The secret Division 1 top scorers

Veterans League

Preview of the Tuesday fixtures for the Veterans League Division 1&2 teams

Lowerhouses will expect to extend their all-winning start to the 2026 Division 1 season when they host a Cowcliffe team that has had a quiet opening campaign. Unbeaten at home since July 2023, a run of 26 straight home wins is unlikely to be seriously threatened by a Cowcliffe team looking for a first away win of the season.

Newly promoted Elland WMC sit in the bottom half of the table but that hides the fact that they have the best Aggregate For record in the Division. Their 525 total is better than any other team, including being five better than the leaders. This week they take that record to Golcar Lib and will be looking to turn that aggregate record into more League points.

The Elland C&BC team are midst a run of playing the top three teams with losing at home to Lowerhouses last week, having to take on third-placed Longwood this Tuesday, again at home, and then go to Kirkheaton Con A next week. After losing the first of that treble they will be looking to address that matter before it becomes a habit.

This Tuesday the Kirkheaton Con A team travel to play bottom of the table Clayton West who have never recovered from opening the season with defeats to last year's two top teams. They finished third last season but have shown nothing like that form this term and will be keen to secure a first win of the season.

With the two teams above them in the table both having difficult away fixtures, Lockwood Con A are looking for a good home win against Lindley Lib A to lift them out of the relegation places.

The top five teams in Division 2 all have Won-3 Lost-1 playing records with only 5 points separating them. The bottom five teams all have Won-1 Lost-3 records with only 5 points between them. Is is time for that symmetrical record to be shaken up? Well the leaders, Netherton Con A will hope not as they welcome fourth-placed Denby Dale for this week's fixture. Similarly for second-placed Waterloo who have to travel to play third in the table Meltham A. The table could look very different and more lop-sided after this week's set of results.

That certainly applies to the bottom five where two key fixtures see four of those teams facing each other. Hemplow A will be looking to home advantage to see them beat Almondbury BC A and move out of the relegation places and the Milnsbridge v Shepley encounter could see the losing team replace them and drop into the relegation mire.

Thongsbridge A and Almondbury Lib make up the mid-table wedged between the top and bottom five teams. Their results this Tuesday could determine which camp they end up in. The Thongsbridge team know that nothing less than a comprehensive home win over the bottom team, Broad Oak A, will be acceptable if they are to mix with the big boys in the top half of the table this season. The Almondbury Lib side has a more difficult task facing them as they are away to fifth-placed Lindley BC A and defeat could see them spiralling downwards.

Wherever you are bowling this week and however the pressure may get to you, do enjoy the warm weather, the banter and friendly competition that abounds in playing in the Veterans League.