Opening Day at Paddock I&C
- Winter League
- Oct 17
- 3 min read
Winter League
Review of the Divisions 8 & 9 results from Tuesday 14 October
What a difference a break makes. Last season Lockwood Con A finished second to bottom of the Division 8 table played on their home green. They only won 4 of their 14 fixtures and relied on their status as a hosting club to play their Avoid Relegation card to stay in Division 8 for another season. After a summer break they returned to action this week with a rampant display to overwhelm Mirfield B 8-0. However they have no reason to become complacent as last season they started similarly, winning three of their first six fixtures, two of them by the 8-0 scoreline.
Last season's Division 8 Champions were Golcar C&BC and they declined promotion to stay in Division 8. They were given a 20-point penalty in return but they took 6 points off that deficit when beating Linthwaite Hall B 6-2. Good 6-2 wins for Broad Oak A over Meltham B and for Cowcliffe C over Hemplow A completed the opening day programme of Division 4 fixtures.
Why not print off your team's 2025-26 Fixture List to share among your teammates. All nine divisions' fixture programmes are below ready for you to download and print off.
Fixture Poster 2025 Season Division 8
It is always interesting to look at teams beginning their Winter League experience for the first time and with 7 of the 8 teams in Division 9 making their debuts there was plenty to observe. Although it was noted that it wasn't the first time for a number of the bowlers to turn out on a Winter League opening day of the season. That's the thing about the Winter League, once a team has experienced the magic of bowling in the League the message gets told within other club members and interest is aroused which can only be satisfied by involving more members. Hence why we end up with several teams from the same club.
This year Lindley Lib hold the record for most teams in the League with the introduction of their D and E teams taking their total to 5 teams in the League. However none of those 5 are in Division 9 where only one team, Kirkheaton C&BC B, have bowled in the League before. With the club also entering a C team this year then we have one of three such clashes and this one happened on the first day of the season when the Club's B team beat their clubmates 6-2.
There was two 8-0 scorelines in Tuesdays programme with Marsh Lib B and Mirfield C both collecting the maximum points total. Greenhead Park also entered the winners' enclosure with a 6-2 win over Almondbury BC C.
Of course it was not just a day for the new teams to enjoy with Paddock I&C also debutants in the hosting role learning what this is all about. Although there has been a Paddock I&C team playing in the League for several years nothing fully prepares a club for the full range of hosting duties. General feedback from teams involved indicates a positive start with many aspects of the role rated 5-star and a mentality that wants to improve further by learning what works for the teams stationed here for the 2025-26 season.
Fortunately the weather was better than it has been for a number of season opening days and teams gradually got into the rhythm of the matchday format. With plenty of undercover areas to support the teams when the colder wetter weather prevails there was no mad scramble for places around the green. I don't think teams realised yet that the places where they set up camp on Tuesday will become their home for the rest of the season and woe betide any team that infringes on those boundaries.
It was a good day for the host club and the eight teams learning of the nuances of a unique local bowling green that many of the bowlers had never bowled on before. It will be intriguing to see which teams learn and adapt their game to extract the most from their game as they extend their travels to the four corners of the green.
One thing that was new about the Paddock approach to hosting was a Welcome Letter handed over to each team from the Paddock admin / catering / raffle teams. Here is a copy.
Fixture Poster 2025 Season Division 9
Day 1 photoshoot A selection of photos from on and around the green provided by Robert Tracey
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