The Bell Inn, leaders of division one in the Harborne 401 Summer League moved another step nearer the championship title with a 7-2 away win at Ladywood Social. Second placed Bartley Green Social Club lost ground as they went down 6-3 at home to the Red Lion. M.Heskins hit a maximum for the hosts while J.Meredith replied for the visitors.
Things are hotting up in the third division and it appears to be a two horse race between the Punchbowl and Bugle Horn. Punchbowl slipped up at the Bear and Staff finishing on the wrong side of a 6-3 scoreline, while Bugle Horn were made to fight all the way by the Fairfield before securing a 5-4 result.
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The divisional cup semi finals have been on the agenda for the South West Birmingham Clubs Summer League. Brunswick with a 4-3 result won the division one clash against Kings Norton RBL COBS. In division two Bournbrook Flights won the opener against Tascos Flights only to see the lead turn into a 3-1 deficit. Nevertheless Bournbrook fought back to level at three each and set up a deciding game. The outcome of the last game was a 2-1 win for COBS Chris Strickley over Keith Crowe. In the other division two game Austin Sports and Social won 4-3 against Dingle Social.
In the third division Solihull Municiple had a convincing 6-1 verdict over Moseley All Service.
The Grange had a comfortable 5-2 win against Selly Oak Flights in the semi finals of the league’s Bob Price Memorial Trophy with their Steve Rainey hitting a 180. Grange will now meet Stirchley United WMC in the final after they beat Springfield 4-3 despite a nine darts leg from B.Miles.
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Lea Hall RBL was the setting for the finals of the Sheldon and District Summer League’s Mrs F.Richman Trophy. In the first of the semi’s Smiths Wood secured their final spot with a 4-3 win over Stechford Social. By the same margin E.B.A.H.A defeated Shard End Social whose A.Pears notched a maximum in his 2-1 win over M.Vale.
Following the pattern of the semi’s the final also ended with a 4-3 result and it was B.Cowie’s last gasp win against M.Vale that gave Smiths Wood the title.
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The West Midlands Super League will be holding their AGM at Chubbs Sports and Social Club, Wolverhampton on Sunday 12th September at 10-30am. All teams both old and new are invited to the meeting, alternatively anyone requiring any further information regarding the league should contact Dot Harvey on 01543-673277.
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I find it absolutely amazing that a number of Birmingham ladies have been banned from the Bromsgrove Ladies League. Joyce Webster, 73 years young, for numerous years has been a real ambassador for the sport she is just one of the banned ladies. The silly reason that the Bromsgrove league have given for their decision is that they reckon the ladies are semi professionals. This is based on the fact that the players all play in the Irish Centre Four a Side Ladies and the Birmingham Ladies Double Top Leagues which are both sponsored by the Irish Centre, Digbeth. However it is the leagues that are sponsored not the individual ladies and personally I cannot understand how that can make the ladies semi professionals. The vast majority of leagues, men’s and women’s have sponsors of some kind, does this mean that all players in those leagues are also semi professionals? I don’t think so!!!
Some of the ladies are also members of the Mercury Ladies Charity team and get an allowance towards thier travelling expenses, this has also been criticised and again classed as a payment for professionalism.
Many would be darts players just cannot afford to play darts every night and as a result a lot of local leagues have folded due to lack of support. Surely players with the dedication and devotion that Joyce and her team mates have should be appreciated and welcomed with open arms, or are we again looking at a minority of influential people who are afraid of competition and concerned that it may not be their team that wins the league title.
I would be very interested to hear other people’s views on this subject. Perhaps they could even be printed in this column. I’m sorry but I truly believe that it is people with blinkered views, such as those in the Bromsgrove League, that are helping to bring our sport to its knees.
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Shirley Legion are in pole position in the Acocks Green Summer League with an unbeaten 20 points from 10 games. Tyseley WMC are second, their latest 6-3 victory over Britannia Arrows giving them 18 points from 11 games. Brewers Arms were also 6-3 winners at home to the Railway. In the fixture Ken Molineaux produced the highest check out of the season so far. Hitting treble twenty, treble nineteen and the bull Ken finished on 167. Robin Hood had a good 7-2 win at the Plume of Feathers.
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