Lancashire are the current reigning champions of the Cosmo Darts Premier Division in the UKDA National League, winning the top division title last season and losing just one game at home to Yorkshire 24-12 and drawing 18-18 away to Lincolnshire but this season is a very different Lancashire as in their seven games so far they have won three, lost three and drawn one.
The champions have lost home games against Warwickshire (19-17), and Hertfordshire (20-16), away to Hampshire (19.17) and were held to a draw playing away against Essex.
However that was not the final result as it was discovered Essex were in breach of the rule about players playing in the ‘B’ and then in the ‘A’ games and as a result had a one winning result in the ‘A’ deducted and instead of winning the ‘A’ game 9-3 they won 8-4 and the overall result went from an 18-18 draw to a 19-17 victory for Lancashire.
Lancs current position in the league table is still second but trail leaders Yorkshire by some eighteen points, Yorkshire holding on to pole position with a 20-16 home win over Dorset.
Following their 19-17 defeat at London, Cornwall drop one place in the table to third with 142 points, nineteen short of Yorkshire.
Topping the men’s ‘A’ averages with a super 32.32 and straight 4-0 win over Dorset’s Steve Earley was Yorkshire’s Carl Wilkinson while the men’s ‘B’ top average was 30.77 achieved by Essex man Aaron Gill in his 4-2 win over Lancashire’s Simon Wilkinson. The ladies ‘A’ top average went to Essex player Jade Gofford who in her 3-1 win over Lancashire’s Doreen Fitton average 24-76. The best average for the ladies ‘B’ was 21-78 and went to Lancashire’s Gina Jones who won 3-0 against Karen Williams (Essex).
As a result of them having a bye, Suffolk have lost pole position in the Andy Wheeler Fisheries Championship Division and drop to fourth with 135 points. Taking over at the top of the division is Cambridgeshire who moved up from third place to top with a 24-12 home win over bottom of the table Cheshire.
Humberside, hold on to the number two spot after they were held to an 18-18 home draw by Kent who are, just three places off the foot of the table. Humberside’s 148 points are just two more than third placed Sussex who after their 26-10 home win over Gwent are four points behind leaders Cambridgeshire but have a game in hand on both the teams above them.
Despite their 21-15 home win over Derbyshire, Staffordshire remain next to bottom of the table with eighty-seven points, fifteen to the good on bottom placed Cheshire who have a game in hand on them.
Caven Phillips 31.60 average and 4-1 win over Gwent’s Harry Williams was enough for him to top the Championship men’s ‘A’ averages while the men’s B’ award went to Sussex team mate Brad O’Connor who won 4-0 against Geraint Harbon (Gwent) with a 30.36 average. Northamptonshire’s Rebecca Rose was the top player in the ladies ‘A’ games, a superb 25.05 average in her 3-0 win over Oxfordshire’s Sue Burns. Cheshire’s Bev Martin topped the ladies ‘B’ averages, her 22.77 average and 3-0 win over Cambridgeshire’s Carol Bareham earning her the accolade.
Prior to the latest fixtures, West Midands topped the L-Style Division One table but after their bye they dropped down to seventh place with 122 points from six games with a game in hand on three of the six teams above them. Moving up into pole position is Clwyd who were formerly second in the division their 20-16 away against Black Country has taken them to a total of 145 points from seven games.
Another former leading team, Middlesex won 23-13 away to Cleveland to put them on 142 points from six games. Third in the division Merseyside had a 26-10 home win over Buckinghamshire to leave them on 134 points and although eleven short of Clwyd they like Middlesex, have a game in hand on the leaders.
Leicestershire’s Andrew Hibbert averaged 33.13 and won 4-1 against Somerset’s Dean Baker to top the men’s ‘A’ average with Hibbert’s team mate Ricky Sudale taking the men’s ‘B’ award for his 29.04 average and 4-0 success over Jason Woodyard (Somerset). Somerset’s Karen Little won 3-2 against Leicestershire’s Lauren Hall, her 24.02 average the top one for the ladies ‘A’ matches. Cleveland’s Claire Stamper had a 3-1 win against Sindy Stiles (Middlesex), her 20.58 average earning her the ladies ‘B’ match award.
No change in the to four places in division two, Worcestershire continuing to dominate the division after adding a 20-16 win away to Wiltshire to take their points tally to 137 and giving them a lead of six points over second placed Salopian who in their home tie with fourth placed Tyne and Wear were held to an 18-18 draw. A 21-15 home win over Cumbria has taken County Durham to within two points of Salopian and increased their lead on Tyne and Wear to six points. Bottom placed Gwynedd had a notable 18-18 home draw with Northumberland who are four places above them in the table and have fifteen points more than them and it was Gwynedd’s Kevin Ducklin who had the top men’s ‘A’ average as he chalked up a 31.79 average in his 4-1 win over Northumberland’s Oliver Haughan.
The men’s ‘B’ award went to County Durham’s Alan Bell who beat Cumbria’s Adam Jenkinson 4-0 with a 30.36 average. Salopian’s Steph Clarke topped the ladies ‘A’ averages, a superb 25.91 in her straight 3-0 win over Tyne and Wear’s Jasmine Rusworth. Nottinghamshire’s Maggie Bamford’s 19.06 average and 3-1 win against Surrey’s Emma Atkins was enough to earn her the ladies ‘B’ award.
Division three leaders Norfolk had a resounding 30-6 home win over next to bottom of the division Montgomery and Radnor to give them a huge twenty-eight point’s lead on second placed West of England who have moved up from third to second in the table following their 27-9 home win over bottom placed Isle of Wight.
Breconshire lost their number two spot after they went down 23-13 at Shropshire and drop to sixth place on 119 points while their hosts move up two places to fourth with 129 points, just one short of third placed Gloucestershire who had a similar 23-13 home win against Pembrokeshire.
Middle of the table Wirral were another team to win 23-13 as they accounted for Bedfordshire, and it was Wirral who cleaned up with all four of the top averages!!
An amazing feat as their Terry Clancy took the men’s ‘A’ award for his 4-1 win and 31.23 average against Bedfordshire’s Philip Price, Mark Patmore taking the men’s ‘B’ award with a 29.39 average and similar 4-1win over Lee White, Kim Holden wrapped up the ladies ‘A’ award for her 21.47 average and 3-0 victory against Fran Bent and to round off the four awards, Pam Courts beat Jenny Bozier 3-0 with a 19.52 average.
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