Winter League
All four Division 2 fixtures finished with the same 6-2 scoreline this week and included the two top teams as winners meaning no change in the running order or points gap at the top of the table. Meltham won for the 10th successive time with Almondbury BC the victims this time and a league double as well. Their bowler Eddie Haigh lost for the first time this season but remains at the top of the Averages charts. His biggest opponents for that title come from within his own team as the 2nd and 3rd places are filled by his teammates.
DIVISION 2 AVERAGES TABLE
Interestingly Lindley Lib have 5 of their bowlers in the top 10 of the Division 2 Averages displaying their strength in depth which has stood them in good stead as they continue to take it in turns to have a rest week. Lindley Lib continue to annoy the leaders by maintaining interest in the Division 2 title and not allowing the points gap to grow at all. Once again they matched Meltham's result by beating Jackson Bridge by the same 6-2 score but with only 4-points deciding the destination of the aggregate bonus the doubt was evident right up to the end.
That result has probably ended any lingering thoughts that Jackson Bridge may have had about claiming the second promotion place although that will not bother them unduly as they are definitely among that group of teams more interested in giving bowlers a taste of winter bowling rather than in vying for any honours.
Thorpe Green eased their relegation fears when they collected their first win in 4 matches when beating Denby Dale and in doing so closed the gap to 6 points on their opponents. However they need to be mindful that they remain only 6 points ahead of the second relegation place so it increasingly looks like they are one of three teams who will join a doomed(?) Paddock I&C team dropping through the relegation trapdoor.
You can count Huddersfield Recreation Club 'A' in that trio as well and their plight was not eased with this week's result as they went down 2-6 Springwood 'A' who, as a result, maintain an interest in the second promotion spot. A large collection of photos from this week's matches will be online tomorrow.
