Bristol darts star Steve Brown has received a major boost after signing a sponsorship deal with Blackthorn Cider.

 

The 33-year-old, who has qualified for the last five Professional Darts Corporation World Championships, has signed an initial one-year agreement with the cider-maker.

 

The deal will see Brown wear Blackthorn-branded playing shirts at all televised and non-televised events until at least March 2015.

 

Blackthorn is also set to use Brown's profile to promote darts on a local and national level, including the return of the popular Blackthorn Bomber's Challenge later this year.

 

"I'm delighted to have agreed a sponsorship deal with Blackthorn," said Brown. "It's an iconic West Country cider, and, being a local lad myself, I think the partnership is perfect.

 

"Blackthorn is a winning cider and I feel it's the right brand to support me to even greater success."

 

Andy Cross, marketing manager at Blackthorn, said: "Darts is a sport which is continuing to grow in popularity and capture the nation's interest.

 

"Blackthorn has developed close ties with the game and that has led to our association with Steve, which we're delighted to announce."

 

Brown, who founded the hugely successful Steve Brown Darts Academy, is ranked 47th in the world.

 

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BEN Ward’s rise up the PDC world rankings continued as he produced some scintillating arrows to claim a top-eight finish in the latest Pro Tour event, held at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan.

 

Beating the likes of former BDO world champion Richie Burnett on his way to making the quarter-final stages, the 25-year-old eventually bowed out to youngster Keegan Brown, who recorded an impressive 112.32 average against the Dorchester man to eventually defeat him 6-1.

 

Ward, an avid Magpies’ fan, told Echosport: “I was very pleased with my performance, I’ve beaten Kee-gan before so I was fairly confident going into the quarter-final but he completely blew me away and with a 112 average you can’t really do anything about it.

 

“I played really well but nobody would have lived with that, he got to the final and should have won it as well.”

 

Ward’s conqueror Brown eventually lost in the finale of the event to Premier League competitor ‘The Thorn’ Robert Thornton, who sealed two tour wins over the weekend.

 

 

As well as Ward capping his best ever finish in the senior ranks, a day previously, he also qualified for a Euro Tour event with the PDC in Austria, scheduled for June 20.

 

And with his current progression up the world rankings, the Dorchester darter admits it is all a case of learning his trade and keeping his feet on the ground.

 

He added: “I went to one of my local pubs the other day and it seems strange to have come all this way from playing in the Dorset League.

 

“Because you are playing the best players in the world it’s all a case of being patient, you can’t expect to hit 12 and 13-darters every time, the experienced lads can do that, but they have been playing for years so I still have a lot to learn.

“You get frustrated with yourself when you lose against some of the top boys but you look around the room and there is nobody better in the world than those around you, it’s great to be a part of it.”

 

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CRESCENT ‘B’ kick-started the new York White Rose Ladies Darts League campaign with a 5-2 division one win at Derwent.

 

Liza Moore had a three-dart checkout on 78 in the four-hand for Crescent, while Sue King and Nikki Judson took the the first pairs leg for Derwent. Crescent surged clear with wins for Pat Hurst, Angie Hurst and Moore.

 

Carlton Tavern beat visitors Lord Nelson 4-3 thanks to Val Bell’s win in the decider.

 

Tavern lost the opener but won the next three, including the two pairs. Mel Schollick took the first single, before Teresa Simpson and Vicky Finney levelled at 3-3.

 

The Ebor lost the four-hand to newly-promoted Flag & Whistle, but Maggie Adamson(121) and Jill Clapham made it 1-1. Toni Smallwood (100) and Tamara Ferguson took the next for Flag, only for June Mallory and Clapham to make it 3-2. Smallwood and Chris Hedley made it 4-3 to Flag.

 

Lord Collingwood edged past King William 4-3. They took the first game but William hit back to win the two pairs games through Sarah Crake and Michelle Hill, then Brenda Bainbridge and Carol Atkinson (68 finish).

Collingwood’s Donna Dwyer, Kim May and Yvonne Wrist made sure of four points.

 

In division two, New York went down 4-3 to New Earswick.

 

Earswick won the four-hand and the first pairs leg. New York took the next, but Janet Curry and Margaret Clapham made sure of four points. Maureen Tindall hit a 100 for New York.

 

Acomb Sports lost 4-3 to Clarence Club, despite winning the four-hand and the first pair, with Astrid Tute hitting 107.

 

Clarence pulled back to 2-2. Iris Haigh made it 3-2 to Acomb before Carol Sykes Waller, then Jayne Cain, made it 4-3.

 

Indoor Bowls got the first game under their belt en route to a 4-3 victory at home to Crescent ‘A’.

Elise Blackburn and Pam Husband made it 1-1, but Bowls won the next three through Lorraine Parker and Gwen Shaw, Joan Smith and Lorraine Parker.

 

Elaine Bell and Lesley Benson (108) got the last two for Crescent.

 

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Adrian Lewis' chances of making the play-offs may be done and dusted, but "Jackpot" did a fine job of lending a helping hand to those above him in the table by taking a point from Peter Wright on Thursday.

 

It wasn't a particularly clean affair, as the official PDC website shows, Lewis and Wright finished with checkout percentages of just 30 and 35 percent, respectively.

 

However, the path of the scoreline was a more entertaining aspect of their encounter, with "Snakebite" establishing a 2-0 lead before then dropping to 6-4, following a rampant response from his challenger. The likes of Van Gerwen, Van Barneveld and Taylor will have been happy to see fourth-placed Wright held to a 6-6 draw in the end.

 

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The 2014 Premier League Darts season took another twist on Thursday evening as Birmingham's National Indoor Arena played host to the latest instalment of top-flight action.

 

Phil Taylor's resurgent rise to the play-off places was reinforced after "The Power" took three points from his two matches against Raymond van Barneveld and Dave Chisnall, now sitting third in the standings.

 

His push to the top spots was strengthened after Michael van Gerwen fell to Gary Anderson, the league-leading marvel now level on points and leg difference with Van Barneveld.

 

Read on for a breakdown of how the table looks following Birmingham's bonanza, along with all the results and a recap of the key fixtures.

According to Darts Database statistics, Thursday's clash between "Barney" and Taylor was the 64th time these giants of the industry have clashed in their illustrious careers, but only the fourth draw seen between the two.

 

No matter how bitter that rivalry may be, a share of the spoils is acceptable for both stars, now second and third respectively, with neither Van Barneveld nor Taylor in a position where they can risk dropping points.

 

At one point in the fixture, the Dutchman found himself 5-3 up, and as the official PDC account can attest, there are those who feel Barney should have taken home the victory:

However, mental resolve is a trait that rings true with the veteran Taylor, and after nailing an 88 checkout with double 14 in the 12th leg, he took a point from a match comprising many a turn.

 

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