What a fantastic achievement, Warwickshire’s Trina Gulliver has won the Ladies World Championship for a sensational TENTH time. Playing at Lakeside Trina reached the quarter finals of the competition and came up against long time friend and reigning champion Lisa Ashton. With a close but nevertheless a win Trina booked her place in the last four when she won 2-1, and 2-1 was also the margin by which Trina defeated Aileen de Graaf in the semis to reach the final for a magnificent twelfth time.
The final was a very tense affair against Deta Hedman with both players starting a little nervously but a maximum for each of them calmed the situation down and the two players began to produce the form they are noted for. The first four sets all went against the darts with Hedman winning sets 1 and 3, Trina had a good start to set four and secured it with a 3-1 margin to set up the nervy last set.
With first throw advantage in the final set it was vital Trina took full advantage to keep the pressure on her opponent and after winning the first leg began the second against the throw with her third maximum of the match. After going 2-0 up in the final set Trina went on to clinch the title with double eighteen, a truly amazing feat.
Trina Gulliver celebrating her TENTH World title
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This coming weekend Warwickshire County Darts Organisation will be back in action in the premier division of the BDO Inter County Championships a home tie at the Bishopsgate Club, Foleshill Road, Coventry, CV1 4LF against Lancashire who are just five points ahead of them.
Last season the same fixture saw Warwickshire play away and lose 25-11 but home advantage could just turn that around and see them replace their opponents in third place in the table.
Selected to play are, Men’s ‘A’:- Noel Grant, Jamie Hughes, Tom Aldridge, Ted Evetts, Bob Nixon, Mark Westgarth, Mark Carter, William Naylor, Dean Stewart, Richard Foster, Mark Strong, Prakash Jiwa, Men’s ‘B’:- Simon Power, Paul Deslandes, Matt Edgar, Tom Ryan, Rob Hawker, Carl Green, Antony Allen, Peter Hughes, Luke Kennedy, Tom McGlone, Ian Shaw, Tom Martin, Reserves:- James Hykin, Jamie Atkins, Chris Gallagher, Mangal Singh, Mike McFall, Simon Fairbrother, Dan Green, Women’s ‘A’:- Trina Gulliver, Sue Gulliver, Melanie Hill, Wendy Adams, Natalie Gilbert, Kerry Bambridge, Women’s ‘B’:- Lisa Deslandes, Angela Jones, Marian Conway, Donna Pinch, Nina Bolt, Denise Keyte, Reserves:- Kat Spanswick, Lucy Keyte, Helen Rigg.
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West Midlands, second in the division two table of the BDO Inter County Championships began the season with three consecutive wins and after a 20-16 defeat away to Berkshire in the last fixture of 2015 will be hoping to return to winning ways this coming weekend when they play hosts to Worcestershire who are sixth in the table of ten and twelve points behind their hosts.
With the men’s teams sheet not in representing the ladies will be, ‘A’ Team:- Kim Fellows, Gemma Barrett, Sarah Roberts, Kath Jenkins, Lisa Astbury, Debbie Loon, ‘B’ Team:- Sophie Singh, Samantha Maiden, Jacqueline Maiden, Heather Wright, Kirsty Shaugnhessy, Shellbie Simmons, Reserves:- Nicci McLaughlin, Claire Hobbs, Roxanne Nicholls, Wendy Waine.
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During the Christmas break the Four Oaks and District League’s second division played the second round of their Challenge Cup. Unbeaten in the league Golden Hind Arrows have had mixed fortunes in cup matches and that run continued as they lost 7-2 to Erdington Arrows. Bishop Vesey won by the same margin at The Boot despite the home side outscoring the visitors, while the Lions were 6-1 up when The Park took the final two games to lose 6-3. The Fox had a walkover against Brookvale Social.
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With two more wins in his latest fixtures Kevin Harris has doubled his lead at the top of the Winmau Centre Thursday Night Champions League to six points and has a game in hand on his nearest rival Robert Pierce. Harris began the night with a close 4-3 win over third placed Simon Meredith but then handed out a 7-0 defeat to Mark Bayliss to give him a total of 52 points. Pierce kicked off with a 7-0 win against Euan McGovern and after a further 4-3 win over Steve O’Neill, he then faltered and lost by the same scoreline to Mick Baker.
Mick O’Neill won 5-2 and 6-1 against respective opponents Steve O’Neill and Liam Baker but despite the two wins dropped one place to fourth with 44 points.
Reigning champion Kevin Lane is currently fifth in the table and didn’t play in week five which leaves him 20 points off the top but with four games in hand he could add another 28 points to his tally.
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A final reminder that this coming Saturday Dudley Sports and Social Club, Hillcrest Avenue, Brierley Hill, DY5 3QJ will be staging a knockout 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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With What Are Thooose not playing this week in the Winmau Centre Monday Night League The Untouchables, despite losing 33-15 to Misfits have taken over their number one spot at the top of the table with 499 points from 15 games, the former leaders now having a game in hand and are 13 points adrift. Misfits dropped one place to fourth even though they won against Untouchables, Bulls Hitters had a 40-8 win over Double Trouble to put them on 481 points five more than Misfits.
Finding the three treble twenties this week were Kevin Bate (Here For The Beer), Reece Cooke, Simon Ward (Mad House), James Owen 2 (Bulls Hitters), Matt Hallett, Sam Guest 2 (Misfits), Phil Clarke, Roger Lockley (What’s The Point) and although Barney Army lost 34-14 to What’s The Point their Mark Harvey hit an unbelievable four maximums.
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Amazingly after thirteen fixtures have been played in the Stourbridge and District Monday Night League there are five teams all with 24 points at the top of the table. Ashwood and Britannia are joint top on average and in turn had 6-3 wins against Queens and Church Tavern. A 7-2 win over Bird (Wordsley) gives Brickmakers Arms third place but only by one leg of average over Bird ‘A’ (Stourbridge) and Ten Arches ‘A’ who in turn won 6-3 at Ten Arches ‘B’ and 7-2 away to Quarry Bank Conservative Club.
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The Pip Club League played off round one of their Open Cup which produced a couple of shock results as Globe (Tamworth) from division two beat their division one opponents Birchmoor Club and another division two team Royal Oak also beat division one opponents Wigginton Arms.
In the all division one clash between Two Gates Club and Bulls Head ‘A’ (Polesworth) it was the latter who progressed to the next round and in the all division two game Progressive Club beat Bulls Head ‘B’ (Polesworth).
Other winners going through to the next round are Pip Club, Sports Bar ‘180’, Belgrave Club and Prince of Wales who had a bye.
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With only a couple of fixtures remaining in the Netherton Thursday Night League leaders White Swan suffered something of a setback to their title aspirations as they lost 5-4 away to middle of the table Fairfield leaving them just three points, one win ahead of Rose and Crown who beat The Widders 7-2, and have a better average than White Swan plus they also have a game in hand. The title will now go to one of these two teams.
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Strangely three games played in division one of the South Birmingham League and all three games finished with an 8-1 scoreline. Leaders Erdington Members Club won at Coleshill Social while second placed Mackadown Social won their home tie with St John’s, both teams have eight points Erdington are just two legs of average to the good on Mackadown. Third placed Raven won away to Family Tree.
In the second division it was top versus bottom as leaders Banbury Flights won 5-4 away at The C’s, second placed Dog were another team to win 8-1 as they accounted for their hosts The Bell. Third in the table The Gate had a 6-3 win at The Kingfisher. The situation now is that Banbury have 14 points, Dog 12 and Gate 8.
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Round two of their Pairs Cup was on the agenda for the Forest of Arden Winter League and matched together were the top two teams from division one. Leaders Olton Crown, unbeaten in their five league games went down 8-7 at second in the table Journeys End. Another surprise defeat was that of Greville Arrows, currently bottom of division one, they lost 8-7 away to Ivy Leaf who are next to bottom of division two.
The all division one game between Sheldon Marlborough Arrows and Crown Arrows was yet another 8-7 result which went to the former, the only none 8-7 scoreline came in the all division two encounter which saw Sheldon Marlborough Flights win 9-6 at Highwood Exiles.
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The final stages of the Doubles Knockout was the order of the day for the Camp Hill League and taking the title with a final win over Mick Barber and D.Cherry were Dave and Sheila Carter. Losing semi finalists were Ryan Brogan and Mal Warren plus Matt Cooper and Brenda Thomas.
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As the Harborne League reaches its midway point Court Oak with a 148 finish and 180 from R.Hosey plus a further maximum from K.Bedder added a convincing 8-1 win over fourth placed Avenue Flights to their tally to give them nine out of nine wins and a perfect score of 18 points, but despite their impressive record they only have a two points lead over second placed Hillyfields ‘A’ who won their home fixture with Abbey 5-4. Avenue Flights were the only losers in the top four teams third in the table Crazy Horses won 7-2 at Weoley Castle WMC whose D.Cornwell and G.Sullivan both hit 180’s.
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Ten teams make up the Brierley Hill Friday Night League and just two points separate the top six teams. Brickmakers Arms lead the way with 12 points their 7-2 home win over Bulls Head (Netherton) keeping them two points ahead of the following five teams who are Miners (Wollescote), Netherton Cricket Club, Pensnett Liberal Club, Pensnett Welfare Club and The Bell.
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Is anyone going to beat Court Oak in the Kings Norton League, their latest fixture saw them hand out a 7-0 whitewash to their hosts Rubery RBL to make it 21 straight wins and put them ten points clear of both second placed Kings Norton RBL who had a 6-1 home win over Coppice and third placed Stirchley United who had a 5-2 success at Dingle Social. Toby Jug ‘A’ and Hillyfields are both on 30 points two less than the two teams above them.
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East Birmingham Allotment Holders Association kept up their winning ways in the Small Heath League handing their hosts Clock Inn a crushing 9-0 defeat to take their unbeaten run to 16 games. Second in the table Mitre remain six points adrift of the leaders after beating Wagon and Horses 6-3 while third placed Gulp Tribe who are another four points behind Mitre won 6-3 at Emerald Club.
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No change at the top of division one in the Wolverhampton Tuesday Night League as there were wins for the top three teams. Wednesfield FC remain in pole position following their 6-1 home win over Riley’s ‘D’ and just two points behind them is ECC who won 7-0 at home against Chillington Club. Third in the table Riley’s ‘C’ opened up a gap of four points between them and fifth placed Victoria by beating them 5-2.
In the second division top side Whitmore Reans WMC had a bye this week and Roebuck took the opportunity to reduce the arrears to just two points by winning 7-0 at home against Castle. Moreton moved up into third place with a 4-3 win against Boat ‘B’ replacing Pheasant who were another team to have a bye this week but Pheasant now have a game in hand on Moreton and are only two points behind them with a superior average.
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Played eight won eight that’s the record of both Crown ‘A’ and Greets Green in the West Midlands Men’s Super League and in addition to both teams having 47 points they are also level on average and so currently share the number one spot. In their latest fixtures Crown ‘A’ beat Landywood ‘A’ 4-1 to oust them from the top of the table and see them drop two places to third while Greets Green moved up from fifth to share the top place with 4-1 win at Landywood ‘B’.
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