Monthly Archives: September 2017

Congratulations to Loughborough Lightning, who came out on top after a thrilling evening of Netball to win the first ever Fast Five All-Stars. An incredible 5 point shot from MVP Renske Stolz with just seconds on the clock, saw them beat Team Bath 35-33 in the final.

The event was played with a new set of rules at the 02, including a 5 point line and a 2 minute power play, allowing teams to score double points in a 2 minute period at any stage of the game. This encouraged a faster pace of netball and really allowed the finest shooters in the country to showcase what they can do, proving popular among players and spectators alike.

Lightning came through a tough Semi Final, beating Wasps 31-27 in what was undoubtedly one of the games of the tournament. They came out of their group unscathed, with victories over Manchester Thunder and Wasps.

Despite missing out on using their power play, Bath managed to sneak past Team Northumbria 19-18, before more comfortable victories

After a gripping afternoons basketball, London Lions secured victory at the 02 to the delight of the crowd. They fought off a late comeback from Newcastle Eagles, winning 26-25 despite a Jaysean Page 5 point shot in the last minute of play.

The event was played with a new set of rules at the 02, including a 5 point line and a 2 minute power play, allowing teams to score double points in a 2 minute period at any stage of the game. This encouraged a faster pace of basketball and really allowed the finest shooters in the country to showcase what they can do from distance, proving popular among players and spectators alike.

London Lions looked strong

It's been some year for Kyle Anderson and it's just got even better with the news that the Aussie has signed a new long-term deal with Team Unicorn. 

 The new contract will take his time with Unicorn to at least seven years. It's been a meteoric rise for the boy from Down Under who gambled everything on a darts career and won!

 Kyle Anderson is destined for the world's top 16 in the next 12 months and Unicorn will be with him every step of the way as the Australian ace targets the big prizes in the sport.

 "It has been the perfect partnership," he said. “When I first came over to the UK to play on the tour, I went to Unicorn to buy some darts and ended up walking out with a contract! It has been a great relationship and long may it continue. They are the top darts company in the world for a reason!"

 It's already been a breakthrough year for Anderson

What an achievement and what a future lies ahead for Team Unicorn German sensation Nico Blum, who has won the boys World Masters Title.

The 16-year-old beat Ireland's Keane Barry 4-3 in a thrilling final in Bridlington on Tuesday. 

It has been an outstanding year for the German teenager and everyone at Unicorn is predicting big things from Blum over the next decade. A real talent and the real deal without a doubt and winning the World Masters is just more proof of just how good he is. 

After back-to-back 4-0 victories in the early rounds, Nico beat England's Jarred Cole in a last leg decider in the last 16. Then came brilliant 4-3 win over defending champion Justin van Tergouw in the quarter-finals, and the Unicorn starlet followed that by beating another Dutchman Ramon Leferink 4-0 in the semi-finals. 

The final went the distance but Blum held his nerve to take the glory and the title in Bridlington.

Unicorn ace Kim Huybrechts agonisingly missed out on the big prize again on the European Tour. 

The Belgian lost a dramatic final at the International Darts Open in Riesa for a second consecutive year. 

Huybrechts was beaten 6-5 by Peter Wright in Germany on Sunday, 12 months after losing the final to Mensur Suljovic. 

He led 3-1 and 4-2 against the top seed as Wright battled back with a 101 finish to make it four apiece and in a thrilling deciding leg, the World No.3 nailed a 116 check-out for a 12 dart leg to take the title.

And Wright also put himself in the history books.....this was his 10th PDC title of the years and 'Snakebite' is only the fourth man to achieve that feat. Wright had earlier beaten Ronny Huybrechts 6-4 in the 3rd Round.

Kim Huybrechts though, will feel the darting gods were against him after coming so close again. On Sunday, he won a terrific all Unicorn clash

Gary Anderson was beaten in the final of the Champions League in Cardiff.

He lost 11-9 to Mensur Suljovic as the Austrian claimed his first TV title, but the Unicorn man had his chances and missed three darts to make it 10 apiece and force a deciding leg.

Suljovic then hit his favourite D14 to claim the title. In the final, Anderson led 3-1 before a run of five straight legs gave the Austrian the advantage. But the Scot hit back to level at six apiece and as the tension increased, they both managed to hold throw before Suljovic broke to win in that 20th leg.

Gary had lost to Suljovic in his opening group match but hit back to beat Dave Chisnall and then Peter Wright to qualify for the semi-finals. He survived an incredible EIGHT match darts to edge out Wright in a decider!

Anderson then demolished defending champion Phil Taylor 11-6 in the semi-finals but just couldn't hit the heights in the final. He will be disappointed because it was certainly

What a day for Unicorn star Dimitri van den Bergh!

The young Belgian won his third PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour title of the year and lost in the final of another on Saturday in Barnsley.

And he has extended his lead at the top of the PDC Unicorn Challenge Tour Order of Merit. He looks on course to win the event in 2017.

Van den Bergh won event 13, beating Rhys Griffin 5-4 in the final and was then edged out in the final of event 14 as he lost the final 5-3 to Mike van Duijvenbode.

The Unicorn ace won 13 consecutive matches on the day!

And twice he beat Unicorn stablemate Adam Hunt in the closing stages. In the first tournament, Van den Bergh won the semi-final 5-3 and in the second event he was a 5-4 winner over Hunt in the quarter-finals.

He really is a great talent and he continues to go from strength to strength.

By STUART PYKE

Photo courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC

Gary Anderson and Michael Smith will be among the top seeds for the UniBet World Grand Prix in Dublin next month.

And Team Unicorn stablemate Ronny Huybrechts is celebrating after securing a Dublin debut! The Belgian sealed the last qualifying spot through the Pro Tour Order of Merit.

Huybrechts reached the last 16 at the German Darts Masters at the weekend and although he was beaten by Vincent van der Voort, it was enough to take him to Ireland for the 'Double Start' tournament which kicks-off on October 1st.

Anderson is the No.2 seed and Smith is now seeded 7th after the withdrawal of Phil Taylor. 

Five other Unicorn stars will compete in Dublin.....James Wade, Kim Huybrechts, Ian White, Joe Cullen and Kyle Anderson. 

The draw will take place on Sunday morning in Cardiff at the Champions League of Darts. Taylor's withdrawal also means an 11th hour reprieve for 2015 WGP champion Robert

England women’s bowler Anya Shrubsole has won the 2017 Christopher Martin-Jenkins Spirit of Cricket Award.

Gunn & Moore star Shrubsole becomes the first women’s cricketer to receive the award thanks to her selfless actions in the ICC Women’s World Cup Semi-Final victory over South Africa at Bristol in July.

In a tense finish, England booked their place in the World Cup Final at South Africa’s expense with only two balls remaining, having already lost eight wickets.

Shrubsole’s boundary off Shabnim Ismail sealed the victory for England, but in an act akin to Andrew Flintoff consoling Brett Lee at Edgbaston in 2005, the 25 year-old seamer opted to comfort distraught South Africa captain Dane van Niekerk before celebrating with her teammates.

England of course went on to win the World Cup in thrilling fashion at Lord’s later in the month in front a packed crowd, as Shrubsole bowled the hosts to victory over India with