Bowlers' new points system

Bowls. 23rd May. C.Round. Sport. Action from Graeme Wilson at the Sowerby Super 32 Invitation Bowls. -swils1-4cr-

The system of gaining one point for each individual contest won plus two for the overall aggregate has been scrapped.

A win will now score five points, a losing score of 20 will earn four points, 15-18 will score three, 10-14 will score two and 5-9 will score one.

There are no additional points for the overall aggregate.

A reduction in the number of teams means a drop to five divisions instead of six but fewer byes on match nights.

Only the fifth division will have eight man teams.

Reigning chasmpions Elland WMC, who won the title by a 33 point margin last year from Brighouse and had the two top performers in Graeme Wilson and Robert Holmes, will hope for a flying start at home to Oxenhope.

Their visitors narrowly beat the drop last year.

Promoted pair Greetland and Stainland Park both have home matches.

Opening fixtures - Division One: Hove Edge A Greetland A, Akroydon Victoria A v Hill Crest A, Elland WMC A v Oxenhope, Brighouse v Crossroads A, Mytholmroyd BC A Clayton Victoria, Stainland Park A West End A.

Division Two: Luddenden Foot A Siddal Park A, Crossroads B v Pellon Social A, Kingston Social A v Hove Edge B, Old Town v Akroydon Victoria B, Asa Briggs A v Elland C&BC A, Ripponden A v Laurel Crescent A.

Division Three: Denholme v Elland WMC B, Halifax BC A Hove Edge C, Siddal Park B v Bradshaw Park A, West End B v Greenroyd BC A, Hill Crest B v King Cross A, Ladyhill v Hipperholme BC A.

Division Four: Sowerby T&BC A v Kingston Social B, Greenroyd BC B v Mytholmroyd BC B, Greetland BC B v Luddenden Foot B, Hipperholme B v Allan Park A, Pellon B v Stainland B, Elland C&BC B v Shelf Park.

Division Five: Outlane BC v West End C, Northowram Park v Hill Crest C, Heptonstall v Savile, Laurel Crescent B v Halifax B, Hove Edge D v Ripponden Park B, King Cross B free.

The Halifax Association’s Champion of Champions competition, sponsored by Quality Stoves, will be played at Sowerby T & BC on Sunday (1.30).

Sixteen winners of the district’s major competitions in 2016 will be competing for the first silverware of the 2017 season.

Order of play: Diane Heywood v John Hamer, Richard Hargreaves v Phillip Holroyd, Ryan Tiler v Julian Dawson, Bailey Dawson v Martin Steele, Gareth Coates v Julie Marsden, David Warburton v Mark Regan, Richard Helliwell v Clive Austin, Jean Gornall v David Hemsley.

The 2017 Complete Packaging Services Classic gets under way at Hill Crest on Saturday (6.0) when the first 16 hopefuls will begin their quest for a place in the final eight in July.

Full Draw: D. Poole (Doncaster) v M. Gilpin (Kendal), M. McDonnell (Manchester) v R.Maude (Lower Hopton), A. Hodgson (Pudsey) v J. Barker (Hove Edge), T. Bannister (Mytholmroyd) v J. Spinks (Pudsey), A. Harrison (Burnley) v A. Ferris (Stoke), P. Firth (Lower Hopton) v J. Brown (Huddersfield), D. Radcliffe (Huddesfield) v I. Nicholson (Kendal), J. McDonnell (Manchester) v D. Jackson (Macclesfield).