There were mixed fortunes for our local counties as they began the 1999-2000 season of the BDO Inter Counties Championship. Warwickshire entertained Co Durham. Saturdays fixtures were played at the Bishopsgate Club, Coventry, the ladies stormed into a 3-0 lead with wins from Caroline Pike, lady of the match Terri Bellamy ((20.59) and Debbie McPherson. However, the away team bounced back to snatch a 3-3 draw. Just the opposite happened in the men’s ‘B’ game as they after trailing 3-0 and 4-2, Carl Betteridge and Colin Laffar the only first half winners, came back in style taking five of the second half games to win 7-5. Other winners were Steve Cain, Dave Clarke, Richie Shenton, Trevor Frost and David Harris. Laffar and Cain shared the match award with a 27.33 average.
Sunday’s encounters were staged at the Belgrave Sports and Social Club, Tamworth. A match award performance from Trina Gulliver (24.10) got the ball rolling for the ladies, setting them up for a tremendous 6-0 victory, Caroline Pike, Terri Bellamy, Julie Liddell, Tammy Montgomery and Cheryl Jackson providing the other wins.
The men’s ‘A’, after losing the opening game never looked back. Peter Brotherton, Kevin Dowling, Lance Thompson and Mark Hollyoake putting them 4-2 up at the break, then to complete a 9-3 success Steve Hine, Peter Rouse, Colin Fowler (30.67 man of the match), Steve Dwyer and Alan Sharratt all chalked up wins to give an overall 28-11 victory.
Not such a happy tale for the West Midlands who travelled to the south west taking on Cornwall, the ladies ‘B’ side finished on the wrong end of a 6-0 whitewash. The men reduced the deficit with an 8-4 success, Ade Arnold taking the match award with a 27.34 average. Sundays games took a similar pattern, the ladies, with Diane Tolley (18.03) the sole winner lost 5-1 and the men fought back from 4-2 down to earn a 6-6 draw thanks to a last gasp win from Steve Parkes making a welcome return to county darts. Parkes beat Steve Pascoe in the final game 3-0. Other wins were supplied by Ian Jones (27.57 man of the match), Mick James, David Platt, Paul Johnson and Tom Aldridge.
Worcestershire began their campaign with a home fixture against Buckinghamshire at their new home venue the D.D.S.& S. Club, Bromsgrove. Tracey Bishop (15.03) took the match award as the ‘B’ team lost 5-1. The men’s ‘B’ ended all square at six each, former West Midlands player Graham Perry (27.27) the top man. Perry lost the first leg but replied magnificently with a twelve darter including a superb 161 checkout. He followed up with a 116 finish in 18 darts and went on to win the tie 3-1.
The ladies ‘A’ trailed 3-0 but thanks to wins from the experienced Beattie Powell and Lesley Newcombe (20.88 L.O.M), followed by a 3-1 win from Betty Sinnett, including a maximum, finished level at three each. The men’s ‘A’ match also finished as a draw, Dave Honey (28.46) was their top player, but it was not enough to avoid a 16-23 defeat.
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They may be Saltley AMATEUR Gardeners but they were certainly not amateurs at darts when in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League they won 7-2 at St Anne’s. An eight darts game from T.Randell and a 180 by P.Stevens helped the Gardeners to their win, while T.Keating replied for the home team with another eight darts leg. 7-2 was again the biggest win in division one as Kingshurst Labour Club beat Lea Hall RBL. Tipsy Gent had the third division’s best win. Playing at home Tipsy defeated Millhouse 8-1.
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K.C.A were in top form in the Amber Windows League winning their home tie with Heartlands 9-0. P.Burgess and T.Kelly both recorded 11 darts games for the hosts. A.Mountford (Old Oscott Social) went not one, not two but three better as he chalked up an eight darts leg and a 126 outshot in his teams close 5-4 verdict at Yew Tree Colts.King Edward 7th, aided by a maximum from T.Nicholls, had a 7-2 win on their home board against the Woodman.
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Red Arrows, champions of division ‘A’ in the Forest of Arden Summer League, received a shock 6-0 walkover as their opponents, Highwood failed to field a team. There were 5-5 draws in the ties Harvester versus Silver Wings and Hobs Meadow and Mackadown Sports and Social, M.Benson notching a 180 for Hobs Meadow.
In division ‘B’ Stechford Social did their promotion chances no harm as they won 7-3 at home to Fordbridge Social, while T.Hodge, with a score of 180, helped his team Heart of England ‘A’ romp to an 8-2 win against the Old Bill and Bull.
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