Pairs KO qualifying round dates

Winter League

The Winter League holds annually one individual Knock-Out competition and another one for a Pairs KO. The individual one is for the Winter Cup and has attracted over 100 bowler entries in each of the last two seasons. With 9 new teams joining the full League that means a lot of new bowlers are eligible to play in the competition this year. That has been increased even more by the change of rule to the entry criteria. The decision was taken at the AGM to reduce the number of League matches bowlers must have played to enable them to enter the Winter Cup and Pairs KO. Bowlers must have played one League match, down from three last year, to allow them to enter our competitions this year.

The League is rather proud of the number of entries for our two competitions especially as we don't offer any cash incentive for bowlers to compete for. It just extends the bowling season even more for all our bowlers who care to enter. There is an entry fee of £3 per bowler of which £2.50 goes to Thorpe Green and covers green fees, a raffle ticket and a hot drink and biscuits. A range of beverages and hot and cold food is also available for purchase. The other 50p goes to the League to help cover trophy engraving costs.

More of all that later along with an online entry form but for now I can just share the provisional dates for the qualifying rounds of the Pairs KO. Bowlers are invited to pick their own partner for bowling, they must come from the same team as each other. The format being that all matches will be played at Thorpe Green starting on the first Friday in December. Then each Division in turn will hold their own qualifying round with two pairs from each qualifying session progressing through to the Round of the Last 18 of the 2025-26 competition.

The provisional qualifying round dates by Division are:

Division 1 (Milnsbridge): Friday 19 December (There are no Friday Milnsbridge League matches on this date)

Division 2 (Cowcliffe): Friday 9 January

Division 3 (Springwood) Friday 5 December

Division 4 (Primrose Hill Lib) Friday 2 January

Division 5 (Lindley Lib) Friday 23 January

Division 6 (Netherton Con) Friday 16 January

Division 7 (Huddersfield RUBC) Friday 12 December

Division 8 (Lockwood Con) Friday 30 January

Division 9 (Paddock I&C) Friday 6 February

Round of the Last 18 and Quarter-Finals: Friday 20 February

Semi-Finals and Final: Friday 27 February

All rounds will be played at Thorpe Green