Highlights
Preparation for the first round of BCGBA Men’s County Championship matches couldn’t have been worse for all those home teams. Five days of glorious sunshine and practice on ‘quick wickets’, all to be dashed by a Saturday and Sunday full of rain and completely different conditions to the practice days. It’s the same for everyone isn’t it? So who coped and who didn’t?
Let’s start with Group.1, the holders and no doubt the favorites for the 2026 title, Yorkshire. On paper a trip to Poynton Sports in Cheshire shouldn’t be an issue and it proved to be the case with only a 1 shot defeat, while at Marsh United BC they only dropped 13 chalks and ran out with a 69 shot victory.
The second game in Group.1. was Cumbria v Wales and the battle of the ‘nightmare surfaces’ – Lindal in Cumbria v the artificial surface of Bradley Park in Wales (should it be allowed?) Better not be controversial on the BCGBA Website, and if you’re a County with one, I’m sure the answer will be YES. If you’re not, I’m sure the answer will be NO. Despite Lindal’s reputation and a 45 shot win for Cumbria, Bradley’s all weather surface gave Wales a huge 108 shot win with no losers on the card. The only question that remains is, should Wales have left the carpet for Yorkshire in June ?
Group.2. looks like it will be a tight affair with four Counties all well matched and no clear favorite via the form book. Getting off to good start in a group of this nature is going to be key.
Derbyshire hosted the Potteries at Stretton No.1. while Birches Head was the reverse venue in Stoke. In a game that fluctuated all day, with winning away cards being at a premium, it was Derbyshire who sneaked over the line by 7 shots in a really tight match that never had more than 11 shots in it all day.
While good home scores bossed the first Group.2. game, North Midlands v South Yorkshire was the complete opposite. How good must the South Yorkshire away team felt having won on Haunchwood No.1 by 15, only to find out that their home team lost on Dearne Sports by an incredible 54? Only 3 winners at Home !!!!
North Midlands Away Team, take a bow for the result of the day, and the well deserved top spot in the group.
Group.3. had 2023 Champions, Staffordshire against North Lancs & Fylde and Shropshire playing the other half of Lancashire, in a group that should be a showdown between the two more southernly counties, the first steps of that equation were played out.
Staffordshire had a comfortable day with wins at both Lonsdale and Woodfield Sports & Social Clubs and a 92 shot total victory.
Shropshire didn’t have it quite as easy with a 40 chalk win at home on Newport No.2. and a 15 point loss at Garswood Hall. I’m sure the battle of ‘big guns’ Wayne Ditchfield (21) & Callum Wraight (20) would have taken centre stage at Garswood.
Questions: How many counties has Wayne represented? It was definitely Merseyside last year…so to my mind I think the answer is three.
And my follow up question is – Which player(s), who played last week in the set of Men’s County fixtures has played for more Counties than Wayne ?
Answers on a postcard – First correct answer wins a cookie and boasting rights.
That just leaves the Group.4, the group of three. With Merseyside sitting out waiting for the loser in June. It’s Greater Manchester that are coming their way having lost to Warwick & Worcester both at the George by 31 and at Stalybridge & Dukinfield by 9.
Congratulations to all winning teams. See you all in June after the County Selectors have done their thing and the qualifying picture is a little clearer for all.
Full results can be found on the Men’s County Championship Competitions Page.
