01 Jul PREVIEW
The Yorkshire Veterans’ Crown Green Bowling Competition, proverbially known as the Hickson Trophy after the initial sponsors, kicks off on Friday 7 July. Inter-district teams are on a rota to host the competition and this year the honour falls upon Halifax.
Entrants have traditionally been from the Inter-District league teams plus Barnsley and Sheffield are invited from South Yorkshire. This year the full complement of Inter-District leagues entered the competition and with the south Yorkshire teams 10 were entered so more districts were invited and Harrogate and Aire & Wharfe entered the competition giving a record total of 12 teams.
The competition is usually a one-day competition with quarter-finals through to the final but with 12 entrants this was not possible so a robin format was adopted and the group stages are being held on 7 July. 4 groups of 3 are playing with the winner of each group going through to semi finals on 14 July.
Group 1 is (a) Castleford, (b) Aire & Wharfe, (c) Wakefield playing at Hipperholme Bowling Club HX3 3EZ.
Group 2 is (a) Leeds, (b) Halifax, (c) Barnsley playing at Rastrick Bowling Club HX6 3EZ.
Group 3 is (a) Huddersfield, (b) Bradford, (c) West Riding playing at Hill Crest Bowling Club HX6 2EX.
Group 4 is (a) Harrogate, (b) Sheffield, (c) Skipton playing at Hove Edge Bowling Club HD6 2QJ.
Group 3 is looking like the group of death with the previous two winners of the Inter-District league facing each other. The current holders are Sheffield and they play the unknown Harrogate team and last years’ hosts Skipton. Aire & Wharfe and Leeds are the other two unknown quantities, the latter team entering for the first time since 2019 and making a very significant impact on this years league fixtures.
Matches start at 10 am with A playing B and the losers playing C with the final match being with C and the winners of A v B.
The semi-finals are on 14 July starting at 11 am with the the Winners of Group 1 playing the Winners of Group 2 at Mytholmroyd Bowling Club HX7 5DS, The winners of Group 3 take on the winners of Group 4 at Sowerby West End Bowling Club HX6 3BB.
The final will be played at Elland Working Mens Club HX5 0HT starting at 3 o’clock.
What a feast of bowling with the cream of veteran bowlers locking horns over to 2-day spectacular!