Queenslander's take Australian Mixed Doubles Darts Titles
Queensland has always done well in this event, highlighting the strength of both Men's and Ladies darts in Queensland. 2007 saw little change as they backed up again to take the title for three in a row. This was the second in row for Ian Brown partnering Lauren Peters this year and Pam Burr in 2006. The final event at the Royal Hobart Showgrounds in Hobart at the 28th Puma Australian Darts Championships saw Ian Brown and Lauren Peters (pictured below) win the Australian Mixed Doubles title with a fantastic performance against the Victorian pairing of Barry Smith and Janine Cassar.
The final was a real classic that went down to the deciding leg. Brown and Peters started and won the first leg comfortably. By leg two all players had found their range and the big scores were being found. Leg two to Smith and Cassar. Leg three and Smith and Cassar could not find the triple twenty in this leg letting Brown and Peters win leg three again comfortably. Leg four and the Victorians were still struggling a little in hitting the triple twenty regularly. This opened up the leg for Brown and Peters to steel which they did for a break in throw. Leg five and the big scores were flowing again from both combinations but in this leg Brown and Peters missed with a number of darts to hit the double giving Smith a shot at the finish. He pegged 25 with two darts to get the break that was inflicted on them in the previous leg back. The Victorian's won leg six which saw Smith hit a 180 to square up the final at 3 - 3. Brown and Peters were still scoring very heavily with every shot and took the lead again by winning leg seven in 19 darts. Brown and Peters wasted the lead they built up coming down to the double in leg eight with missed darts at the finish. They were throwing for the title but Cassar sent the final into a tiebreaking leg when she pegged out from 88. The finishing leg saw the Queenslander's away first. Brown stepped up to the oche and calmly with his third dart a magnificent 122 finish on the bull was hit to give him his second Australian Mixed Pairs title in a row and the first for his partner.
In the first semi final Brown and Peters (left) accounted for another Queensland pairing in Jeremy Fagg and Anita Tapau. Fagg and Tapau started this match winning the first leg. Right from the start you could see that this was going to be a cracking game. 180's first to Brown and then Fagg in the first leg. Brown and Peters were hitting everything to take leg two in 18 darts with a 116 finish by Peters. That leg really put the pressure on Fagg and Tapau. Brown and Peters continued to hit the big scores to reach the double first. It took them five darts to finish the leg but they had forced the first break. Leg four saw Brown and Peters continued to score heavily with Brown hitting his second 180. They won the leg for a 3 - 1 lead. Leg five saw Fagg and Tapau hold there lead and Fagg hitting his second 180 to bring the score back to 3 - 2. Leg six was the final leg as Brown cleaned up from 64 to take the leg and the match.
The second semi final saw Smith and Cassar (left) up against a pairing from Tasmania in Wayne Atkins and Helen Johnston. This was a real battle between these two combinations. The first four legs went with the darts. A finish of 124 by Helen Johnston was the highlight of leg three but the other three finishes were also very clean pegouts. The fifth leg saw the first break for Smith and Cassar. Not letting a chance at a final slip away, Atkins and Johnston immediately broke back to tie up the semi final at 3 - 3. A tiebreaking final leg saw Tasmania away first and finding the triple twenty with regularity. Cassar and Smith were not far behind but the Tassie pair had first shot at the double. Both Atkins and Johnston failed to hit the winning double while Smith hit a 140 to leave Cassar 36, which she hit with her first dart.
Final:
Ian Brown (27.104) & Lauren Peters (20.795) QLD defeated Barry Smith (24.198) & Janine Cassar (19.945) (VIC) 5 - 4 Semi Finals:
Ian Brown (32.313) & Lauren Peters (22.61) (QLD) defeated Jeremy Fagg (28.579) & Anita Tapau (21.881) (QLD) 4 - 2
Barry Smith (27.719) & Janine Cassar (18.890) (VIC) defeated Wayne Atkins (24.532) & Helen Johnston (22.06) (TAS) 4 - 3.
Quarter final results:
Wayne Atkins & Helen Johnston (TAS) defeated Russell Stewart & Kim McLean (ACT) 3 - 0
Jeremy Fagg & Anita Tapau (QLD) defeated Damen Heta & Stephanie Moriarty (WA) 3 - 0
Ian Brown & Lauren Peters (QLD) defeated Tony David & Natalie Carter (WA) 3 - 0
Barry Smith & Janine Cassar (VIC) defeated Geoff Kime & Cathy Shaw (QLD) 3 - 0
Queenslander's take Australian Mixed Doubles Darts Titles
The final was a real classic that went down to the deciding leg. Brown and Peters started and won the first leg comfortably. By leg two all players had found their range and the big scores were being found. Leg two to Smith and Cassar. Leg three and Smith and Cassar could not find the triple twenty in this leg letting Brown and Peters win leg three again comfortably. Leg four and the Victorians were still struggling a little in hitting the triple twenty regularly. This opened up the leg for Brown and Peters to steel which they did for a break in throw. Leg five and the big scores were flowing again from both combinations but in this leg Brown and Peters missed with a number of darts to hit the double giving Smith a shot at the finish. He pegged 25 with two darts to get the break that was inflicted on them in the previous leg back. The Victorian's won leg six which saw Smith hit a 180 to square up the final at 3 - 3. Brown and Peters were still scoring very heavily with every shot and took the lead again by winning leg seven in 19 darts. Brown and Peters wasted the lead they built up coming down to the double in leg eight with missed darts at the finish. They were throwing for the title but Cassar sent the final into a tiebreaking leg when she pegged out from 88. The finishing leg saw the Queenslander's away first. Brown stepped up to the oche and calmly with his third dart a magnificent 122 finish on the bull was hit to give him his second Australian Mixed Pairs title in a row and the first for his partner.
In the first semi final Brown and Peters (left) accounted for another Queensland pairing in Jeremy Fagg and Anita Tapau. Fagg and Tapau started this match winning the first leg. Right from the start you could see that this was going to be a cracking game. 180's first to Brown and then Fagg in the first leg. Brown and Peters were hitting everything to take leg two in 18 darts with a 116 finish by Peters. That leg really put the pressure on Fagg and Tapau. Brown and Peters continued to hit the big scores to reach the double first. It took them five darts to finish the leg but they had forced the first break. Leg four saw Brown and Peters continued to score heavily with Brown hitting his second 180. They won the leg for a 3 - 1 lead. Leg five saw Fagg and Tapau hold there lead and Fagg hitting his second 180 to bring the score back to 3 - 2. Leg six was the final leg as Brown cleaned up from 64 to take the leg and the match.
The second semi final saw Smith and Cassar (left) up against a pairing from Tasmania in Wayne Atkins and Helen Johnston. This was a real battle between these two combinations. The first four legs went with the darts. A finish of 124 by Helen Johnston was the highlight of leg three but the other three finishes were also very clean pegouts. The fifth leg saw the first break for Smith and Cassar. Not letting a chance at a final slip away, Atkins and Johnston immediately broke back to tie up the semi final at 3 - 3. A tiebreaking final leg saw Tasmania away first and finding the triple twenty with regularity. Cassar and Smith were not far behind but the Tassie pair had first shot at the double. Both Atkins and Johnston failed to hit the winning double while Smith hit a 140 to leave Cassar 36, which she hit with her first dart.