It was not a happy start to the new season for the West Midlands in division two of the BDO Inter County Championships as they travelled to the south west to take 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.