2000-01-01

With two successive defeats in as many fixtures so far in division two of the BDO Inter Counties Championships, West Midlands were looking to open their account and chalk up some points and what better way than in their tie against Cheshire, their second away game in three.
The ladies ‘B’ team got the proceedings underway. Having already suffered two defeats another away game was going to be tough and that is exactly how it turned out to be. Sue Smith was first on going down 3-1 to Lorraine Able. Following Sue was Claire Downing, who in just three legs, lost to Karen Atkinson. Rose Sanders began well taking the first two legs off Linda Sullivan but from there on in finishing doubles deserted Rose and her opponent went on to win 3-2, giving the hosts a 3-0 lead. Victory was not long awaited as Andrea Hunt defeated Teresa Johnston by the odd leg. Teresa won the first, Andrea the next two. The West Midlands player then squared the game only to see the home player check out on 32 leaving her without a throw for 62.
With the scoreline standing at an unbeatable 4-0 to Cheshire, the visitors recorded their first and only winner. Gill Cook (19-03) did not allow her counterpart Julie Ball a chance at a finish in the first two legs as she produced outshots of 54 and 85. The third leg saw Gill miss her doubles and give Ball throws to steal the leg. However, it was Gill with double four that eventually wrapped up the leg and the game to win 3-0. The last game was a clear-cut 3-0 success for Cally Roberts over Jean Denton to put the final score at 5-1 to Cheshire.
The men’s ‘B’, after a curtain raising win over Cornwall lost their last game against Suffolk and were hoping to return to winning ways. The first half did not suggest that was about to happen. Alan Cockayne and Martin Tibbetts both lost in three straight legs to respective opponents Mark Tirrell and John Brameld. On at number three was West Midlands newcomer Mark Wellings from Bloxwich. Wellings who faced up to Cheshire’s Colin Latham got off to a good start. He won the opening leg in 21 darts and followed that with a 17 darts win to put him within a leg of victory. Latham then stepped up a gear winning the next two legs in 15 and 16 darts to force a decider. The last leg was nip and tuck all the way, Wellings threw first and hit top shots of 100 and 140 to Latham’s 2×140. However the first throw advantage gave the Midlands man a chance at a 91 outshot, which he accepted with open arms, clinching a 3-2 win in eighteen darts, Latham left without a throw for 75. Wellings average 28.52, which at the end of the day was enough to earn him the match award.
From a high spot it was then depression time. William Hadley lost 3-0 to Terry Sheen, Steve Penwright went down by the odd leg to Chris Beeston, after twice getting his nose in front. Then to complete the first half Peter Evans was another three legs loser to Mark Jodrill, to give the home team a 5-1 lead with only six to play.
Frank Johnson reduced the arrears marginally when with a 3-2 result he accounted for Steve Hassall, who at one stage was 2-1 up. Steve Brindley and Ron Johnson were unable to make their mark on the match, they in turn were beaten 3-1 by Steve Atkinson and Peter May, to put Cheshire 7-2 up.
Chris Everill (Cheshire) won the opener against Joe Biggs, but the latter bounced back to seal a 3-1 victory. Then for the first and only time in the match West Midlands won two in a row. Rob Arrowsmith (Cheshire) took Alan Bradburn the full distance. However the West Midlands man won the first, checked out on 130 in the third and completed his win with a maximum and a 60 game shot in the fifth. The last encounter was another five legs affair Dave Newton lining up for the home team and Vic Lloyd for the visitors. Newton twice went ahead but in the deciding leg required a 92 finish to win the game as Lloyd was down to 54. The final scoreline, 8-4 to Cheshire, giving them an overall lead of 13-5.
Sunday was another day and another story, although it did not begin that way. Mary Ede won the first game against Penny Hooley with Penny failing to reach a finishing double in any of the legs. Diane Tolley cancelled out Ede’s win when she won a close tussle with Joanne Prince 3-1, the same margin by which Frances Allen defeated Diane Clarke, after Clarke had won the first leg. Janet Cox came up against an in form Jane Stubbs (23.12) and as a result of her 3-0 defeat surrendering West Midlands lead. A lady of the match performance from Angie Perry quickly restored the away teams superiority, Angie beating Gill Ball 3-1.
Everything now depended on the last remaining game between Jill Jodrill (Cheshire) and Dawn Holdcroft. Dawn’s scoring power 2×140 and 4×100, compared with Jill’s 140, was the difference and deciding factor between the two players as Dawn raced to a 3-0 win giving her team mates a valuable 4-2 victory.
With only the men’s ‘A’ match to play Cheshire were now requiring just four more games for an overall win, the West Midlands hopes of getting anything from the match looking very remote. Despite this the underdogs got off to a fighting start. Tony Walker and Ian Jones (man of the match 31.98) chalked up 3-0 wins over Ian White and Brian Amison, Jones recording finishes of 106, 80 and 95. Ade Arnold took full advantage of the lack of finishing power by Brian Frost to win 3-1 and increase the away teams lead to 3-0. Gary Taylor came back from 2-0 down to level terms against Mick Haynes only to lose out in the fifth leg as Haynes recorded the hosts first win.
It appeared the good start was in vain as the following two games both went Cheshire’s way. Andy Sugarman beat Adrian Hammersley 3-1 and Andy Boulton just edged out Steve Parkes 3-2 to make it all square at 3-3 by the halfway stage.
The second half was all one way traffic, all in West Midlands favour. Paul Johnson began the run with a 3-1 win over Mike Curzon including a tremendous 141 checkout. Mick James needed only three legs to take out George McCormick while in four legs Colin Davies got the better of Tony O’Shea. With a 6-3 lead only one more game was required for a second successive men’s win. It came in the very next game. David Robbins was taken all the way by Steve Roberts but ended as a 3-2 winner. Tom Aldridge beat Peter Boughey 3-1, putting the onus on anchorman Avtar Singh to win against Phil Merryweather and in the process earn an overall draw. The game could have swung either way, Merryweather won the first, Singh the next two. A win for the home player in the fourth took the game to its bitter end. For West Midlands it turned out to be a sweet end as Singh after scores of 100-1140-100 and 92 found double eight to give not only a 9-3 win but also an overall 18-18 draw, something no one would have believed possible at the beginning of Sunday’s play. Well done West Midlands, now let’s see more of the same spirit.
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Congratulations go to West Midlands Super League player Wayne Jones on reaching the finals of the World Masters at the Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green, Surrey. Jones had played well on his path to the finals and narrowly missed out on the title when he lost to London’s Andy Fordham
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The second of the annual Midlands Counties Christmas Invitation Knockouts was staged at the Belvedere Club, Burton on Trent. In the men’s event the first of the semi’s saw Brian Frost (Cheshire) take on Worcestershire’s Colin Fowler. The first set went to Frost in two straight legs after Fowler had muffed his chances on finishing doubles. Frost looked as though he would make it a quick kill when he won the opening leg of the second set in sixteen darts. However, Fowler hit back and with 22 and 13 darts legs he won the set 2-1. Kicking off the final set with 180-100 and 97 Fowler went on to win it in fifteen darts. Despite another maximum in the following leg it was Frost who won it in 18 darts and indeed it was he, with a 56 checkout that won the decider after Fowler had again missed his doubles.
From the other half of the draw emerged West Midlands David Platt and Brian Griffiths from Worcestershire. Both players had first leg nerves on finishing doubles with Platt finally taking the leg on double five. With one leg under his belt Platt was now relaxed and went on to win the set with a 17 darts leg. Griffiths had first throw in the next set but nevertheless a 180 from Platt gave him the edge. He went on to win the leg with a 56 game shot. Griffiths hit a 171 in the second leg and also had a throw at a finish his miss was enough to allow Platt a chance at 70 which he finished off clinically to book his place in the final.
Frost was first to throw in the final getting underway with 140-85-85 and 99, leaving just 92 after only a dozen darts. Unbelievingly it was not good enough. Platt had scores of 140-36 and 180 and then produced a magnificent 145 checkout for a twelve darts leg. The West Midlands man continued his fine form in the next leg with top shots of 140-100 and 105 to win the leg and set in 17 darts.
The second set was Frost’s, winning it in 22 and 18 darts with Platt not down to a double in either leg. The pressure was now back on both players. Platt with 2×100 and 125 won the first leg in 21 darts, Frost having missed his opportunity to win the leg. The Cheshire man made no mistakes in the second leg when after hitting 137 he checked out on 118 thus forcing a final decider and increasing the pressure yet again. The third leg was neck and neck all the way, both players had throws to win the match, but as always there can only be one winner and it was Frost who with a 16 finish became that man. Congratulations to Brian Frost, the new Midlands Counties Christmas Invitation Open winner.
The West Midlands were well represented in the semi finals of the ladies competition with both Diane Tolley and Gill Cook making the last four. Unfortunately the pair were drawn against each other. Playing the best of seven legs Gill was unable to produce her true form, her only chance of success coming in the third leg when she missed her final doubles. However she put up abrave performance against her team- mate Diane who was in top form and won the round 4-0.
Sherrie Dodd (Staffordshire) and Lesley Newcombe (Warwickshire) met in the second last four play off. Once more missed doubles proved costly as Lesley, first to her finish failed and Sherrie came down to 60 and completed the perfect steal. No question about the second leg, Dodd again winning it on a 60 checkout with Newcombe back on 127. The Warwickshire player reduced the deficit in the third leg but as it happened it only delayed the outcome as her opponent won the next two legs to win 4-1.
The final was a close affair, the first four legs all going with the darts advantage. Sherrie Dodd won the first anf third, Diane Tolley the second and fourth. All square at two each, Diane broke the sequence. Dodd was first to a double but Tolley was first to finish to put her within an ace of victory. Early big scores gave Diane the lead and although Sherrie bounced back with 140 and 100 it was too little too late as she was still left on 94 when Diane wrapped up the title with a tremdous 80 finish.
Full Results:Men:Preliminary Round:- G.Link 0 A.Thomas 3, R.Sudale 3 S.Cheadle 1, M.Wilson 2 S.Miello 3, G.Monkton 3 P.Spendlove 0, P.Harvey 0 J.Palmer 3, S.Roberts 2 R.Hemming 3, P.Merryweather 2 M.Tibbetts 3, D.Walker 0 T.Credland 3, M.Penlington 0 S.Lilley 3, T.Cresswell 0 S.Penwright 3, P.Casey 3 K.Clarke 2, O.Worth 3 J.Platt 0, A.Hammersley 2 I.Jones 3, S.Turner 0 A.Singh 3, R.Scholten 0 D.Horler 3, D.Homer 1 B.Yeomans 3, Round One:- G.Manning 3 T.Randell 0, P.Johnson 1 G.Roberts 3, D.Hackett 1 B.Johnston 3, B.Frost 3 B.Hudson 0, A.Cockayne 2 C.Jones 3, J.Thompson 3 T.Roberts 0, A.Thomas 3 R.Sudale 2, S.Miello 0 G.Monkton 3, B.Griffiths 3 B.Watt 2, K.Waine 0 C.Murphy 3, D.Thomas 0 M.Wellings 3, A.Arnold 3 J.Caven 1, W.Levers 1 F.Hill 3, S.Brindley 0 J.Palmer 3, R.Hemming 2 M.Tibbetts 3, T.Credland 3 S.Lilley 1, M.frost 3 K.Tomlinson 0, D.Smith 1 A.Smith 3, D.Platt 3 I.Warhurst 0, R.Bishop 3 T.Tye 1, A.Norton 1 S.Parkes 3, R.Whittaker 3 T.Pegg 1, W.Standbridge 0 S.Penwright 3, P.Casey 1 O.Worth 3, C.Fowler3 L.Smith 1, P.Boughey 3 L.Capewell 0, V.Lloyd 2 M.Robinson 3, F.Boddy 1 D.King 3, W.Jones 3 L.Saville 1, T.Aldridge 3 W.Patton 1, I.Jones 3 A.Singh 0, D.Horler 3 B.Yeomans 1, Round Two:- G.Manning 0 G.Roberts 3, B.Johnston 1 B.Frost 3, C.Jones 3 J.Thompson 2, A.Thomas 3 G.Monkton 0, B,Griffiths 3 C,Murphy 0, M.Wellings 0 A.Arnold 3, F.Hill 0 J.Palmer 3, M.Tibbetts 3 T.Credland 0, M.Frost 3 A.Smith 2, D.Platt 3 R.Bishop 0, S.Parkes 3 R.Whittaker 2, S.Penwright 2 O.Worth 3, C.Fowler 3 P.Boughey 0, M.Robinson 3 D.King 1, W.Jones 2 T.Aldridge 3, I.Jones 3 D.Horler 1, Round Three:- G.Roberts 1 B.Frost 3, C.Jones 3 A.Thomas 2, B.Griffiths 3 A.Arnold 1, J.Palmer 3 M.Tibbetts 1, M.Frost 1 D.Platt 3, S.Parkes 3 O.Worth 0, C.Fowler 3 Mrobinson 0, T.Aldridge 3 I.Jones 2, Quarter Finals:- B.Frost 3 C.Jones 1, C.Fowler 3 T.Aldridge 0, B.Griffiths 3 J.Palmer 2, D.Platt 3 S.Parkes 1, Semi Finals:- C.Fowler 1 B.Frost 2, B.Griffiths 0 D.Platt 2, Final:- B.Frost 2 D.Platt 1,
Women:Preliminary Round:- L.Newcombe 3 S.Smith 0, B.Boyton 0 L.Scholten 3, D.Jones 0 L.Hathaway 3, T.Roberts 3 K.Dalton 0, T.Johnson 2 S.Winfield 3, Round One:- M.Latham 1 D.Buckley 3, V.Byrne 0 G.Cook 3, H.Tople 2 N.Davies 3, C.Wooler 2 B.Sinnett 3, M.Bell 1 Z.Edmond 3, K.Staton 2 S.Dodd 3, G.Inchcliff 2, B.Smith 3 S.Sellars 0, J.Robinson 0 V.Baines 3, E.Marshall 3 V.Arnold 0, A.Potter 3 M.Blenko 2, R.Holland 0 L.Newcombe 3, L.Scholten 3 L.Hathaway 2, T.Roberts 1 S.Winfield 3, Round Two:- J.Pearce 1 D.Buckley 3, G.Cook 3 N.Davis 0, D.Tolley 3 C.Jones 1, B.Sinnett 3 Z.Edmond 1,
S.Dodd 3 B.Smith 0, V.Baines 3 E.Marshall 2, A.Potter 0 L.Newcombe 3, L.Scholten 3 S.Winfield 2, Quarter Finals:- D.Buckley 2 G.Cook 3, D.Tolley 3 B.Sinnett 2, S.Dodd 3 V.Baines 1, L.Newcombe 3 L.Scholten 0, Semi Finals:- G. Cook 0 D.Tolley 4, S.Dodd 4 L.Newcombe 1, Final:- D.Tolley 4 S.Dodd 2.
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