Forecast your Division 2 Winners & Losers

Winter League

The last of the ten Divisions in the Winter League begin their season on Tuesday as Division 2 teams congregate at Cowcliife for the first round of fixtures. This is the final division to feature in our new Forecast Game. This competition is free to enter and is open to all Winter League bowlers. You have to select the team you believe will finish the season as the Champions of each of the 10 Winter League divisions. The you also have to select the team in each division that you believe will finish bottom of the pile. With the other 9 divisions already closed to entrants if you haven't submitted those entries yet then I'm sorry you wont be winning the £50 Well Bowled Gift Voucher.

Presently 33 entries are in the book and they come from the following punters. If your name isn't among them then you can still add or even change your selections.

This preview of all 8 teams in Division 2 may help or hinder you in coming to identify your two teams for honours and the fall. Read on. You have until midnight on Monday 16 November to complete your entry.

Division 2 Preview

Let's start with looking at last year's end-of-season Division 2 table and the 2026-27 line-up.

The Pts Column shows the number of points won last season

The Division 2 line-up now includes four new teams with Kirkheaton Con A and Golcar Lib dropping down from Division 1 and the two teams promoted from Division 3 are Denby Dale and Slaithwaite. Lets take a first look at the last named here with Slaithwaite winning promotion in each of the 3 years they have been in the League. Twice as Division Champions (Division 5 in 2023-24; Division 4 in 2024-25) and last year as runners-up in Division 3. Who knows how high they can still go but they are with the big boys (and lassies) now so they will be fully tested. Denby Dale have flirted with promotion from Division 3 before but always found a way to miss out. Different this year as they are firmly in the Division 2 ranks after winning the Division 3 title. After waiting so long for promotion it would be unacceptable to point them to the relegation trapdoor and I think they will become a mid-table team (at least).

Kirkheaton Con A are a founder member of the League and after 6 years in Division 1 find themselves pushed out of the door. With three Veteran Inter-District bowlers in their team it certainly should be within their grasp for an immediate return to the top Division. Golcar Lib have become a real Yo-Yo team. Placed in Division 1 for their first season, based on their dominance of the Veterans 10-Man League at that time, they failed spectacularly to justify that elevation by being relegated. An immediate return the following season (2024-25) and now back in Division 2 after finishing bottom of the Division 1 table last season. They could do with some respite from the pressure of promotion or relegation, maybe they will get that this year with a steady mid-table performance. Who knows? Lindley Lib A just failed to make an immediate return to Division 1 last season and will be trying again this term no doubt. Not many teams get promoted on the back of a Won-6 Lost-6 Drawn-2 record which is what they had last year. All the promoted teams in each division last season had won more games than they had lost so that has to be the Lindley team's target this season. I am sure that they are capable of it. Lowerhouses A have spent 3 years in the top Division but they haven't played there for 3 years now so will be keen to address that matter. They were keen last year as well but fell short and there is little to suggest that anything is about to change.

After only picking up only 2 points from their first 5 fixtures last season, Meltham A did well to come back and stave off the threat of relegation with a good second-half of the season. They avoided relegation on the last day with an 'assist' from Milnsbridge A who lost their last three fixtures by the same 0-8 scoreline. Meltham cannot be so generous in producing their own handicapping system once again this year. Marsh United make up the eight and will have to improve on last season's tally of only 4 wins all season, all against bottom-three opposition.

Entries are open until the day before the Division 2 opening round of fixtures are scheduled. Entries are only welcome from bowlers in the Winter League.

My two tips for the Division 2 title and to be relegated have already been entered using the form below. So what are your top and bottom selections? ENTER NOW

If you hit any problems using this entry form then try this link direct to the online option