WOW! What a start to the new UKDA National League season for Warwickshire in the Cosmo Darts Premier Division as they avenged last season’s opening day defeat by winning this season’s opener away to Cornwall 25-11 which puts them top of the table.
Second placed Lancashire’s first fixture of the new campaign saw them win their home tie with Dorset. A win at Sussex sees Suffolk placed third with twenty-five points and making up the top four is Essex following their home success over Glamorgan.
Reigning champions Yorkshire managed a 19-17 victory at Hertfordshire which sees them lying fifth in the table with twenty-two points.
Topping the men’s ‘A’ averages was Warwickshire’s new addition Dom Taylor who had a super 33.76. The men’s ‘B’ top average was 29.02 supplied by Lancashire’s Chris O’Connor. Glamorgan’s Rhian O’Sullivan was in superb form chalking up a tremendous 28.36 average while the ‘B’ top average was 21.25 and came from Yorkshire’s Lauren Burgoyne.
Three teams in the Andy Wheeler Fisheries Championship Division are topping the table with twenty-three points, Cheshire are top with the slightly better average after their win at Northamptonshire with Humberside just behind them after winning at Oxfordshire, West Midlands are third following their home success over Kent.
Northamptonshire’s Ricky Evans topped the men’s averages with a tremendous 34.28 average. The ladies ‘B’ average also going to Northamptonshire’s Carrie Wright. Top average for the men’s ‘B’ came from West Midlands man Martin Price who managed 28.78. A super 24.80 earned Lisa Brosnan (Middlesex) the ladies ‘A’ award.
A win at home over Berkshire has put Merseyside top of the L-Style Division One table, one point ahead of second and third placed Somerset and Clwyd who in turn had wins at home against Staffordshire and Devon.
A further one point behind in fourth place is Leicestershire who won their home tie with Worcestershire.
Anthony Brown (Merseyside) was in blistering form with an outstanding 36.44 average. The men’s ‘B’ award went to Berkshire’s James Johnson for his 24.87. For the ladies, Staffordshire’s Row Sidley was the top ‘A’ player, with a 23.21. The ‘B’ teams saw Leicestershire’s Ella Coburn, who averaged 20.88.
West of England have already opened up a three points lead at the top of the Division Two table with their win at Buckinghamshire. Second placed Norfolk on twenty-four after a home win over Tyne and Wear. Surrey make up the top three, their home win over Northumberland putting them four adrift of the leaders.
It was third placed Surrey who took two of the four top four averages, Nick Ellis clinching the men’s ‘A’ with a 28.84 while Jake Eichen took the men’s ‘B’ award for his 29.91.
Tyne and Wear’s Angela Kirkwood was the top ladies ‘A’ player with her 23.86 effort. The top ‘B’ ladies player was Cumbria’s Liz Humphries with a 20.31 average.
Wirral got their campaign in Division Three off to a good start, winning at Pembrokeshire to put them top of the divisional table, three ahead of their nearest rivals Bedfordshire, who won at Isle of Wight. A win against Montgomery and Radnor sees Breconshire in third place, five points off the top.
Although Isle of Wight lost their home game they took both of the men’s awards as Joe Hunt clinched the ‘A’ award 30.07 average and Daryl Hunt took the ‘B’ award for his 26.79. For the ladies ‘A’, Gaynor Williams (Gwynedd) averaged 23.48 and Breconshire’s Alannah Waters-Evans recorded a superb 24.64.
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Words: Alan Towe – Supported by Red Dragon Darts
