DARTS AROUND ESSEX

DARTS AROUND ESSEX – August 2004

HOGAN WINS 3^rd OWLS TITLE

Paul Hogan (Basingstoke) won his 3^rd Harlow Owls Open title with a 5-2 win over Wisbech’s Andy Callaby in a high class final that saw Hogan score a 180, checkout on 113, 104 and 101, and achieve an average of 30.15. Callaby also scored a 180 in the final losing with a 28.99 average. The final was refereed and called by Tony Mitchell, a professional job for a superb final. Gary Barnett the MD of the Sawbridgeworth Brewery who for the second year running Sponsored the event, was on hand to present the prizes. A total of 161 players started and the losing quarter finalist were Perry Regan (Wisbech), Daniel Sare (Loughton), Bob Avenall (Wisbech) and Andy Derrick (Tonbridge). The losing semi-finalists were Paul Gibbs (Basingstoke) and the furthest Essex player Barry Devenish (Chelmsford). Ken Russell (Clacton) took the highest finish prize with 137, and the furthest lady was Basingstoke’s Debbie Porter. Photo: The Harlow Open Winner Paul Hogan (left) Runner-Up: Andy Callaby (middle) and sponsor Gary Barnett (right)

The event was on Sports Relief Day and an adaptation of Bobby George’s darts challenge was also run throughout the day, with player paying £2 ago the score as many points in two minutes.

Brenda Leftwich winning £47 with a score of 766 won the ladies competition; Daniel Sare won the men’s competition winning £74 for a score of 1,422. With the raffle, which included prizes from Bobby George and a dartboard donated by the organisers of this two-minute challenge, Natalie & Peter Wilkins, a total of £440 was raised for Sports Relief.

AROUND THE LEAGUE’S

Wickford & District league: Dave Solly is re-writing Roy Harvey’s record books every time he plays. His achievements are second to none and this season he equalled Jack Harvey’s (1949 to 1952) record of three consecutive Individual’s Cup wins. Add to Solly’s 1996 win, he is now the most successful player in the competition. With Alan Prosho as his partner, they have won a hat trick of consecutive Pairs Cup victories, the first time this achievement has been done. And to add to these, Solly also won the Obeney (180) cup for the second season on the trot; won his fourth First Division Player of the Year award to overtake Barry Adlam’s record, although Adlam still holds the record for the most straight wins of 115, Solly managed 85 before losing. To round off Solly’s achievements, he is the most successful player in the W.D.D.L.’s Money-in-out Singles with four wins, twice winner of the E.S.L. highest finish trophy, winner of the Money-in-out Pairs with Jim Eagleton, and this seasons winner of the Money-in-out three-man team with Eagleton & Prosho. Solly received the Original Presidents Cup at the presentation.

In the league, York Bees won division one with the Mall Stealers runners-up; the Hullbridge C. CT. were second division champions with Barstable finishing runners-up, Len Masters (Spread Eagle) was Player of the Year. Competition winners were: Barry & Dave Orton (Ashley’s Arrows) won the Captains & Secretaries Cup; Joe’s Cup was won by BP West (Bill Smith, Peter Colvin, Andy Grant & Karl Knight); Rayleigh Lane’s Paul Doherty won the E.S.L. High-finish Cup; and Roy Harvey won the Quart Pot 'Pot'. With eight, Alan Prosho (York Bees) scored the most 180’s and Roger Cocker (Mall Stealers) and Dave Solly (York Bees) both achieving 167 checkouts.

BRENTWOOD LADIES

Re-writing history seems to be the in-thing at the moment, as Tara Crown (pictured) (Bentley) won her sixth consecutive Singles title She was really made to work for it this season, with team-mate Shirley Clarke taking a 2-0 lead only for Tara to recover and win 3-2 in a great come back. Tara was also the winner of the most tons+, 180’s and with husband Alan won the Charity night competition. The Bentley won the league with the Royal Oak runners-up. The Royal Oak won the Knockout Cup, Mini-League and the Pairs Cup (Marion Crook & Kristina Cook). The Bentley won the Triples and the Railway won the Mixed Pairs. The Horse & Groom ‘B’ won the Captains & Secretaries from the Hutton C.C.

BASILDON MONDAY CLUB

With this years Summer cup under way, Vange 'B' have already qualified for the semi finals from group 2, after 7 - 0 wins over Bowers 'C' and York 'E'. These two teams will contest the runners up spot. In group 1, things are a little bit closer with all teams winning and losing one, so any two can qualify out of Albion, Bowers 'T', Bowers 'B' and Chalvedon Colts. Larry Oxborrow (Bowers 'B') hit a 15-dart leg in his 2 - 0 win over Paul Ross (Chalvedon Colts), and Phil Rayner (Bowers 'T') hit a 143 finish in his doubles match against Bowers 'B'. In the coming winter season, the league will be welcoming their first pub team, the Castlemayne.

INGATESTONE & DISTRICT

Chequers ‘A’ lead the Rising Sun Dragons on leg difference at the top of the first. Division two remains close with different leaders each week in a very tight section, the Railway Hotel are the current leaders from the Marsham Arms, Crown and White Bear all locked on 10-points. Division three is being dominated by the Oddfellows Arms who remain undefeated after eight games, the Bird Cage and Black Bull are both in touching distance. A disrupted division four is topped by Chelmsford Social Club with the Victoria ‘A’ second. In the recent Bullseye Singles Knockout, the venue winners were: Craig Vickers (Red Beret), David Bocking (Chequers A), John Hansell (Oddfellows Arms) and Barry Devenish (Marsham Arms). Paul Dunbar (Bird Cage), William Robinson (Red Beret), John Wastenage (Crown), Mark McGrath (Rising Sun Dragons) and Andrew Dawson (Chequers A) all achieved 150’s during the competition. Andrew Kateley (Chequers A) scoring three 180’s in one-match tops the 180 tables with four, Peter Wiffen (White Bear) has the top checkout with 167.

Looking for a new venue in the Braintree area? The Bird in Hand has just gone through a £100,000 refurbishment and opened 24th July - why not call in and give the new dart playing 'guvner' , Lee White, a look-in. Lee is provisionally putting up one dart board but hoping to make a complete darting area so that he can organise a few competitions in the run up to the new season. Monday nights have been 'sorted' with the old team continuing to play and two pool teams settling in. He is hoping for a super league team next year (too late for the coming season) so interested players should make themselves known. Lee is joining the Cressing Superleague team himself this season and hopes to meet new faces. No problem with food on darts nights - one side of the pub is becoming a restaurant so food for players will be good and hot!!! Lee is going to be putting in a lot of practice - he says "Now that people know that it is a darting pub, there may be a few players out there who would like to give him a few practice games and 'beat the guvner for a pint!! "

TOURNAMENTS COMING UP IN THE COUNTY

Chelmsford Open: Sunday 1st August at Chelmsford Social Club, 55 Springfield Road, Chelmsford, CM2 6JG. 11 am doors open, last entry 11:45 am, toe the oche 12:15 pm. Entry fee is £5. Contact Richard Dow on 01245 284959 or Club Steward 01245 261379 for more details.

Charity "Darts Around Essex" Inter-League Tournament: Sunday 26^th September at the Albion Snooker & Darts Club, Broadway, Wickford. 11:30 am doors open, all teams register by 12:15 pm, toe the oche 12:45 pm. Entry fee is £32 (£40 on the day) per league of four players, contact Kevin Stammers for more details. Please note: sponsorship is only available if the minimum numbers of teams enter. Proceeds split between the “Heart of Darts” & the “Beach Hut” fund.