Winter League
Preview of the last day of the season for Division 6 teams at RUFC on Tuesday 13 February
Tuesday is the rearranged date for the final league fixtures of the season for the Division 6 teams with still a lot to play for. Linthwaite are the title winners but which team will accompany them into Division 5 next season still awaits resolution.
New Mill C are in prime position but a final day match against the Division Champions is one match they could have done without at this stage. They need a minimum of 3 points from that match to guarantee their elevation to pastures new for next season.
The host RUFC team can still deprive them of promotion by beating their Tuesday opponents bottom-of-the-table Mirfield B with an 8-0 scoreline and hope that Linthwaite Hall can do the same to the New Mill team. Mirfield B are already relegated but the other relegation place could be any of three teams still in danger of the drop.
Two of those three face each other in the Golcar C&BC v Broad Oak fixture. The winner will definitely stay up and the loser could also escape as well depending on the Kirkheaton Con B result. They play Lockwood Con B and a win for the Yetton boys would bring the losers from the Broad Oak v Golcar C&BC match within their range. Testing times and it is great that there remains such interest in final positions right through to the last day of the season.
Another area of interest that has bubbled under all season and will reach a climax on the last day is the Top Bowler award. The League presents a trophy to the top bowler in each division and as we go into the final day two bowlers can still take this crown. The table below shows the current positions with Linthwaite Hall having three bowlers in the top five but only one of them can win it.
The placings are based on the joint scores of each bowler including all singles and pairs matches played. The number of matches won is the key determining factor with the 'Aggregate For' total coming into play in the event of a draw. Jean Winchcombe is in pole position to make it a Linthwaite Hall double and a win would guarantee that. Any other result could see us bringing the 'Aggregate For' total into play with New Mill bowler John Belfield coming into contention. With Cowcliffe B having already completed their fixtures, third-placed Graham Radcliffe is no longer in the frame in this photo finish.
Wouldn't it be great if the top two bowlers in the League met each other on the final day with the ultimate award waiting for the winner of that match. Well with the two teams meeting each other there is every chance that this could happen. I reckon if that should happen then John Belfield of New Mill C will need to beat Jean Winchcombe 21-3 to pinch the title from her. That's a big ask but stranger things have happened before.
DIVISION 6 TOP 20 BOWLERS (Singles & Pairs scores combined)
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