Eeh, it's looking black over Bill's mother's - this week's bowls round-up
Well, that’s a blast from the past. I haven’t heard that saying for a while, but we used it a lot when I was a kid in South Yorkshire when storm clouds were heading our way. One theory is that ‘Bill’ was William Shakespeare. I’ve heard that it was originally a midlands saying and that possibly the ‘black’ even refers to the Black Country region. Who knows? All I know is that, after puddles and torrential rain in week 2, arctic temperatures in week 3, the Tuesday night Mirfield League weather excelled itself again, with lashing rain and electric storms sweeping crown green land for week 4.
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Puddling rain, hailstones – the skies threw everything at us bowlers last night. It was another evening to be the away team, with home green advantage reduced by the weather. One of our local sides, Ossett Flying Horse, came unstuck at home to Lower Hopton ‘B’. Hopton’s second string are a match for most first teams and they battled to a stunning 9-3 away win at the Fly. Ross Ingham was top scorer for the away victors with 21-9, though 21-10s from Gary Wike and Wayne Hirst helped seal the aggregate. Fly didn’t have much to celebrate on a soggy night, but Craig Newton’s 21-3 win certainly caught the eye for the home side.
Our other local interest in the first division, Denby Grange, travelled to take on Lower Hopton’s star-studded first string. South Yorkshire County man Ryan Clark ensured Hopton got off to a flying start with a dominant 21-7. It was generally going to plan for the homesters until the back end of the game, with only one game dropped, before newly promoted Denby picked up three useful wins late on. Pick of Denby’s four winners with 21-7 was captain Scott Fisher, who creamed them out all evening before treating himself to a whole pack of cream eggs. It’s no yolk! Hopton 8 Denby 4 was a final scoreline that will have left the visitors more egg-static than the home team.
Down in South Yorkshire Dearne Sports entertained Huddersfield side Crosland Moor and the home team will have been pleased with their 9-3 win. There weren’t many close individual games in the Dearne Valley either, with most matches pretty one-sided. South Yorkshire county man Ross Meese starred with 21-4 for Dearne, whereas Crosland Moor’s top performer was Yorkshire county player, Gary Siswick, with a 21-9 win at a difficult away venue.
At the top end of the table Thongsbridge continued their impressive start with a 10-2 home win over Pudsey Littlemoor. In a team packed with quality players from the south of the county, two Huddersfield lads shared the Thongsbridge sweep, Mark Bramall and Jack ‘Hoover’ Dyson both carding 21-6 wins. On an otherwise tough night for the away team, Littlemoor’s Paul Wilcynski raided their kitty with an impressive 21-9.
Over in Leeds it was east meets west, a Leodensian bowling Cold War, with Pudsey BC entertaining their rivals from Crossgates. As far as rivalries go in bowls this one is intense and there’s usually not much to pick between two talented teams. In the event this spy thriller was pretty much honours even, ending Pudsey 8 Crossgates 4. For the home side, top scorer for ‘Top Club’ was 'Major' Tom Lawrence with 21-8. For the ‘Gates it was a welcome return to form for Kez ‘Colonel’ Smith with a 21-7. With 4 points Crossgates head the chasing pack, but Pudsey’s 8 cements their top three position.
Standings after week 4:
Thongsbridge C & BC 4 33
Pudsey BC 4 31
Lower Hopton WMC 'A' 4 31
Crossgates BC 4 26
Denby Grange BC 4 24
Littlemoor 4 24
Dearne Sports 4 22
Lower Hopton WMC 'B' 4 19
Crosland Moor 4 16
Ossett Flying Horse 4 14
Of our teams in Division 3, Horbury WMC recorded a very welcome first win of the campaign. It was a close affair but Horbury returned an 8-4 home win against Milnsbridge. Arthur Clarkson’s 21-10 was Horbury’s best card, with Jake Dearden and Jamie Hulley both replying with 21-13 for the visitors from Huddersfield.
By contrast Ossett C&AC found it tough going over at Shipley, slipping to their first defeat of the Mirfield season. Matthew Jacques produced an outstanding 21-2 victory for Shipley as they ran out 9-3 winners. Sam Beresford’s 21-14 provided some consolation though for Ossett Cricket.
In Division 4 Thornhill battled to a 9-3 away defeat at Mirfield Old Bank. A couple of close games went against the Thornhill lads, for whom Ryan Mitchell top-scored with 21-11. With 21-8 wins for Old Bank’s Graham Sheard and Alan Proctor, the aggregate was never in danger for the home side.
Denby Grange ‘B’ recorded their first win of their first Mirfield season, running out 10-2 victors against Farsley in the rain and hail up in Overton. Neil Broadhead wasn’t fussed by the conditions, excelling in a 21-8 win. Danny Beardsworth replied with an eye-catching 21-6 for Farsley.
Ossett Flying Horse ‘B’ endured a tough old night at Broad Oak. Brendan Gilbert’s 21-5 for Broad Oak was the pick of the home team’s 11-1 win. Malcolm Preston’s impressive 21-8 was the Fly’s only consolation.
If you enjoyed this Mirfield round-up, folks, join me every week at the Horbury & Ossett Community News. Why not follow us on Facebook to get the latest news. But for now….and I seem to say this every week……roll on summer!!