Monday Divisions 4 & 10 Preview

Winter League

The 3rd week of Division 4 fixtures takes place on Monday at Primrose Hill Lib along with the first week of the 7-Week Mini-League for Division 10 teams at Lindley Liberal Club

My pre-season tip for the top team in Division 4 highlighted the claims of Netherton Con A and they are going along nicely after the first two weeks sitting one point behind the leaders, Huddersfield Recreation Club. What is surprising is that their opponents this week, Elland WMC are struggling at the foot of the table after their promotion last season. It might be a good time to play the new boys to the Division before they become too familiar with the nuances of the Pip Hill green.

The leaders have a match this week against my tip for relegation, Milnsbridge B, and once again they are heading in the right direction to bring that one home as well. However the four points collected last Monday against Lindley Lib C, may be a turning point for them, time will tell. Two points separate the top teams with Brockholes A and Lindley Lib C both in that quartet and both unbeaten. This week they face Linthwaite Hall A and Primrose Hill Lib, respectively and both will expect to beat lower-half opponents.

Am I brave enough to select the likely top and bottom teams from the Division 10 teams who are all new to the League? With no track record to guide me I can only view the bowlers that have regisetred with the 8 teams as some sort of indication as to their potential. That leads me to suggest that the Thongsbridge team looks like a strong line-up and they now have the poisoned chalice that is my support to threaten them along the way over the sprint of a 7-week season.

It may be a matter of which teams come to terms with the Lindley Lib green first that becomes a big factor in progress. However as this is labelled as a Try-it-before-you-Buy-it offer we may find that there is more rotation in the squad than could be expected in a normal full season, to introduce winter bowling to all their registered bowlers.

I am not going to offer a selection to fill the bottom place, there are too many variables present to influence the chances of too many teams. I hope they all enjoy the bowling and suggest to all the teams that they may want to view the League Rules before Monday. Like the League itself, the rules are different to most other leagues and the playing format is very different to anything they will have seen before. Long may that continue.