The 2015 sixth annual Warwickshire Invitation Classic was again staged at the Bishopsgate Club, Coventry and as usual produced some top darts from a class field of players with no fewer than seven attempts at nine darts games.
From a starting block of 48 players the quarter finals saw Kyle Anderson and Jamie Hughes in turn defeat James Richardson and Andy Brown 5-2, while Mick Todd beat Jelle Klaasen 5-3 and Ricky Evans gain his semi final spot with a closer 5-4 verdict over Robbie Green.
The Australian Anderson won his last four game against Mick Todd by 6-3 but Warwickshire’s own Jamie Hughes was taken to a final and deciding leg by Ricky Evans before winning 6-5
Both players played well in the final but the eventual winning margin of 7-4 plus the top prize of £1400 went to Kyle Anderson, Jamie Hughes received £700 as runner up.
Winner Kyle Anderson and Steve Crowther (Bishopsgate Manager)
Janie Hughes (runner up) and Steve Crowther
Losing semi finalists Todd and Evans each received £300 and there was £125 for the losing quarter finalists plus £100 for players reaching the last sixteen.
Mick Todd (losing semi finalist) and Steve Crowther
Ricky Evans (losing semi finalist) and Steve Crowther
Organiser Neil Pritchard would like to thank the Bishopsgate Club for their sponsorship and One80 for sponsoring the boards plus the markers who kept the proceedings flowing throughout the day and especially the players for turning on what was a spectacular event.
Already plans are being made for this year’s event which again will feature a £4,000 prize fund.
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The Four Oaks and District League have played off round two of their Coronation Shield and Norman Day Cup, in the former there was a great result for Erdington Arrows who are fourth in division two as they won 9-6 against Old Oscott WMC who are fourth in division one. In the all division one clash between second placed Beehive and third in the table Golden Hind, Beehive had a similarly comfortable 9-6 win with J.Prince hitting his second 180 of the season, W.Mynard his first, both for the Beehive.
Second division’s Brookvale Social had an excellent 8-7 victory over division one opponent’s Red Lion whose S.Cain notched a 180, the lead changing no fewer than four time throughout the game.
Division one leaders Boldmere St Mikes were the rounds biggest winners chalking up a 12-3 result against Plough and Arrows.
In the Norman Day Cup there were more giant killing acts as in the all division two encounter between Boldmere Tap and divisional leaders Golden Hind Arrows it was Boldmere who got the very close 8-7 verdict.
Boldmere Sports and Social did enough to win 10-5 at The Park despite The Park outscored their visitors and Bishop Vesey made it to the semi-finals with a 9-6 win over The Boot.
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What a finish there was to the Shirley and District Monday Night League as in the final fixtures of the season the top two teams squared up to each other knowing the outcome of the game would decide who would be crowned champions. Leaders prior to the fixture Highwood played hosts to Crown Jewels both teams level on 40 points, the result was a 6-3 victory for Crown Jewels to put both sides level on average but Jewels win giving them the all important two points advantage and seeing them go through the 22 games season with just one defeat.
After the leading duo third place went to Shirley Red Lion who with 32 points were eight behind runners up Highwood.
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The Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League produced a shock result in week 24 as leaders Gornal Conservative Club lost their home game with third in the table Ashwood ‘B’ 4-3. The result has opened up the league as second placed Ashwood ‘A’, who won 6-1 against The Bell are now level on 44 points with Gornal and Ashwood ‘B’ four points adrift on 40. With only two fixtures remaining it should be quite a tense run in for the top two teams.
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With reigning champion Kevin Lane not playing in week four of the Winmau Centre Thursday Night Champions League he has been replaced at the top of the table by last season’s runners up Kevin Harris who won 6-1 against Euan McGovern and followed that with a 5-2 result over Robert Pierce to give him 41 points from eight games. Despite losing 4-3 to Steve O’Neill Simon Meredith has taken over the number two spot with 38 points, he was quick to return to winning ways as in his next game he won 6-1 against Ken West.
Lane is currently fourth in the table on 32 points but he now has two games in hand, two games that could net him a total of 14 points which would see him return to the top of the table with a total of 46 points and a lead of five.
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Although they won 34-14 against Barney Army in the Winmau Centre Monday Night League The Untouchables have been ousted from the top of the table by What Are Thooose who won by a massive 46-2 against bottom of the table Double Trouble to give them 486 points just two more than reigning champions The Untouchables.
Week fifteen saw no fewer than 18 maximums Misfits S.Guest hitting three, there were two for K.Wharton and E.McGovern (What Are Thooose), D.Lewis (Keep It In The Family), A.Busby (The Untouchables) and one each for S.Burden (Double Trouble), D.Parker (Keep It In The Family), N.Salter and J.Morris (Misfits), J.Owen (Bulls Hitters) and D.Bentley (The Untouchables).
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The South Birmingham League played off their Mixed Doubles and taking the honours with a final 3-2 win over William Naylor and Courtney Burns were Neil Parsonage and Michaela Walker.
In the semi finals Parsonage and Walker were taken to a deciding leg before winning 3-2 against J.Frost and W.Drennan while Naylor and Burns had a more comfortable 3-1 success against J.Whitehouse and J.Neal.
Sue Kingdon (organiser), Neil Parsonage and Michaela Walker (winners)
Sue Kingdon (organiser) , Wiliam Naylor and Courtney Burns (winners)
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It was cup week in the Forest of Arden Winter League, round one of their Consolation Cup in which the only surprising result was possibly the 5-4 win by division two outfit Highwood Arms who beat Greville Arrows who are bottom of division one. Crown Arrows (div 1) won 7-2 against Highwood Exiles (div 2) and in the all division two fixture Sheldon Marlborough Flights won 5-4 against Chelmsley Town, 5-4 was also the margin by which Riley’s Red Arrows won against Sheldon Marlborough Flights in the all division one clash.
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A 9-0 whitewash handed out to Weoley Castle WMC has seen Court Oak return to the top of the Harborne League with a perfect score of 16 points from the eight games they have played so far, helping Court Oak on their way to victory was J.Hykin who hit two maximums.
Second in the table Hillyfields ‘A’ are now two points off the top but two ahead of Avenue Flights and Crazy Horses who are third and fourth in the table respectively.
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For the first time in six games Brickmakers Arms lost in the Brierley Hill Friday Night League, the final team to lose their 100% record. Playing away against third in the table Netherton Cricket Club Brickmakers went down 6-3, nevertheless they hold on to pole position as second in the table Miners (Wollescote) lost their home tie with fourth placed Pensnett Liberal Club 5-4.
The position now is that the top three teams Brickmakers Arms, Miners (Woolescote) and Netherton Cricket Club are all on 10 points with Miners having played one game more than the other two.
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Dudley Sports and Social Club, Hillcrest Avenue, Brierley Hill, DY5 3QJ will be staging a knockout on Saturday 16th January with a guaranteed £100 prize money plus all monies in will be paid out.
Cost of entry is £5 with entries to be submitted by 1.30pm on the day with match play beginning at 2.00pm.
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Riley’s Snooker Bar, Solihull is going to be busy as they will be staging their Last Sunday in the Month Open on the 31st January which carries a guaranteed payout of £110 for the winner, £70 for the runner up and £20 for the losing semi finalists, all for just a £5 entry fee. Entries will be accepted up to 1.30pm on the day then on the 21st February they will be holding their UK Open Qualifier for which further details will appear in this column shortly.
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In the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League leaders Britannia recovered from their 5-4 home defeat by Ten Arches ‘B’ to win 9-0 away to The Plough, however the defeat has seen them share the top spot with Ashwood who won their latest game away to The Bird (Wordsley) 6-3. The top two teams are level on both points and average but also on the same 22 points are Bird ‘A’ (Stourbridge) and Brickmakers Arms who share joint third plus fourth in the table Ten Arches ‘A’ also have 22 points.
Amazingly after twelve games only two points separate the top six teams as Ten Arches ‘B’ are just two points short of the top five with 20 points.
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It’s as you were at the top of the Netherton Thursday Night League with the top four teams all winning, leaders White Swan beat The Crown 5-4 to stay three points ahead of second in the table Rose and Crown who won their game at White Horse 7-2 and have played one game less than White Swan.
Third in the table Dudley Ex Serviceman’s Club won 6-3 at home against The Widders while fourth placed Bulls Head were the week’s biggest winners chalking up an 8-1 result at Pensnett Liberal Club who are bottom of the table.
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The Camp Hill League played off the finals of their League and Consolation Cups, in the former league runners up HMS Lions beat champions Cotterills Lane Club to the title while the Consolation Cup title went to Lady Westminster with Wagon and Horses runners up.
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A 5-4 home defeat to Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth) has seen Belgrave Club drop from third to fourth in division one of the Pip Club League and Birchmoor Club after losing by the same margin at home to Prince of Wales also go down one place to fifth. Divisional leaders Sports Bar ‘180’ were also 5-4 winners at Pip Club to keep them top of the table but only by one leg of average over Prince of Wales.
There were big wins for the top two teams in division two leaders Globe (Tamworth) won their home tie with Old Liberal 12-6 while second placed Progressive Club went one better to beat Royal Oak 13-5 to keep them level on points with the top team trailing only on average.
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East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association ended 2015 on a high in the Small Heath League by beating fourth in the table Wagon and Horses 7-2 to take their unbeaten run to 15 games and put them six points ahead of second placed Mitre who have only played 14 games.
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The Tamworth League played off the first two rounds of their Mile Oak Challenge Cup and going into round two there were no real shocks as league leaders Fox and Dogs beat sixth in the table Dolphin 4-0, in the local derby between Prince of Wales ‘B’ and Prince of Wales ‘A’ it was the ‘A’ side that got the close 4-3 verdict, third from top Belgrave Club won 4-1 against third from bottom Mile Oak Rovers and mid table Globe Inn had a 4-3 win away to next to bottom of the table Sports Bar ‘180’.
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Two points is still the difference between the top two teams in division one of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League after leaders Wednesfield FC won 7-0 away to Village Inn and second placed ECC had a much closer 4-3 win at the Cabin. Third placed Riley’s C’ lost ground on the top two as they lost 5-2 at Bradmore ‘B’ and are now ten points off the top.
In division two fifth placed Old Stags Head were the only losers in the top six teams. Whitmore Reans WMC are still leading the way with 54 points from 32 games after beating Old Stags Head 5-2 while second placed Roebuck kept the pressure on the leaders with a 6-1 win at Woodfield Social to give them 50 points from 31 games.
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