Taking the low road this week

League News

Veterans 10-Man League

Going to start the weekly preview of league matches at the bottom and work upwards this week for a change. Not only for that reason but some of the most interesting confrontations are in the lower regions especially at the top end of the bottom two divisions.

Starting in Section 5 where the top two teams go head-to-head as leaders Marsh Lib play host to Holmfirth 'B'. Marsh have done well to be at the top after playing 3 of their opening 4 matches away from home so will welcome the return to home green advantage for this key fixture with just one-point separating the teams. Kirkheaton C&BC 'B' will be keen to take advantage of any close encounter between the top pair as they are just one-point off the top but will do well not to under-estimate this week's opposition away at Hemplow 'B' who have won both their home games to date. Whilst the teams are starting to find their levels in the latest table the fact is only 9 points separates the top team from the bottom one so anything could happen in any one week.

Two 100% winning records are on the line in Section 4 when 3rd entertain 1st as leaders Lindley BC 'B' travel to Moldgreen Con which is now home for the Huddersfield Recreation Club (formerly Canalside). The third 100% record in this Section belongs to Denby Dale who take on 5th placed Netherton Con who are 10 points behind them with a game in hand.

The only unbeaten record in Section 3 belongs to Golcar Lib 'B' who will expect to extend that sequence when they go to play bottom of the table Outlane. In fact the top 6 teams will all be looking for wins as they play the bottom 6 teams which, if everything goes to form, could result in a half-way gap appearing in the next table.

Broad Oak 'A' have benefitted by the 2 points awarded to them as part of Lockwood Cons indescretions when playing two ineligible bowlers. That put them back on top of the Section 2 table one point ahead of Lindley BC 'A'. I'm still calling the tables 'Sections' as they have been called for the last 50 years even though on Bowlsnet they have been renamed as 'divisions'. The only unbeaten record in this Section rests with Thorpe Green but even that isn't sufficient to lift them higher than 3rd place and this week they host Almondbury BC 'A' on a green that they tell me is the best surface they have had for many years.

Only one of the 5 Sections gives the feel that the top two have already been identified and that is Section 1 as Lockwood Con 'A' and Elland C&BC 'A' who have quickly established themselves where they left off last season (2019). Lockwood Con's lead has been reduced to 4 points due to them playing two ineligible bowlers in their catch-up match at Lindley Lib last Monday. Two bowlers had already played for the 'B' team on the date of the original fixture (4 May) so they forfeited those two games v Broad Oak 'A' as well. It is a lesson that all clubs would do well to heed. If you have a rearranged match at any stage during the season then any of your bowlers that played for another of your teams on the original date then they are not allowed to play in the rearranged fixture. Effectively they played two matches on the 'same day' which is not allowed. Back to bowling and the leaders go to Marsh United 'A' with Elland having home advantage as they welcome Waterloo to Calderdale. The 4 teams immediately behind the 2 leaders are separated by 4 points and all have home matches this week against teams from the bottom half of the table so any slip up is likely to be magnified by fellow-challengers taking advantage.