Flash Headed to Coventry
More ADC action looms with two tournaments scheduled in the race for ranking points, as Mark Dudbridge a former World Championship finalist and winner in Bar501 prepares to take on the October Old Ball Grand Slam of Darts this Saturday.
The Englishman played in the final two Championship Tours last weekend at the Thornbury Conference Centre, reaching the Last 16 in Event 7 after beating the likes of Michael Huntley and Bradley Coltman before a 4-3 defeat to ADC Number 16 Kevin Garcia.
The Sunday saw the 49-year-old beat ADC Number 3 Steve Brown in the First Round before losing out to Welshman Huntley in the Last 32 4-1.
The competition this weekend though is strong with Jenson Walker an ADC Championship Tour Plate Knockout winner registered, as well as AJ Urmston-Toft who qualified for the Red Dragon Champion of Champions and the ADC Championship Tour Grand Finals after finishing 40th in the overall table.
ADC Number 2 Adam Atkinson earnt himself 257 ranking points from Bristol last weekend after winning Championship Tour 7 before proceeding to claim victory in the Plate Tournament the day after, cutting the gap from number 1 Matt Jackson to over 150 points.
The Poolie returns to the oche as he bids to close the gap to the Action even further as he is registered for the North Ormesby Open at the Teeside Bridge Club where 47 players are so far registered.
38-year-old Jackson played the Bar501 Kingswood Round Robin yesterday and only just qualified for the Last 16 after coming third in his group that included Lee Andrews and Ryan Shipp, whilst Steve Brown finished bottom of the same group losing all four of his matches.
The ADC Number 1 went on to lose to eventual winner Ricky Palmer in the Semi-Finals, with the 37-year-old Englishman moving into the top 16 of the ADC rankings after he earnt 32 points for his victory yesterday moving onto 397 points, 1 clear of 16th placed Kevin Garcia.
No events on Sunday this weekend with just the two this Saturday for ADC-sanctioned events, but still plenty to play for in terms of the rankings with more players looking to boost themselves ahead of the end of 2022.
ADC Sanctioned Events: 1st October
October Old Ball Grand Slam of Darts: Coventry
North Ormesby Open: Teesside
ADC Rankings:
Matt Jackson: 1309pts
Adam Atkinson: 1157pts
Steve Brown: 915pts
Tony Wood: 743pts
Adam Warner: 628pts
Geoff Murray: 599pts
Lloyd Pennell: 575pts
Phil Borthwick: 545pts
Lee Budgen: 527pts
Graham Hall: 484pts
Paul Nesbitt: 469pts
David Williams: 449pts
Kevin McDine: 447pts
Adam Smith-Neale: 407pts
Ricky Palmer: 397pts
Kevin Garcia: 396pts
Image: Stefan Strassenburg