Winter League
Alan Hobson of Thorpe Green offers an alternative suggestion on how the Winter League might operate in the future.
I accept that this has been a harder winter, in terms of the weather, than many in recent years but I wonder if consideration needs to be given to the start and finish of the Winter League in 2021. In 2020 it started on October 6th and the intention was to finish on Jan 19th with some playoff matches to follow which would have taken the season into February. Perhaps playoff matches will not be needed next year.
I know that the Halifax Bowing Club Winter League finishes before Christmas and this is the basis for my thinking here. How about starting the League at the beginning of September and finishing before Christmas? Depending on precisely when it started and when it finishes this could give fourteen to sixteen weeks for matches and a format in terms of numbers of teams per section and maybe reserve dates to allow for bad weather could be built into this.
An obvious problem with a September start is the Huddersfield Vets Ten Man league which plays on a Tuesday but does the Winter League have to play on a Tuesday? Most other leagues do not play in September and so there should be no shortage of other days to pick from. Indeed, if it came to it to play on another day in September and on Tuesdays for the rest of the season. Given a choice of playing in September or not playing (due to bad weather) in January I know which one I would pick.
It would be good to get a view on this from the two host clubs (Springwood and Milnsbridge) as they hold the key to any such change. Others are also welcome to add their own views on this suggestion or add alternative thoughts on the same subject.
Post your views on this in the Comments area at the foot of this posting.