Winter League
It is certainly a stop-start season and after a delayed opening day and then enforced lockdown for a month we are pleased to be back on the bowling green once again from tomorrow.
We have received formal approval from Yorkshire CCGBA to resume bowling once the lockdown has been lifted. They are happy with the manner in which the situation has been managed by the League and host clubs and wish us well for the remainder of the season. Not all leagues have been given that vote of confidence based on their handling of safety arrangements to date.
We have lost a team over the intervening period with Huddersfield Recreation Club 'B' team withdrawing after concerns for their personal safety but I am delighted to welcome the Milnsbridge 'B' side who have taken over those remaining fixtures. They sit out this round of fixtures but will be back into the two-games-a-week routine from next week along with all the other teams.
No top of the table clashes lined up in tomorrow's fixture programme with the top three in the Milnsbridge Division kept apart and leaders Milnsbridge 'A' looking to have the most difficult looking match on paper when they play Meltham. Meltham were the punter's favourites to win their Division but have only won one of their three matches to date, maybe the lockdown may allow them to come back refreshed ready to launch an attack on the top teams. A win over the leaders would send out all sorts of signals to the others and open up the tussle at the top.
Lowerhouses 'A' are well-positioned in second place and a game in hand of the leaders. They will expect to extend the Division's only unbeaten record when confronting Dalton this week. Lindley BC have won two of their three matches to date including one over leaders Milnsbridge 'A' and may pose a real threat to Thorpe Green's challenge for the top spot.
Clayton West and Rastrick are locked together on 16 points at the top of the Springwood Division table but with Rastrick having the day off and Clayton West meeting a Huddersfield Recreation Club 'A' team still looking for their first win, there appears to be only one outcome.
Lowerhouses 'B' will be heartened by gaining their first win of the season in their last match before the lockdown but will do well to take anything off Kirkheaton Con who showed that they can give any team a real game in this Division when losing out narrowly 64-67 to the League leaders in their latest match. Springwood and Denby Dale complete the return to the green line-up and Denby cannot afford to drop many points at all if they are to retain any interest in the end of season honours whilst the hosts will continue their selection rotation system to confuse any tipsters chances of forecasting a result.
The forecast is for light rain all day on Thursday. We wouldn't expect anything less, it is turning out to be that kind of season. But we will not be downhearted, we are back in action and we will continue to defy every barrier put in our way to make sure that we enjoy the day. Remember we have a 12noon start time. Enjoy your bowling, regardless of the weather.
We expect to have all the results submitted on Bowlsnet on match day to enable us to produce the weekly review of results on these pages on Friday morning.
The full fixture programme for tomorrow is:
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