Veterans League
The Hickson Trophy competition used to be, until last year, a one-day KO competition. That changed last year when four new teams joined the competition and it altered to a two-day event with an opening Round Robin qualifying stage with four teams progressing to the Semi-Finals on Finals Day. Another significant change last year was the dropping of the qualifying age for bowlers which dropped to 60 in line with the Inter-District League.
More changes this year with the East Coast League joining the party to make 13 teams. Twelve of them are divided into three groups of four teams to play the Round Robin stage which will provide three winning teams to progress to Finals Day. West Riding as the trophy holders have a bye through to Finals Day to make up the four semi-finalists.
Another significant change is the opening up of the competition to women bowlers with the addition of the East Coast Veterans League which is a mixed-gender competition. There will be no minimum number of bowlers from either sex enforced.
Bradford will host the 2024 competition and two acknowledgements to the demanding schedule of the Round Robin Format where all teams play three matches in a day are the relaxing of the squad number limit and also the effective introduction of an 18-up target in all matches. The Round Robin phase is being played this Friday (5 July) with the Finals Day being a week later on Friday 12 July.
The draw for the Round Robin stage scheduled for Friday 5 July 2024 is:
Group 1 – Sheffield, Huddersfield, Barnsley, Harrogate
Group 2 – Castleford, Bradford, Skipton, Halifax
Group 3 – Aire & Wharfe, East Coast, Leeds, Wakefield
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