BARRY JOUANNET has cut Anthony Fleet's lead at the top of the Australian Grand Prix rankings by winning the seventh event of 2006, held in Warilla over the weekend.
Jouannet - nicknamed China - defeated Fleet in the final of the event, staged at the Warilla Bowls & Recreation Club, in a dramatic deciding leg.
Fleet came from 1-0 down to lead 3-1 before Jouannet pegged back his opponent with legs of 12 and 13 darts in pulling back to 4-all.
The pair shared the next two legs to send the match into a deciding 11th leg, which Jouannet won on a 54 finish after three ton-plus scores.
Fleet, who has 66 points, is now just six points clear of Jouannet at the head of the AGP standings, although the pair are clear of third placed Simon Whitlock (42 points).
Russell Stewart missed out on the chance to pass Whitlock, taking just two points frm the weekend after only reaching the last 16, with Jouannet topping their group earlier in the event, including a 3-1 win over Stewart.
Dave Fitzpatrick and Paul Cotton were the semi-final losers, while Stuart Everson, Peter Corcoran, Rob Denny and Jamie Cotton picked up four points for reaching the last eight.
Brian Roach - the Australian representative at the 2006 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship - joined Stewart among the last 16, before losing to Fleet 3-0.
Australian Grand Prix - Warilla
Final
Barry Jouannet 6-5 Anthony Fleet
Winner $1,000, 10 AGP ranking points
Runner-Up $500, 8 AGP ranking points
Semi-Finals
Barry Jouannet 5-3 Paul Cotton
Anthony Fleet 5-1 Dave Fitzpatrick
Losers $250, 6 AGP ranking points
Quarter-Finals
Dave Fitzpatrick def Pete Corcoran
Barry Jouannet def Jamie Cotton
Paul Cotton def Stuart Everson
Anthony Fleet def Rob Denny
Losers $100, 4 AGP ranking points
Last 16 Losers
Brian Roach, Russell Stewart, Pat Duke, Dave McKay, Phil Heath, Kevin Luland, Rod Crawford, John Clarke
2 AGP ranking points