Division 3 matchday review

Winter League

We had most weather conditions imaginable for the Monday round of Division 3 fixtures this week. It started snowing as the matches started, this turned to rain followed by a calm cloudy period to be replaced by sleet and then a fleeting glimpse of a blue sky and sunshine before it rained as the day's encore as 3pm approached. As the final pair left the green it looked like the weather was about to replay the same cycle of conditions hastening the departure of the remaining resolute spectators. In the midst of all that we had some bowling and at the end of that we have a new league leader.

In the morning Thorpe Green and Lindley BC 'B' concluded their match left over from last Thursday with the outstanding pairs game being won by the host club to clinch the aggregate as well, enabling them to take the points 6-2 which put them at the top of the league prior to this week's 12noon matches starting.

Thorpe Green were still at the top after all four afternoon matches had been completed but Lindley BC 'B' had closed the gap to two points after they clinched an 8-0 win over Lowerhouses 'B'. Thorpe Green did win again in the afternoon fixture but they dropped two points to bottom team Huddersfield Recreation Club 'B' so they are left with a fragile 2 point lead. Rastrick addressed their slump in form by sharing the points with Dalton this week. Dalton have now drawn their last three matches 4-4 and they would be your banker if they were on your pools coupon. Those four drawn matches have all been against teams taking up the top 3 positions in the table at present so just on the cusp of better things ahead.

Milnsbridge 'B' swapped places in the table with Brockholes after beating them 6-2 and ending their 5-match unbeaten run at the same time. The two teams are locked together along with Rastrick 'B' all on 36 points and looking at each other to see if any of them are about to launch an upward move and challenge the top two. This remains the closest contested division of the three with more changes expected over the coming weeks which, hopefully, will not be contested in such awful weather conditions. Winter bowlers expect it to be cold but when it is wet and white as well it becomes more of a problem.