The penultimate fixtures of the season, in the BDO Inter Counties Championships will be staged this coming weekend. Warwickshire, in division one will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in a vital top of the table clash with neighbouring Staffordshire. Playing at home at the Belgrave Sports and Social Club, Tamworth, Warwickshire will line up as, Men’s ‘A’:- K.Dowling, A.Sharratt, S.Hine, C.Laffar, S.Dwyer, C.Fowler, P.Rouse, M.Hollyoake, P.Brotherton, T.Brown, A.Smith, P.Koyce, Men’s ‘B’:- D.Clarke, L.Thompson, P.Lloyd, P.Cummings, G.Podmore, A.Mountford, T.Frost, B.Stephens, C.Betteridge, S.Cain, M.Kane, M.Flood, Reserves:- P.Merrett, M.Strong, D.Harris, R.Shenton, Women’s ‘A’:- T.Gulliver, T.Bellamy, C.Pike, C.Jackson, J.Liddell, C.Weston, Women’s ‘B’:- S.Deery, D.Jones, M.Redmond, M.Jennings, D.McPherson, P.Thornton, Reserves:- D.Barnes, L.Butler.
In division two West Midlands will be hoping to ease their position near the foot of the table. A win in their home game against Humberside would most certainly help their fight against relegation as the visitors are just below the Midlanders, seven points adrift. Selected to play are, Men’s ‘A’:- D.Platt, D.Robbins, M.James, I.Jones, A.Arnold, S.Parkes, T.Aldridge, A.Singh, P.Johnson, T.Walker, C.Davies, G.Taylor, Men’s ‘B’:- M.Wellings, S.Brindley, R.Johnson, J.Biggs, M.Tibbetts, V.Lloyd, J.Platt, A.Bradburn, S.Penwright, N.Walters, P.Hadley, F.Johnson, Reserves:- A.Hammersley, B.Hadley, S.Cheadle, A.Parvez, M.Littleford, Women’s ‘A’:- D.Holdcroft, G.Cook, A.Perry, F.Allen, D.Tolley, C.Downing, Women’s ‘B’:- R.Sanders, R.Mycock, J.Denton, V.Arnold, S.Smith, B.Phillips, Reserves:- T.Johnstone, P.Hooley, D.Harvey.
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In the Harborne 401 Summer League Stonehouse Nomads and the George got off to a good start in division one with 7-2 wins over the Stonehouse and Bartley Green Social Club respectively. D.Hayes (The Bell) recorded a 160 break as his side went down 5-4 at home to the Greenlands.
In division two there were 6-3 wins for Village Stump and Lickey Banker who played in turn Avenue Social and Hobsons Choice. Highlander were top scorers handing out a 9-0 whitewash to Bartley Green Social Flights. Old Bush, in the third division were also 9-0 winners against Raven Ladies while Highlander Ladies recorded a fine 5-4 win over Bartley Green FC, a similar scoreline to that achieved by Stonehouse Fights in their game with Stonehouse Ladies.
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Acocks Green lost their first match of the opening three in the Irish Centre Four a Side Ladies League. Finishing on the wrong side of a 13-8 result against Sutton, Acocks still hold on to pole position with 44 points. Sutton are second with 32 points but have played on game less than the leaders. Sheldon are third with 22 points their close 11-10 victory over Selly Park rooting the reigning champions to the bottom of the table.
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Joyce Webster, reigning champion of the Birmingham Ladies Double Top League began the new season in style with a 3-0 win over Kay Chambers. However, she then had the same result reversed on her by Angie Bourne. Chris Brooks got her inauguration to the league with two superb 3-0 wins over Pat Bradshaw and Julie James.
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R.South (Three Horse Shoes) hit the highest score in the premier division of the Sheldon and District Winter League this week. Nevertheless South’s 174 was not enough to avoid a 5-4 home defeat for his team against Fordbridge Social. Shard End Social, Saltley Amateur Gardeners and Sheldon Heath Social Dukes all won 6-3 against in turn Stechford Social, EBAHA and Sheldon Heath Social.
R.Lucas chalked up an eight darts leg for the Dovecote in division two as they roared to an emphatic 8-1 victory. Chelmsley Wood RBL were the first division’s biggest winners as the had a 9-0 clean sweep over Chelmsley Conservative Club.
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The Amber Windows League held their Doubles Knockout at the Vauxhall Social and what a great night of darts it turned out to be. No fewer than six players hit maximums throughout the event, T.Carroll (Heartlands), G.Nicholls, M.Sheppard (King Edward 7th), A.Whitehouse (K.C.A), T.Frost (Bagot Arms) and Frost’s team mate M.Kane who hit two.
K.Nicholls and M.Sheppard (King Edward7th) went 2-0 up in the semis only to see the Mitre duo, J.Averill and B.McLaughlin bounce back to win 3-2. In the other semi G.Nichols and K.Nicholls (KingEdward 7th) lost out to the Bagot pair T.Frost and C.Betteridge.
The final finished at 3-1 with the Bagot representatives taking the title.
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The Doubles Knockout was on the Acocks Green Winter League agenda, the event being staged at the Shirley Legion and attracting twenty pairs. The title eventually went to the host’s representatives Craig Johnson and Tony Daly who lifted the crown with a close 2-1 verdict over Tom Kelly and Dennis Stokes from Tyseley WMC.
Losing semi finalists were Steve Parry and Ian Spencer (Tyseley WMC) who lost to the winners and Mathew O’Donnell and Jim Leadbitter from the Brewers Arms.
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