Each year our Wednesday night ladies team like to do something together. We started attending the Welsh Open. As a team we like to keep the fun in the darts sometimes so on the night of the mixed pairs we dress up. There has been a few themes so far...Gangsters, Cowboys & Indians but this year we were Egyptians.
We all received lots of comments on how good we looked. Only I was playing, with my Lancashire team mate Chris O'Connor whose such a great sport playing with me each year whilst in fancy dress. Despite my outfit we still cruised through a couple of rounds before being pipped in the short, no margin for error best of 3 game.
My Welsh open started with a 05.15am set off and pick up to enable me to get to the venue in good time to enter the World Darts Trophy Qualifiers. With 2 places up for grabs close to my home I just needed to give it a go.
My first opponent was the Pink Panther Zoe Jones. I was throwing well despite being a little tired from the early start and long drive to get there. I won 4.2. Zoe was very gracious and advised one thing she took from our game was how well I hit my doubles.
I then went on to face Lorraine Winstanley's talented daughter Josie Patterson. My form continued beating her 4.1. Double top was my friend.
Third round I drew Yorkshire's own Rachel Brooks. I set off to a great start but Rachels form and practice in the PDC challenge tours meant she won 4.2. My learning from this game was to not let people who are trying to pass you stop/interfere with your game. I found it extremely difficult to keep my concentration having to let other players and spectators pass.
Sunday was the main Singles. I had been given a bye first round so I was not playing until 4pm. I won my first game comfortably. My second game was against an extremely capable Lancashire colleague and good friend Danni Lea Platt. Neither played our best darts but I was victorious on this ocassion.
The next round I faced another extremely talented and capable young lady in Danielle Ashton. Last time we played at superleague I snatched victory with a high checkout. However this was where my journey ended. I struggled to get my rhythm due to the players on the next board standing way over to where I throw from. To try to get past this I had to try coming off a different way. I even started to wait until the players had finished throwing, but alas I could not find my flow. Despite being with Danielle at each leg she went on into the last 16.
Have I got enough points to get me into the top 20 seasonal? Lets look forward to what Selsey brings!