This coming weekend Warwickshire will play their second of a scheduled nine fixtures in the premier division of the BDO Inter County Championships and they will be hoping to put behind them their opening 23-13 defeat away to reigning champions Yorkshire.
The first home fixture of the season will be played at the Bishopsgate Club, Coventry and Warwickshire’s opponents will be newly promoted Nottinghamshire a game that the local county will be expecting to win. Lining up will be Men’s ‘A’:- Bob Nixon, Dean Stewart, Richard Foster, Mark Strong, Jamie Hughes, Mark Carter, Ted Evetts, Mark Westgarth, Noel Grant, Antony Allen, Tom Aldridge, William Naylor, Men’s ‘B’:- Matt Edgar, Luke Kennedy, Rob Hawker, Carl Green, Prakash Jiwa, Mangal Singh, Peter Hughes, Tom Ryan, Simon Power, Graham Hall, Ian McFarlane, Anthony West, Reserves:- Jamie Atkins, Nigel Heydon, James Hykin, Ian Shaw, Tom Martin, Tom McGlone, Paul Deslandes, Simon Fairbrother, Women’s ‘A’:- Trina Gulliver, Sue Gulliver, Donna Pinch, Natalie Gilbert, Kerry Bambridge, Melanie Hill, Women’s ‘B’:- Angela Jones, Denise Keyte, Marian Conway, Helen Rigg, Wendy Adams, Nina Bolt, Reserves:- Lisa Deslandes, Caroline Pike, Chloe McKevitt, Kat Spanswick.
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In division one of the BDO Inter County Championships newly promoted West Midlands didn’t have the best of starts as they lost 20-16 away to Hampshire but will be hoping for better things when they play at home against Cleveland who just fought off relegation from division one last season. Selected to play for the West Midlands are Men’s ‘A’:- Keith Allman, Gavin Baker, Michael Baker, Shaun Carroll, Mark Craddock, Nick Fullwell, Ian Jones, Ash Khayat, John Morris, Jonathon Platt, Lewis Venes, Gary Watts, Men’s ‘B’:- Scott Baker, Matthew Dicken, Sam Guest, Glen McGrandle, John Mycock, Danny Nicholls, Richard Platt, Neil Pointon, Paul Price, Robert Smith, Mark Watkiss, Paul Wells, Reserves:- Glen Cullen, Danny Coyle, Mark Hampton, Michael Hoult, Dave Redding, Jack Rourledge, Mark Rollason, Women’s ‘A’:- Lisa Astbury, Gemma Barrett, Kim Fellows, Kath Jenkins, Sarah Roberts, Sophie Singh, Women’s ‘B’:- Claire Hobbs, Jacqueline Maiden, Samantha Maiden, Kirsty Shaughnessy, Shellbie Simmons, Heather Wright, Reserves:- Wendy Waine, Liz Arnold, Shannon Hall.
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Despite having a bye in division one of the Sheldon and District Summer League Langley Hall Sports and Social Arrows hung on to their second place and two points advantage over third in the table Castle Vale Residents as their rivals lost 5-3 at home to leaders Iron Horse Flights who are just two points to the good on Langley.
In division two leaders The Harvester suffered their first defeat in eleven games as they went down 5-3 away to The Pirates who are now four points behind Harvester with a game in hand in second place.
Crown Arrows lost their number one spot in division three when they lost 6-2 at home to Highwood KB’s who take over in pole position with what is a slender one point advantage but they also have three games in hand.
Top played bottom in division four Small Heath Amateur Gardeners making it eight wins in ten games when they beat Ridgemere Ladies 7-1.
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The South Birmingham League were involved in semi finals, in the Rose Bowl Cup group two champions Erdington Members Club surprisingly beat the group one champions Coleshill Social 8-1 while in the second semi there was another surprising result as Mackadown Social who finished as champions of group three won 5-2 against Crown at Shard End who were runners up in group two.
The Edna Meek Memorial Cup semis saw Toby Jug, who took the wooden spoon in group three win 6-3 against The Kingfisher who finished bottom of group two.
Completing four very unexpected results were The Dog who won 6-3 against The Bell, Dog finishing next to bottom of group three and Bell bottom of group one.
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The Forest of Arden Summer League Staged their singles knockout and taking the title with a final 2-1 win over Luis Barberan was Gordon Clinton.
From the quarter finals onwards Clinton won all of his games 2-1 beating Jason Jennings in the last eight and Steve Whatmore in the semi’s while Barberan won 2-0 against Dan Ryecroft and booked his final spot with a 2-1 win over Dan White.
Sue Kingdon (Organiser), Gordon Clinton (Winner) and Trevor Edwards (Treasurer)
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Kevin Harris suffered a 4-3 defeat to Mick Baker and a 5-2 loss against Mark Bayliss in the Winmau Centre Thursday Night Champions League but after playing a couple of future fixtures he has returned to the top of the table but probably not for long as second placed Louis Burley beat Robert Pierce 5-2 to put him on 178 points from 33 games, nine points short of Harris but from three fewer games and in third place reigning champions Mick Baker who followed his win over Harris with a 6-1 success against Craig Capewell to give him 161 points, he now has three games in hand on Burley and six on Harris.
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With Court Oak already acclaimed champions of division one of the Kings Norton League their penultimate fixture seeing them win 5-2 against West Heath, anyone of the following three teams E57, West Heath and Hillyfields could finish as runners up, E57 have 16 points the other two 14 all with one to play.
In division two leaders Kings Norton Ex Serviceman’s Club took their points tally to 24 with a 5-2 win over Grant Arms but they are not certain of taking the title as second placed Rubery RBL despite being four points adrift have two games in hand and Kings Norton still have two to play.
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After the opening four fixtures Coventry Bishopsgate lead the way in the Warwickshire Men’s Super League with 34 points just one more than second placed Sutton Sports who in turn have a nine points lead over both Coventry Old Ball ‘A’ and Birmingham Hillyfields in third and fourth places, Hillyfields having played just three games so far.
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Cotterills Lane Club made it seven straight wins in the Camp Hill League when they beat Devil’s Club 7-0 giving them a two point’s advantage over second in the table Holy Gulp who had a 5-2 home win over Wagon and Horses.
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Congratulations to West Midlands county player Nick Fullwell who with a very close 6-5 win over Adam Huckvale (Worcester) clinched the Midland Masters title and the £240 top prize in the playoff at Riley’s, Wolverhampton.
Fullwell was in top form throughout producing some top form in the semi finals where he beat Dave Green (N.Ireland) 6-2 in 16,13,13,13,17 and 20 darts to give him a fantastic 32.67 average. Huckvale won his last four game against Gavin Smith (Worcester) 6-3 and as runner up collected £100.
Adam Huckvale (Runner Up) and Nick Fullwell (Winner)
Losing semi finalists received £50 and there was £15 for each of the losing quarter finalists Rob Farrow, Kevin Bambrick, Ian Jones and Matt Metrovich.
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The Small Heath League have got their new season underway and Cob’s Bar are the early pacesetters with a 6-3 win at Wagon and Horses, close on their heels comes East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association who won 5-4 at Mitre and Gulp Tribe who had a similar 5-4 win against Emerald Club.
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Chris Thomas continues to lead the Shirley Red Lion Premier League adding a 3-0 win over Dave Fisher and a 3-1 success against Ken Hopton to his tally to give him 23 points from eight games and a four points lead over both Andy Hoy and Mick Bown, Hoy beating Steve Heeks 3-1 and Jack Nason 3-0 while Bown had followed up a 2-2 draw with Brian Lawton with a 3-0 win over Steve Heeks.
Best leg of the week went to Mick Gorst who recorded a fifteen darts leg in his 3-1 win over Paul Higgins, while Higgins then went on to hit a maximum and check out on 115 in his 3-0 win against Tom Bent.
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Dudley Sport ‘C’ rounded off their fixtures in the Brierley Hill Monday Night League with an 8-1 win away to fifth in the table Bulls Head (Netherton) to retain the league title for a second consecutive season, they won the title by a margin of ten points over runners up The Bridge who also finished on a high as they won 7-2 against Brickmakers Arms.
With 26 wins from his 30 games Stuart Skidmore (Dudley Sports ‘C’) won the averages with Ritchie Lenton (Bulls Head) losing out by just one game as he won 25.
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Week four in the new season for the Brierley Hill Friday Night League and a 4-3 win against The Fox (Lye) was not enough for Pensnett Welfare Club ‘A’ to remain outright leaders of the league as the 6-1 win by Brickmakers Arms over Netherton Cricket Club ‘B’ has put them level on points and average and share the lead with Welfare ‘A’.
At the other end of the table there was a first win for Miners (Wollescote) who beat bottom of the table Ten Arches 6-1.
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The Cradley Tuesday Night League played the final of their Harry Siviter Cup and taking the title with a 5-2 result was Rose and Crown who defeated runners up White Horse.
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White Swan who are third in the Netherton Thursday Night League had a surprising 4-3 home defeat at the hands of the Delph Bell ‘A’ team who are just two places off the foot of the table. No such problem for league leaders Dudley Sports and Social who with a 5-2 win at Fairfield took their unbeaten run to eleven games and maintained their three points lead over their nearest rivals Bulls Head who were 4-3 winners at Delph Bell ‘B’, Dudley also have a game in hand on Bulls Head.
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With games running out its still too close to call in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League as Brickmakers Arms despite winning 5-4 away to fourth in the table Bird ‘A’ (Stourbridge) lost pole position to Ten Arches ‘B’ who won their home tie with Bird ‘B’ (Stourbridge) 7-2. Both of the top two teams are on 62 points but Ashwood, Bird ‘A’ (Stourbridge) and Ten Arches ‘A’ are all on 60 points all of them with the exception of Bird ‘A’ have a game in hand on the leaders, Bird ‘A’ have two games in hand
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A 5-2 win over third placed Old Hop Pole has seen Dewdrop hold on to their eight points lead at the top of the Hilltop Friendly Tuesday Night League, second placed Island Inn were also 5-2 winners at home to Hayes Social.
Next to bottom of the table Old Court House opened up a gap of fourteen points between them and bottom placed Horseley Tavern after beating them 6-1.
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Black Horse gained a surprising win in the final of the Harry Tibbetts Cup in the Wednesbury and Darlaston Wednesday Night League when they beat league leaders Staffordshire Knot, also in the final of the Runners Up Cup St Mary’s ‘A’ won against Horse and Jockey who are above them in the table.
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On Saturday 8th October Saunders Hall, Bedworth will be hosting the Bedworth Open with £300 for the winner based on the number of entries received plus the finalists will get an invite to the Bedworth Darts Trophy. Cost of entry is £8 and can be paid on the day. Registration is 10.30am to 12.30pm with a 1.00pm start.
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With one game to the halfway stage of the Stourbridge and District Wednesday Night League Ashwood ‘A’ top the table with 32 points, but in their latest fixture against their ‘B’ side they lost 5-2 their first defeat in seventeen games, nevertheless they hold on to pole position and have a four points lead over second placed Britannia who won 4-3 against fifth in the table Brickmakers Arms.
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A 5-2 win at Roebuck has seen Riley’s ‘C’ open up a lead of 12 points at the top of division one of the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League as second placed Victoria lost 4-3 playing away to Cabin. Gilberts Bar take over third place from Wednesfield Conservative Club after beating them 5-2, both teams are now on 20 points from 15 games, the top two teams have played 17.
No change at the top of division two as the top three teams all won leaders Sunbeam winning 4-3 at the Bull, second placed Pavilion had a 6-1 win at Ukrainian Club to put them level on 30 points with Sunbeam and trailing by just one leg of average. Third in the table Dog and Partridge beat Wednesfield Legion ‘C’ 4-3 and are two points off the top.
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With the top four teams all winning in week 30 it’s as you were at the top of the Tettenhall Wednesday Night League, Cleveland Arms leading the way with 52 points from 30 games and second placed Whitmore Reans WMC two points behind with a game in hand. Then comes a gap of four points with Riley’s ‘A’ and Riley’s ‘B’ in turn having 46 and 42 points.
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The Black Country Premier League is up to week six and only average separates the top two teams, Blackheath Beechers are top following their 8-6 win over Brickmaker Big Dogs with Black Country Belters, who won 9-7 at Windmill Warriors second, both teams on 12 points.
Colley Gators are third with 10 points after handing out a 12-0 whitewash to their host bottom of the table Hounds of Wynall
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Brickmakers Arms Quarry Bank completed a 24 hours marathon over the weekend the proceeds of which will be donated to the Mary Stevens Hospice. As yet the final figure collected for the event is not available but will appear in this column as and when it is.
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