolt lost the first leg to Kath Jenkins but won the next three for a 3-1 win and although Wendy Adams took leads of 1-0 and 2-1, which included a 112 game shot in the third leg against Debbie Loon, it was Loon who got the close 3-2 win.
The outcome of the game was now resting on the last two players Natalie Gilbert (Warwickshire) and Sarah Roberts. Natalie Gilbert responded in super fashion to win 3-1 and earn her team their second successive 3-3 draw of the season.
Ted Evetts had a superb man of the match award average of 32.34 in the curtain raiser away to reigning champions Yorkshire and unbelievably he surpassed that with an outstanding performance against West Midlands Rob Smith when he recorded an amazing 37.27 average to take the team’s match award for the second time in as many games. Evetts lost the first leg in 12 darts he then drew level in 13 and went 3-1 up with further winning legs of 11 and 18 darts. Smith won the fifth in 14 darts but with a similar 14 darts leg Ted Evetts wrapped up a very clear-cut 4-2 win and a remarkable average, on the day the best in the BDO Premier Division.
Gavin Baker with outshots of 100 and 102 restored parity for the West Midlands when he beat Noel Grant 4-1 but a 4-1 win from Nigel Heydon over Kevin Harris reinstated Warwickshire’s lead. Steve Hine and Mark Craddock (West Midlands) battled out a hard fought 4-3 result with the former getting the honours to open up a 3-1 lead for the hosts.
Jonathan Plat went two up against former West Midlands man Dean Stewart but it was Stewart who got the 4-2 verdict before Glen McGrandle (West Midlands) rounded off the half with a 4-0 win over Charlie Symons to take the score to 4-2 in Warwickshire’s favour.
Mark Westgarth made short work of an out of form Paul Simmons, his 4-0 win extending Warwickshire’s lead to 5-2 and with Ian Shaw coming from 1-0 and 2-1 down to Adam Edgar and winning 4-2 the home side were assured of at the worst a draw.
Game number nine produced West Midlands man of the match in the form of Scott Baker whose winning legs in 17,15,17 and 14 darts saw him beat another former West Midlands player Tom Aldridge 4-1 with a superb 30.78 average.
Nick Fullwell kept hopes of a draw alive for the West Midlands when he reduced the arrears to 6-4 with a close 4-3 win over Antony Allen who had gone 1-0 and 3-1 up and it appeared as though the deficit would be further reduced when Ben Hollywood opened up leads of 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 against Ian McFarlane but with 19 and 17 darts in the last two legs it was McFarlane who won the tie 4-3 to give his team the all-important seventh game.
The final score was taken to 8-4 when Kevin Dowling won 4-1 against Matthew Dicken in the last game of the weekend to give Warwickshire an overall 22-14 victory.
The win saw Warwickshire move two places up the table to fourth with 42 points while West Midlands remain two places off the foot of the table on 29 points just three above the relegation zone.
Full Results:Premier Division:Warwickshire v West Midlands (22-14)🙁Warwickshire names first):Men’s ‘A’:- Ted Evetts 4 Robert Smith 2, Noel Grant 1 Gavin Baker 4, Nigel Heydon 4 Kevin Harris 1, Steve Hine 4 Mark Craddock 3, Dean Stewart 4 Jonathan Platt 2, Charlie Symons 0 Glen McGrandle 4, Mark Westgarth 4 Paul Simmons 0, Ian Shaw 4 Adam Edgar 2, Tom Aldridge 1 Scott Baker 4, Antony Allen 3 Nick Fullwell 4, Ian McFarlane 4 Ben Hollywood 3, Kevin Dowling 4 Matthew Dicken 1, Men’s ‘B’:- James Hykin 4 Alfie Jacques 2, Tom Martin 4 Avtar Singh 3, David Hill 4 Jonathan Platt 1, Anthony West 2 Shane Price 4, Mark Strong 4 Trevor Brennan 3, Carl Green 1 Paul Wells 4, Robert Comben 4 Steve Gillam 1, Karl Reynolds 4 Stephen Jones 3, Jack Wareing 4 Martin Greenwood 0, Mark Carter 4 Mark Dyke 3, Ashley Hykin 2 Matthew Coleman 4, Tommy Ryan 4 Danny Coyle 3, Women’s ‘A’:- Sue Gulliver 3 Cheryl Alcock 0, Caroline Pike 1 Lisa Badger 3, Kat Spanswick 2 Gemma Barrett 3, Nina Bolt 3 Kath Jenkins 1, Wendy Adams 2 Debbie Loon 3, Natalie Gilbert 3 Sarah Roberts 1, Women’s ‘B’:- Angela Jones 3 Heather Wright 1, Donna Pinch 1 Kat McLean 3, Chloe McKivett 0 Shellbie Simmons 3, Marian Conway 3 Shannon Hall 0, Melanie Jones 2 Lizzy Arnold 3, Helen Rigg 0 Jacqueline Maiden 3.
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Cheshire v Warwickshire
After their very close 19-17 opening day defeat away to Yorkshire reigning champions of the premier division of the BDO Inter County Championships, Warwickshire have stormed back to winning ways chalking up two 22-14 victories the latest of which was an away game against Cheshire.
The ladies ‘B’ had a bright start when Chloe McKivett came from the brink of defeat trailing 2-0 to Andrea Hunt to go on and win 3-2. Chloe not only won her game but also the lady of the match award for her 18.94 average.
Jane Robson like her team mate Hunt also won the opening two legs in her game against Angela Jones but unlike her fellow Cheshire player she went on to win 3-2 after Jones had levelled the game in the fourth leg. Cheshire went ahead for the first time in the third when Tess Yates won 3-1 against Helen Rigg and with a further 3-1 win for Adele Probin over Marian Conway the hosts were in an unbeatable position leading 3-1.
Beverley Martin appeared to be on her way to winning the game for the home side when she opened leads of 1-0 and 2-1 against Melanie Jones but Jones made it 2-2 with a 120 finish in the fourth and then went on to win the decider for a 3-2 win.
The last game for the ladies ‘B’ saw Cheshire’s Heidi Williams win 3-1 against Donna Pinch to give her team a 4-2 win.
With a 7-5 win away to Yorkshire followed by a 9-3 win over West Midlands, Warwickshire men’s ‘B’ team were full of confidence and that showed against Cheshire as by the halfway point they had opened up a 5-1 lead.
Ashley Hykin got the ball rolling for the visiting team as he beat Ross Gilder jnr 4-2 however the lead was short lived as Joe Rowland won his game against Richard Foster 4-1 to square the game at one each. Tom Martin put Warwickshire’s noses in front again in the third with a 4-3 win over Andrew Rose, the advantage then taken to 3-1 when Jack Wareing beat Robert Paine 4-1. Karl Reynolds (Warwickshire) had a tough seven legs battle with his namesake Karl Windisch as Windisch went 2-0 and then 3-1 up but Reynolds held his nerve and won the next three legs for a close 4-3 win.
As the first half of the game came to an end Warwickshire’s James Hykin finished the half in superb fashion as he went one up against Shaun Walshe with a 116 checkout and although he lost the second leg he went on to win 4-1 with winning legs of 18,18 and 17 darts for an award winning average of 29.21.
The hosts got their second winner and their man of the match in game seven as Christopher Gibson (24.42) won 4-3 against Carl Green who had throws to win the game. Anthony West put the sixth win on the board in the eighth as he accounted for Paul Blythe with a straight 4-0 win.
The arrears were reduced to 6-3 for the home team when Jeff Fisher won his game against Mark Carter 4-1 after Carter had won the first leg.
Robert Comben (Warwickshire) lost his first leg to Andrew Green but came fighting back to seal a 4-1 win and assure his team mates of a win with the score at 7-3.
The final score was taken for a second successive fixture to 9-3 for Warwickshire’s men’s ‘B’ team when the last two players David Hill and Tommy Ryan, after trailing 1-0 against respective opponents Gareth Owen and Paul Goodwin both went on to win 4-1.
The ladies ‘A’ team are fast becoming the draw specialists in the division as for a third successive fixture they finished all square at 3-3, but the early signs didn’t suggest that would be the case.
Emma Pearce and Anastasia Dobromyslova put Cheshire two up when in turn they won 3-0 against Kat Spanswick and Wendy Adams. Jane Stubbs took a 1-0 lead against Natalie Gilbert but it was Gilbert who got the 3-1 verdict plus the match award for her 21.13 average.
Warwickshire fell further behind in the fourth, Mandy Smith taking the home teams lead to 3-1when she handed out a rare defeat to Sue Gulliver, the score 3-0.
After going 1-0 up Nina Bolt found herself trailing 2-1 to Ros Davies but she went on to win the game 3-1 and with a superb 3-0 win for Caroline Pike against Chrissie Halliday in the last game Warwickshire had sealed a draw.
As the men’s ‘B’ team made it two consecutive 9-3 wins the ‘A’ side made it two 8-4 wins and again like the ‘B’ team the ‘A’ opened up a 5-1 lead at the halfway stage. The ‘A’ side were in terrific form with no fewer than four players averaging over 30.00
First on for Warwickshire was Charlie Symons (30.48) who with a great 140 checkout in the fourth leg went on to beat David Bird 4-1.Mark Strong went 1-0 and 3-2 up against Mick Haynes but with defeats in the last two legs went down 4-3.
Back to county duty Jamie Hughes (30.50) trailed 1-0 and 2-1 to Sean Bell but levelled at 2-2 with a 106 outshot in 12 darts and then got his 4-2 win with 15 and 20 darts legs. Jeff Fisher (Cheshire) was another player to go 1-0 and 2-1 up in his game against Tom Aldridge but like Bell he also went down 4-2.
Nigel Heydon (Warwickshire) was reduced to level terms twice by Carl Dennel but won the game 4-2 in 14 and 17 darts in the last two legs. Noel Grant got off to a fine start against Mal Barrow going 2-0 up and although Barrow managed to draw level at two each Grant went on to win 4-2.
Ian McFarlane (Warwickshire) was involved in a seven legs affair with David Smith as the second half got underway, Smith winning the first, fourth and sixth legs while McFarlane finished the 4-3 winner with wins in the second, third, fifth and seventh giving him a 31.70 average.
As early as the eight game Warwickshire had achieved their win, Antony Allen chalking up the necessary seventh win when he defeated Tony Richardson 4-1.
Cheshire gained their second win in the ninth when Steve Lomas won 4-0 against Colin Laffar only to see Kevin Dowling beat Daniel Ayres 4-2. Dowling lost the first leg as Ayres went out in 13 darts but he then drew level in 16 and opened up a 3-1 lead with further winning legs of 13 and 18 darts. With a 158 finish Ayres won the fifth in 15 darts but with a 180 and 137 Dowling went on to win the sixth leg in 16 darts, the game 4-2 and the man of the match for a tremendous 31.97 average.
The last two games of the match and the weekend both went to the hosts as Patrick Lynskey with a 28.10 average beat Dean Stewart 4-1 and take his team match award, then taking the final score to 8-4 was Peter Boughey who won 4-0 against Ian Shaw.
The 22-14 win for the weekend took Warwickshire’s points to 67 and consolidated their fourth place in the table.
Full Results:Premier Division Cheshire v Warwickshire (14-22)🙁Cheshire names first):Men’s ‘A’:- David Bird 1 Charlie Symons 4, Mick Haynes 4 Mark Strong 3, Sean Bell 2 Jamie Hughes 4, Jeff Fisher 2 Tom Aldridge 4, Carl Dennel 2 Nigel Heydon 4, Mal Barrow 2 Noel Grant 4, David Smith 3 Ian McFarlane 4, Tony Richardson 1 Antony Allen 4, Steve Lomas 4 Colin Laffar 0, Daniel Ayres 2 Kevin Dowling 4, Patrick Lynskey 4 Dean Stewart 1, Peter Boughey 4 Ian Shaw 0, Men’s ‘B’:- Ross Gilder jnr 2 Ashley Hykin 4, Joe Rowland 4 Richard Foster 1, Andrew Rose 3 Tom Martin 4, Robert Paine 1 Jack Wareing 4, Karl Windisch 3 Karl Reynolds 4, Shaun Walshe 1 James Hykin 4, Christopher Gibson 4 Carl Green 3, Paul Blythe 0 Anthony West 4, Jeff Fisher 4 Mark Carter 1, Andrew Green 1 Robert Comben 4, Gareth Owen 1 David Hill 4, Paul Goodwin 1 Tommy Ryan 4, Women’s ‘A’:- Emma Pearce 3 Kat Spanswick 0, Anastasia Dobromyslova 3 Wendy Adams 0, Jane Stubbs 1 Natalie Gilbert 3, Mandy Smith 3 Sue Gulliver 0, Ros Davies 2 Nina Bolt 3, Chrissie Halliday 0 Caroline Pike 3, Women’s ‘B’:- Andrea Hunt 2 Chloe McKivett 3, Jane Robson 3 Angela Jones 2, Tess Yates 3 Helen Rigg 1, Adele Probin 3 Marian Conway 1, Beverley Martin 2 Melanie Jones 3, Heidi Williams 3 Donna Pinch 1.
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