Devon's Milford tops BICC's division one averages

ONE darts player who has caught the eye in the British Inter County Championships this campaign is Devon’s Paul Milford (pictured below) and the Exmouth marksman will have the distinction of beginning 2019 at the top of the division one averages, keeping the three-times BDO World champion Martin Adams down in second spot.

He is third in the overall British rankings, denied only by Ted Evetts, who defeated Simon Stevenson in the opening round of the William Hill World Darts Championship and Scottish International Cameron Menzies.

Paul is a seasoned campaigner for Devon with more than 120 starts, and has been formidable in this campaign which began with a 27.09 average against Nottinghamshire when winning in 16, 17, 16 and 20.

He raised the bar against Hertfordshire taking legs in 18, 16, 14 and 15 for a 31.97 average before achieving a 29.58 against Oxfordshire, with games in 18, 15, 13 and 17.

Those statistics were topped in the final county match of 2018 when, in helping Devon defeat Sussex, he topped 32.02, with his games coming in 15, 15, 17 and 15.

He heads the division one ranking with a dart/ave of 34.01, Adams is second on 33.33, with Milford’s Devon county team mate John Mann in third spot with a mark of 32.91.

Plymouth marksman Kieran Burns is in joint second spot in the Men’s B listings with a d/ave of 28.83.

Maria O’Brien (25.94) is Devon’s leading A team lady player but is in sixth place with the table headed by Welsh international Rhian Griffiths (28.29) and former World No.1 Deta Hedman (26.99) in second.

In the ladies’ B team rankings Lisa Hughes (21.39) is in10th place and Devon also take the next three positions through Jodie Hawton (21.35), Sarah Brown (21.19) and Tracy Ware (21.17).

Devon will next be in action when they entertain London over the weekend of Jan 19/20 at The Heavitree Social Club, Exeter.