Divisions 1,3 & 5 fixtures previewed

Winter League

DIVISION 1

AFTER getting off to a flyer on the opening day of the season, Lower Hopton will be wanting to build on their success over defending champions Thorpe Green A with a victory against Hanging Heaton. This is another “must watch” encounter because this division is stacked with quality bowlers, includininter-districtct and county bowlers as well as superb bowlers from the various local leagues. The Lower Hopton bowlers will know enough about the opposition from the Heavy Woollen area to not take anything for granted.

Thorpe Green A will want to bounce back from that opening day defeat when they play Cowcliffe A, but again it won’t be easy with their opponents buoyant from their opening day 6-2 success over New Mill B. Can Cowcliffe put a big question mark against Thorpe Green’s title chances so early in the season?

New Mill B follow up that loss to Cowcliffe A with a game against “local rivals” Clayton West so they will no doubt be aware that their opponents include some consistent bowlers. There’s bound to be some good banter in this one both on and off the green!

New Mill’s A team could well be the dark horses of the division and whilst all the attention so far has been focussed on the teams from Lower Hopton and Thorpe Green they recorded a 6-2 success over Hanging Heaton last week to get their season going on the right track. They face Lindley BC A who fell to a 6-2 defeat a week ago but have in Peter Fuller a man who has made a quick dash to be top of the singles averages for the division.

DIVISION 3

WITH two rounds already played in Division 3 matters are becoming a little bit clearer with four teams having recorded two wins each with the remaining four winless. The fixture generator has paired together those teams with wins to their name and those still seeking to celebrate a win.

Top of the table Mirfield Old Bank will be on the green with opponents Lockwood Con A who sit in third place. Old Bank’s David Bentley sits top of the singles averages whilst opponents Lockwood Con A’s Richard Walsh sits in second spot with both bowlers having similar statistics.

Milnsbridge A are currently the nearest challengers to the Mirfield OB leaders and face Lindley Lib B, both teams have beaten Lowerhouses B and Elland WMC with Milnsbridge having the slightly better league record.

Lowerhouses B face local rivals Primrose Hill B with both teams at the wrong end of the table. Both of these teams were pointless in the first round but were able to pick up points next time around. Elland WMC A take on Almondbury BC B to conclude the third round of matches on the Springwood green.

DIVISION 5

DIVISION 5 starts its season on the Milnsbridge green on Wednesday with Brockholes A being the only team relegated into this division this winter. They have an interesting opening fixture as they come up against an Outlane B team that have been “promoted” from Division 10 – promoted because they are a different group of bowlers from those that struggled in the lower division last season. It will be a contest viewed by many as they judge the likely strengths of these teams.

Jackson Bridge finished third at this level at the end of last season and and face a Thorpe Green B side who finished in mid table last season. Their consistency will be tested by the Thorpe Green B team who were one of the form teams at the end of last season.

Two other teams who performed at this level last season will meet up as Kirkheaton C&BC A face Paddock I&C. Both fixtures last season finished 6-2 with a win for each team but with the division having moved from Lindley Lib to Milnsbridge it might be misleading to consider last season’s form as any sort of guide.

Cowcliffe B and Brockholes B were both promoted from Division 6 last season with as you may guess both fixtures finishing 6-2 with each team having a win each.