16 Jul LEEDS WIN THREE IN A ROW

The semi-finals and final of the Yorkshire Veterans’ Crown Green Bowling Competition, proverbially known as the Hickson Trophy, took place on Friday 10 July at Thornhill Cricket & Bowling Club.

The preliminary rounds and quarter-finals took place the previous Friday and threw up qualifiers Sheffield, West Riding and Bradford whilst Leeds, the 2025 winners had a bye to the final.

Both semi-final games of Sheffield vs West Riding and Leeds vs Bradford were played concurrently on a hot day with the Thornhill green in tip top condition and flying. West Riding and Leeds won through to face each other in the final which concluded at 7.15 pm after the simi-final games started at 10 am!

Leeds finally won with a +30 aggregate total for the third successive year. Their win of the trophy in 2024 was their first time ever in the history of the trophy but now they reign supreme. Our picture shows Roger Birdsall, the Leeds captain, receiving the trophy from Allan Thompson the chairman of the inter-district league.

The Thornhill green was in superb condition and the facilities were excellent with food available most of the day, plenty of measurers and the bar open from 11 am. The whole event with well over 50 bowlers active on the day and supporters around the green was an excellent example of veterans bowling and a club and organisation that can organise a big competition.