Divisions 1 & 3 Wednesday fixtures previewed

Winter League

Preview of the Divisions 1 and 3 fixtures to be played on Wednesday.

THE top level of Winter League bowling in Huddersfield this winter will take place on a Wednesday on the Lindley Lib green. And it starts with a bang with the top two teams from last year’s competition meeting to kick start the season in style.

Thorpe Green A were the Winter League champions at the end of the 2025-26 season finishing the Division 1 season at Milnsbridge nine points clear of nearest rivals Lower Hopton. The runners-up were 24 points clear of the field, so it really was a two-team race to the title last season.

New Mill B finished last season in Division 2 strongly and have been tasked with an opening day fixture against a Cowcliffe A side that finished third in the top tier last season. They were promoted alongside Division 2 champions Clayton West who start their campaign against Lindley BC. The latter finished one spot above the relegation zone last season but the move to the Lindley Lib green may well suit them with it being just a few metres from their own green.

The remaining opening day fixture in Division 1 sees New Mill A taking on Hanging Heaton A, a contest between two teams that finished in mid-table last term. The Dewsbury side did the double over New Mill last season.

The burning question though is who will win the clash between Lower Hopton (unbeaten in 12 games) and Thorpe Green A who were unbeaten in eight games?

DIVISION 3 is already underway so all teams will go into Wednesday’s games with some knowledge of their own form, their opponents and how the green played a week ago.

Milnsbridge A were one of the teams who caught the eye last week with an 8-0 success over Lowerhouses B in the opening round. They will be in confident mood of adding a second success of the season to their name against an Elland WMC side that fell to defeat against Lindley Lib B last Wednesday.

The other side to take maximum points last week was Mirfield Old Bank who beat Primrose Hill Lib. The Old Bank team face Almondbury BC B who were only able to pick up a couple of points against Lockwood Con A.

Lindley Lib B will be hopeful of success against a Lowerhouses side bearing in mind how the two teams fared last week. The Lindley team will be looking for a repeat of their start to the season 12 months ago when they only lost one of their first six games.

Primrose Hill Lib against Lockwood Con A is something of a local derby and one that sees the Abbott brothers in possible opposition, both teams will be wanting to get their first win of the season and the encounter will be a good marker as to their likely chances this season.