HAMPSHIRE Men's Summer Super League season has opened up with an evening of superb darts.

Bob Crawley's 30.06 was a class act but he just missed out on top average of the week as Steve Perren hit a rich vein of form.

Perren was involved in a brilliant clash against fellow county player Dougie Ralph who won just one leg in 16 darts. Perren won three in 14, 15 and 17 darts to give a 30.21 average. Shortest leg of the night was 13 throws from Steve Ballard and there was a 112 check-out for Ron Longhurst. Steve Phipps threw a 27.49 average and the evening's best finish of 160.

Gosport Select go top of the Division 1 table with a 7-2 victory over Romsey. Eastleigh B and Bitterne share the lead in Division 2 after both had 9-0 wins.

Sue Hawthorne came within a whisker of claiming a double title in the Hampshire Ladies' Super League.

In the singles event she defeated pairs partner Kerry McGuire in the quarter-finals. The duo then teamed up for the pairs but were beaten in the semi-finals by eventual winners Sue Kerridge and Kim Wingate.

Sue won the singles title after beating her county team captain Jenny Fenton in the final. She had already come through against Kerry McGuire and Eileen Butcher to reach the final. Experienced Jenny Fenton beat Jean Lloyd in the quarter-finals and Lisa Bowring in the semis for her final spot.

Fareham pair Sue Kerridge and Kim Wingate beat Sue Challis and Joanne Fox in the final - Lisa Bowring and Sandra Wheeler were the other semi-finalists.

Hampshire's Under-18 youth side have clinched a place at Lakeside on June 20 for the league play-offs.

They defeated reigning champions Glamorgan in the semi-finals at Middlesex to claim their place. Delighted youth organiser Andy Scott said: "It's about time we turned Glamorgan over. Before the game I took the players to one side and told them that they needed to get a good early start. That was what they did. I could not have asked for more from them."

Hampshire's Mark Perry lost the opener against Glamorgan 2-1, despite a 177 score and 97 leg-winning shot.

Andy Speight levelled affairs with a brilliant 2-0 win against Welsh Youth International Nathan Morgan. Hampshire then took the lead with a Ben Fenton 2-1 victory that was extend-ed by James Wade. Wade won his first leg with a 79 check-out and the match with a 19-dart leg.

Welsh junior international Gavin Nicholls then lost out to Hampshire's Danny Ballard. Ballard hit the best average of the match, 21.78, recording a 19-dart first leg and following that up with a maximum 180 in the second.

Welsh junior James Piper gave his side hope as he beat Greg Cheesborough 2-0. But fears of a Welsh fightback disappeared as Tony Speight and Jason Crawley both won 2-1 to secure the place at Lakeside.

Last man on for Glamorgan was Paul Higgins who won the Winmau Youth World title back in November. His experience showed as he beat Paul Cox 2-0.

Hampshire's Under-21 side were sent spinning out of the semi-final by Glamorgan. Sam Rooney and Antony Hayman went down 2-0 but Aaron Turner was successful. His set was won with a superb average of 31.31.

Chris Jafkins and Shaun Little both won a leg but were beaten 2-1 as Glamorgan had some measure of revenge over the defeat of the Under-18 side. Glamorgan will also be represented by the Under-21 ladies. They were comfortable 3-0 winners over Sussex.

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