Rick singles winner with me, Krispy (right)
Hold the back pages, forget the Olympics – something MAJOR has happened in the sporting world…. In a probably mistakenly confident mood, quite probably fuelled by pints of real ale and Thatchers Gold, I think I signed up for a local darts team during their annual KO comp.
If you’re a regular reader of this site, you’ll have worked out that your host, Krispy (that’s me), is in fact TERRIBLE AT DARTS! Yep while I probably watch more hours of darts a year than is healthy for me, when I play I am actually lucky to hit a 45 average with a following wind (and there often is wind following me on the oche.. must be the real ale!).
So I’m not sure why they’d want me on the team – maybe they just thought I’d bring a touch of glamour (hmm), or maybe more freebie darts along! 
Hopefully if I do play a few games I’ll do some write-ups, and get a few pictures of the glamorous places the average(well lets face it, less than average!) darts player gets to visit on his travels. I actually live very close to the biggest darts hub in the metropolis which is Peterborough – the Post Office Club, so maybe I’ll now get to chuck in those hallowed halls. Or at least have a cheap pint or two?
Steve Thorpe & Ian Croll, doubles winners, with Krispy (middle)
Last night was a great evening, the Stilton club’s annual knock-out, with a blind pairs event to warm us up. My mate/unpaid driver Lee was chuffed when I pulled his name out with the clubs “special one”, Rick, who I’m told used to play darts at a county level, and from what I saw later that night, does chuck a decent dart! Unfortunately for Lee, his luck ran out in the first game, as they lost immediately, wiping the smile off his face 
Speaking of Lee, I do have to mention his captains speech before the night got going. Lee’s the current captain, with Stilton not enjoying their current season in with the big boys of the 1st Division (Monday night league of Peterborough). So how to gee up the team into a feel good mood for a fun night? Well Lee mentioned the 9-0 losses, then more losses, the humiliations, and that the team would end up last and go down… to be honest I’m not sure he’d read that paragraph right in his motivation book! It somehow worked though, and the whole team re-signed for the winter season, and I think that also included my name – so maybe darts players respond well to morbid realism?
My partner Mick managed to drag me through a 2-1 win, hitting both the doubles before I could get us down to double 1 – I actually hit a couple of 81′s I think, so was fairly happy! A game won – with me in it! If I wasn’t already weighed down by too many pints of Tydd’s Steam ale and Thatchers cider, I may have run around the block to celebrate. Instead I just had another pint.
The singles didn’t work out so well for me, as I took on one of the Doubles winners Steve, who can chuck a tidy dart. He was boosted by his brand new darts he won – the gold plated Simon Whitlock darts from Red Dragon, and he took me out 2-0. I Actually enjoyed the game though, no nerves (well the beer/cider was working its magic), and I actually hit a couple tons! I even heard the word “ringer” mentioned, which is a word you never hear when I get a set of darts out! I think I got down to the doubles in both legs, so I was more than happy.
Rick Cawood was a convincing winner in the final – he’s a good player and deserved the main prize, a nice signed premier league photo I’d had tucked away at home. All in all a good night out, I had a lot of fun, spent most of the time laughing an drinking too much – which I regret a bit now it’s Tuesday afternoon – heavy sessions on Monday night are not big or clever children! Oh and the club has to have a mention too – very friendly place, three real ales on tap, and while they aren’t “real” ciders (i.e got bits in), the two they had on draught are far better than the usual Strongbow rubbish. Their website can be found here (Members club, but membership is very reasonable – Stilton is a lovely village just off the A1 near Peterborough).
UPDATE: My new captain Lee tells me that he will “break me in slowly, by starting me in a pairs comp” – oh dear.
2012 Stilton Blind Doubles KO
(best of 3, 501)
Winners: Steve Thorpe & Ian Croll
RU: James Curtis & Dave McKallip
2012 Stilton Singles KO
(best of 3, 301 – we’d taken ages over the pairs!)
Winner: Rik Cawood
RU: Ian Croll
Rik also won the highest score and checkout!
