Winter League
As one season finishes another one starts and early October signals the start of the 2022-23 season for the Huddersfield Winter League. This website is the official website of the Winter League so everything that is happening in the League will be reported here first.
Interest continues to grow in Winter bowling and team numbers have increased from 27 in the 2021-22 season to 40 teams for the coming season. We have grown from 3 divisions of 9 teams to the new format of 5 divisions of 8 teams in each. The story about how the League was formed can be found here. Teams are in Divisions based on merit and past performances with promotion and relegation in place.
Each of the 5 Divisions are based on different greens where all their league matches are played. This year we have two new host greens (Lindley Liberal and Netherton Con) to join up with the three Divisions that served us so well last season (Milnsbridge, Springwood and Thorpe Green).
Matches are played on different days of the week so spreading out the winter bowling experience and encouraging spectators to all 5 venues. In 2022-23 the running order of League bowling is:
Mondays - Division 3 (Thorpe Green) and Division 4 (Lindley Lib)
Wednesdays - Division 1 (Milnsbridge) and Division 2 (Springwood)
Thursdays - Division 5 (Netherton Con)
The start time on match days is 11.30am and all matches are made up of two singles and one pairs games. Eight teams are based at each green which means 4 matches on each green every week which run concurrently. Four jacks (one per match) are on the green at all times so all are expected to finish around 2.30pm.
The 2022 start dates for each Division vary depending on different circumstances and greenkeeper requirements and are currently listed below (all 11.30am start time).
Division 1 (Milnsbridge) - Wednesday 26 October
Division 2 (Springwood) - Wednesday 26 October
Division 3 (Thorpe Green) - Monday 10 October
Division 4 (Lindley Lib) - Monday 17 October
Division 5 (Netherton Con) - Thursday 20 October
Winter bowling is a very different experience with Divisions developing social communities within a friendly but competitive environment. The host clubs have been key in developing bowler loyalty with an ever-increasing range of hot and cold foods, soups and drinks available for bowlers and spectators. It has become a meeting place for the bowling addict to converse with like-minded individuals whilst enjoying the backdrop of competitive bowling.
The League caters for all levels of ability although all bowlers must be aged 60 or over and men and women bowlers are equally as welcome. We have teams consisting of County and Inter-District bowlers as well as those usually confined to lower league activity. All teams and bowlers find their own level of competition over time and with 13 new teams joining the League this season so some may be stronger than anticipated but that happens in all leagues.
The fact is that the League is growing rapidly. No team has ever resigned from the competition as we enter our third season. In that time we have gone from 14 teams to 40 teams and more growth is expected again next year. If that does happen then we will be looking for one or more new host greens, without sufficient host greens we don't have a competition at all. There is a good reason that clubs make their greens available and all that is explained in our Ultimate Guide to Winter Bowling.
This year we have Lower Hopton defending their Division 1 Champions title with runners-up Kirkheaton Con aiming to build on their win over the Champions last year to push themselves into title contention. Not forgetting the all-ladies team of the New Millers who finished third last year with several County stars from the all-conquering Yorkshire team. Meltham won promotion from Division 2 after winning all 16 league matches so will be full of confidence in this new setting along with fellow promotion winners Lindley Lib. We use the excellent Bowlsnet system to show all fixtures, results, tables and player averages.
This season we have new first-time teams from Lockwood Con, Netherton Con, Marsh Lib, Kirkheaton C&BC, Huddersfield RUBC and Golcar C&BC as well as 7 new 'B' or 'C' teams from existing league members. Once experienced leads to more demand. The milder winters and the pandemic experience have increased interest in outdoor sports and we aim to build on that by providing a platform to cater for as many teams as want to join us. The first step to doing that is to come along as a spectator on one of the match days, you will be very welcome.
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