Winter League
With a 20-points lead and one match still to play Lindley Lib C team are the undisputed Champions and deserved winners of the 2024-25 Division 5 competition. The four team members playing on Wednesday are pictured above with the Division 5 trophy which is the Arthur Tracey Cup. This was donated to the League by Lindley Liberal Club in recognition of the amazing contribution this 96-year old has made to local bowling and to Lindley Lib teams in particular.
Arthur bowled right through last season in the Veterans 6-Man League on Monday afternoons. He won 5 of his 13 matches to help his team finish mid-table. I am told that Arthur has decided to call it a day and will not be on the green this year but I hope he can be persuaded to come to the Winter League's Presentation event and present the trophy that bears his name to his teammates from the Lindley Lib C team.
The team had a phenomenal run winning 13 of their 14 fixtures only being beaten (0-8) by Milnsbridge C. They started the season with three 8-0 wins to ensure that they were top of the table which was a position they never relinquished all season. Half of their matches ( 7 out of 14) they won by the ultimate 8-0 score.
In the Division's top bowler averages, five team members are in the top ten places and they occupy the first 4 places (see table below). With only one match still to be played Bob Booth cannot be overtaken for the Top Bowler award for Division 5 and he will be presented with that trophy at the Presentation Event.
Although matters at the top end of the table have now been sorted out the race for the second promotion place is still very much up in the air. Any one of the three chasing teams could claim that promotion place and two of them play each other on the final day next Wednesday. Second-placed Jackson Bridge meet third in the table Elland WMC. There are 4 points between the two teams. A 6-2 win for Elland would see them level on 68 points with Jackson Bridge so it would come down to the Aggregate Difference.
But wait - 4th placed Milnsbridge C would also reach 68 points if they beat bottom-of-the-table and already relegated Springwood B with an 8-0 scoreline. If it does come down to the Aggregate Difference between the three teams then Elland WMC are currently best placed with a +88 advantage against +85 and the +82 of their two rivals.. So a day to savour next week but for now it is all about the Champions. Well done and congratulations to Lindley Lib C.
DIVISION 5 TOP 10 BOWLERS (with one week still to go)
Running order is determined by a) Number of wins b) Aggregate Difference
A grand performance lads