The Quest for the Golden Chalice

There would be three parts to Monday night's entertainment; three matches to decide whether we walk home empty-handed, or clutching the spoils of victory; tonight we play for The Championship.

First off, it's ICSelect vs Artsans.

There's a bull-off to decide who plays in the singles: closest to the bull is Kenergy, followed by Devastating, then Warrior, Bags, Rampage and Houses. So that's Rampage and Houses out of it.

Singles:

Warrior vs Shorty
Tedi gets off to a good start, winning the bull-off. The game is close on the way down, but Tedi claims a decisive double 4 finish.

Bags vs Dave Parry
Bags is closest the bull. Bags plays well, getting some 80's and 90's, and finishing on madhouse to claim our second victory of the night.

Devastating vs Gerry
Gerry is closest bull. A high-scoring game (Dave scoring 135 on the way down) with a close finale, but Dave scraped a double 9 just clear of the wire to make it 3-0 to the Select.

ICS are still trying to work out the rules at this point:
Devastating: "Is it bull to decide the chalker?"
Gerry: "Dave, it's the last game of the season!"
Devastating: "That's our tactic - we never learn the rules"
Gerry: "That's why you always come second."

Kenergy vs Si
Ken starts. Very close on the way down. Si scrapes a victory for Artisans with a double 16 finish.

Fours:

Rampage, Houses, Warrior, Bags vs. four of artisans' best.
Rampage is closest bull. We get off to a strong start, but then a 4 from Tedi, followed next round by a 2 from Bags sees the game even up. As the game draws to a finale, Rampage gets the inspiration he needs - Spurs scores a goal on the telly. Rampage lifts his game to claim the the match for Selecta with a double 10 finish!


NEXT MATCH - Captain's tournament

Dave vs. Duncan (RCS)
best of 3, straight in.
Duncan wins the play-off, and leads on the way down. But Dave fights back to take the first leg with a double 10 finish.

Dave makes a storming start on the next leg, getting 125 in the first round. Duncan follows with an impressive 174. The game progresses quickly, with Duncan stealing victory with a double 2.

Devastating attacks the final leg with a vengeance. He's on madhouse while Duncan's on 130. A couple of rounds later and the game is his, as is the match.


We move to the Union, where they've been expecting us...

The captain's tournament continues:

Dave vs.Ian

Ian hit 180 in practice. Impressive. Apparently one of the Southside players told Staggy (Southside captain) she'd let him feel her breasts if he hits 180 in a match. In darts, anything can happen!

First leg: The game quickly sees both players on doubles. Dave is on the wire on double 7, but Ian finishes first, with a double 16 on the first dart.

Second leg: A great performance from Devastating, winning the game on double 2 and levelling the match.

Third leg: Another fast game. Dave maintains a lead on the way down, but Ian gets a bull to leave 8, and not long afterwards he finishes with a double 2, winning the game, the match and the captain's cup. Understandably, Devastating was devastated.

NEXT MATCH: ICSelect vs. HollandClub

Another bull-off to decide who plays in the singles. It's Warrior vs Houses. Both darts land outside the treble ring! Ted wins by a whisker. Rampage mutters something about a dead rubber.

Fours:

Houses, Bags, Warrior, Devastating vs four from HC
Bags closes down on double 4.

Pairs:

Houses, Devastating vs two from HC
The game goes all the way to madhouse. Devastating gets it in.
"Well played Houses!" said Dave "... no, hold on - you were rubbish!" Well, it wasn't my best performance, I'll admit :-p

Bags, Ken vs. one HC plus Gerry
Hold on! Gerry? Didn't we play him earlier? Turns out HC is short of a player, so Gerry stands in, but that means it's an automatic win for Select. Despite that, Bags and Ken lose.

Bags vs. someone
My note-taking is deteriorating at this stage, as is Bags' sobriety. "He's so pissed he can't even walk!" exclaims Warrior. Yet he still manages to throw stylish darts, getting double 20 and double 13 to leave 16, but HC somehow manages to get in there first with a double 4.

Warrior vs Heather
Tedi wins us the match with a double tops finish, 1st dart!

That means Selecta has won the cup!!!