(Mis)Match of the Day

League News

Another League back in action as the Huddersfield Veterans 10-Man League restarted competitive bowling after 19 months of paralysis had frustrated its 700 bowlers. An almost complete programme of fixtures reignited interest and we now review all the opening day results section by section.

The tagged Match of the Day this week was in Section 1 where the two teams that finished the 2019 season tucked in behind Champions Lockwood Con faced each other. Third-placed finishers Clayton West had home advantage over 2019 runners-up Elland C&BC in what was expected to be a close encounter. Well it wasn't, as the Elland side provided a significant indicator as to their intent this year by demolishing their rivals 8-1 on their own green. It is over 10 years since the Clayton West side had such a heavy home defeat so this is really throwing down the gauntlet to all the Section 1 teams. The refurbishment work at Lindley Liberal is preventing access to their green at present so that delayed Lockwood Con's defence of their title but it promises to be another very tight contest at the top of this Section. That result was the only away win in the top section with opening day home wins for Meltham A, Longwood, Crosland Moor, Marsh United A and Cowcliffe..

There were two away wins in Section 2 as Broad Oak (7-2 at Lockwood Con B) and Kirkheaton Con A (6-3 at Shepley) claimed the majority of the points in their first fixtures but the result of the day in this section came from Lindley BC. They have always had a strong home record (12-1 in 2019) and that looks to be intact once again judging by their 9-0 demolition of Brockholes A this week. Home wins for New Mill A, promoted Bradley & Colne, Milnsbridge A and Thorpe Green completed the opening salvo of results. Two of those results came about with the aggregate score settling the outcome as New Mill A and Thorpe Green both lost 2-3 on games played only to pinch the aggregate by 2 points and so take the bulk of the league points on offer 5-4. This is probably a good indicator as to the expected tight battle likely in Section 2 this year.

There is only one Section 3 away win to report but that was an emphatic 8-1 score in favour of visitors Skel Windmill at Outlane which was good enough to push them to the top of the Week 1 league table. There were home wins for Holmfirth A, Meltham B, Golcar Lib B, Slaithwaite and Brockholes B with the last two named requiring the better aggregate scores (both by 2 points) to inch them past their opponents 5-4. The top individual performance of the day across all the sections came from Chris Sykes of Slaithwaite contributing a 21-2 win to his team's winning score.

Netherton Con B are the early pace-setters in Section 4 courtesy of an 8-1 home win over Primrose Hill Liberal with Ravensknowle Park the only other home victors as they saw off Milnsbridge BC B by 7-2. Away wins for Huddersfield Recreation Club, Lindley BC B and Denby Dale completed the record although the first two of these just squeezed the aggregate both by 3 points.

Division 5 title favourites Marsh Lib opened with a good 7-2 away win at Broad Oak B with the other matches all going to home wins at Greenhead Park, Huddersfield RUBC, Hemplow B and Kirkheaton C&BC B

Veterans 10-Man League Bowlsnet