Its Bistro shock time again!

Veterans League Preview of the Bistro KO Round of the Last 32 to be played on Tuesday 23 June

Last year the Bistro became a treasure hunt for more teams outside the top division than ever before with only one Division 1 team reaching the semi-finals. That was Lindley Lib A who lost out in the Final to the Division 2 Champions Elland WMC. The other two semi-finalists were New Mill B from Division 5 and Almondbury Lib who went on to become the Division 3 Champions. They were also involved in the closest call in all rounds of last year's competition when they drew 111-111 with the eventual winners, Almondbury Lib, so that ruling passed on to the team with most game wins which went 3-2 in favour of the Elland team. Almondbury Lib are the only 2025 semi-finalists not still in contention this year.

Elland WMC are the defending Champions and they are now a Division 1 team and are up against the reigning Division 1 Champions, Lowerhouses, so this should be a corker of a match. The 5-Pairs format of this competition always throws up surprise results and there were plenty last year with Divisions 2, 3 and 4 teams in to the last four. There are lots of Division 1 teams that will be looking nervously at the handicaps of their lower league opponents, coupled with the unique format. We look forward to reporting on those shock results in due course.

BISTRO KNOCK-OUT 2025

BISTRO KNOCK-OUT 2026