It's Bistro time

Veterans League

The opening round of the 2026 Bistro KO takes place on Tuesday 19 May with 52 teams in action, 2 withdrawals and byes for 6 more teams.

There are four scratch teams in the competition and all appear in the top half of the draw with 2 of the 3 drawn against Brockholes teams. The Brockholes A team play Cowcliffe whilst the club's B team are up against Longwood. There is a bye for the scratch team from Lowerhouses after Marsh United B withdrew whilst the fourth scratch team is Clayton West who are still looking for their first win of the season and they have to play the 2025 Bistro Champions Elland WMC.

As well as Lowerhouses getting an opening round bye, the same applies to Marsh Lib B with Huddersfield Recreation Club pulling out. Four more teams have byes and join the competition at the next stage on Tuesday 23 June which will include the byes ties of New Mill B (+43) v Marsh Lib A (+30) and Paddock I&C (+30) v Kirkheaton Con A (+3).

The Bistro has the unique 5 pairs format with results decided on the better aggregate score and in the event of those scores ending level, the game count will determine the winning team. The format usually produces a string of surprise results with not all bowlers familiar with the nuances of pairs bowling, which is very different to a straight singles confrontation.

We look forward to reporting on those surprise results as long as they don't include my own team although that can't happen until the next round in June. There are too many potential shock results to list them all here but there will be some, guaranteed. Where there is a big handicap difference can point towards potential upset results especially if that involves a team not starting the season in great form.

That points us towards the potential casualties of Lockwood Con A (v Skel Windmill with 23 handicap advantage), Waterloo (v Holmfirth B +36), Shepley (v Dalton +30) and could even stretch to the massive 36 points handicap gap between Longwood (scratch) v Brockholes B (+36). Then there is the Lindley B team clash with Lindley BC B having 20 points start over Lindley Lib B. Can't wait.

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