Darts

Last night I played my first matches on a Double Board for a few months. Unfortunately Lincoln is very backwards when it comes to darts, and the main pub league used a board without Trebles. A major disadvantage to me is that my darts stick up blocking anything straight above it. If my 1st dart is just below the double top, it blocks it so I have to go straight to 19's. Although I'm signed of for the Post Office Club, I very rarely play. Only when they are short, or in the knockouts do I bother.

Last night was the Summer League Singles Knockout. I won this 4 years ago, beating Andy Cook 3-0 in the final. On my board at the Green Barrel were Dave Butt, Billy Johnson and myself were the 3 favourites. So guess who I drew in the Preliminary Round!! While I usually manage to beat Dave Butt on a treble board, the last couple of times on a double board he's had the better of me. Both times when I've been sat on 32, and he's took a big finish out! I had a good start, and took out 84 to go 1 up while he was back in the 200's. The 2nd leg started poorly, and I let him get 150 ahead of me, until a maximum (120) put me back in it. He went for 80, but hit 5 1st dart to give me a chance. I went up, took 77 out and won the match 2-0. In the board Semi Final I played Billy Johnson in one of the poorest matches in history. He played nothing like he can, and nor did I. Despite plenty of missed doubles from both, I won 2-0 again. I played Malc Jones in the Board Final, who had played well to get that far. The 1st leg was tight, and I managed to scrape it. The 2nd leg Malc couldn't hit a thing, and despite missing more doubles, I won it easily to win the Board. That puts me through to the Quarter-Finals with the winner of 7 other boards. Dean Baker is the huge favourite for this, and he is also through. The Quarters & Semi's are played on a Tuesday night in November, and the Final is on stage on Presentation Night that Friday.

A mixed day both personally and as a team at the Champions Cup Regional Playoffs on Sunday. A bye in the 1st Round, but we were in the tough half of the draw. Cheshire were probably slight favourites going into with, with Staffordshire and ourselves also looking strong. So guess which 3 teams were in the bottom half! Nottinghamshire, Merseyside and Derbyshire comprised the top half, with us facing the winner of the Cheshire v Staffordshire game in the 2nd semi final. Staffordshire came through easily by the looks of it. Representing Staffs was the The Saggarmakers Bottom Knockers, the pub that Phil Taylor used to run and is still signed on for, along with Adrian Lewis and Andy Hamilton. We managed to beat them 5-4, with it all going down to the final leg of Kevan Jenkins game, which he won. I lost 3-0 to a complete numpty. I scored ok, but missed 4 darts at a double in every leg. He stood to the side of the oche, which meant he could put his foot 3 inches over. I told him what he was doing, which he replied "Whatever" and did it again next time. I told him again, so the marker came and drew a chalk line that he had to stand behind. He then decided to do a dance everytime he hit a ton or anything decent. Prick!! I think he must have upset a few people earlier, as I seemed to have the support of half the Derbyshire side! In the Final we played Merseyside. While they did have Lee Palfreyman and a few other very decent players in their side, I did think we should be favourites for that one. However we ended up losing 6-3. A few missed doubles in key games and it would have gone the other way. I played much better and beat Phil Brooks 3-0 with a 90.18 average. A 154 finish in the 1st leg helped! In the end it was disapointing, as that was a major opportunity to be only the 2nd side in history (apparently!) to have got through from Lincolnshire to the Grand Final. Maybe next year!

To get there though we will have to win the Super League for the 3rd year in a row. The 1st game is on Sunday, with a trip to Seaview in Skegness. The Electric Club in Sleaford were our main rivals last season, but Skegness New Park have a stronger side this year and could give us a very close run.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to go to Blackpool to play in the Bobby Bourne Memorial Trophy. I woke up very early on the Tuesday before with my Eye completely closed and in alot of pain. I ended up being in Hospital for a couple of days with an Eye Ulcer, which involved having drops put in my eye every half hour, and if I was asleep they woke me up to do it! I thought it was best that I missed that, especially as they allowed me to go to Vegas, as I didn't want to put that in any more jepody than it already was.

Vegas was great, although I'm not rich and I didn't qualify for the Main Event.

August is the month that the PDC take a holiday, and there are now no tournament until September. My PDC tournament diary is as follows.

Friday September 22nd - World Grand Prix Playoffs (Newport Centre, Newport)
Saturday September 23rd - PDPA Players Championship (Newport Centre, Newport)
Sunday September 24th - UK Open Welsh Regional (Newport Centre, Newport)
Saturday October 21st - PDPA Players Championship (Citywest Hotel, Dublin)
Sunday October 22nd - UK Open Irish Regional (Citywest Hotel, Dublin)
Saturday November 4th - PDPA Players Championship (Magnum Centre, Irvine)
Sunday November 5th - UK Open Scottish Regional (Magnum Centre, Irvine)
Saturday November 11th - PDPA Players Championship (Golden Tulip Hotel, Lisse, Holland)
Sunday November 12th - PDPA Players Championship (Golden Tulip Hotel, Lisse, Holland)
Saturday December 2nd - World Championship Playoffs (Venue TBA, but probably Hull)

Super League starts again a week on Sunday, and although I have huge reservations I am staying with the same side. We have moved from the Lincoln Imp (woohoo!) to Hartsholme Club, and are now called Lincoln United FC....... hmmm. We go to Staffordshire on Sunday for the Champions Cup Regional Playoff (as we won the Lincolnshire Super League last season and go to represent them in the Champions Cup finals). No Yorkshire this year, so we have a real chance of getting through to the final the weekend after.