Tuesday morning delivered two results with major consequences at the top of the DDL table. Gary stayed firmly on course with victory over Dean S, while John L brought Duncan’s six-game winning streak to an end.
GARY BEATS DEAN S — The league leader needed 19 darts to complete the 201 leg and averaged 31.74, compared with Dean S’s 28.43. Gary’s first nine averaged 35.33 and, when the chance arrived, he checked out 24 with his first dart at double.
Dean S produced three visits of 40 or more and recorded the match’s highest single score with 50. Gary’s best visit was 45, but the difference came at the finish: a 100 per cent checkout rate secured another three points for the leader.
JOHN L BEATS DUNCAN — If Gary supplied the result expected of a title leader, John L supplied the morning’s statement performance. His first-nine average reached 64.33 and he went on to complete the leg in only 16 darts, averaging 37.69 overall.
John L hit a match-high 87 and checked out 8. Duncan remained competitive with a 34.60 average and a best visit of 70, but four missed darts at double proved costly. John L took his opportunity and stopped a winning run that had stretched to six league matches.
The two outcomes pull in the same direction in the title race. Gary advances to 52 points from 22 matches, while Duncan remains on 42 after playing his 20th. Gary now needs five victories from his final six games to guarantee the championship without relying on anybody else’s results.
Gary collected the points, John L delivered the sharpest numbers, and Duncan finally found the player capable of stopping his charge. It was a short DDL programme with a sizeable effect on the run-in.