This is the first part of Stuart Greenhalgh’s crown green bowling season review, with the focus here being on the county and national scene…

2024 was a great year for Mid Cheshire clubs in a local sense, as well as within the Cheshire competitions.

The men’s county side was in a reduced section with only three teams. They won their first game against North Lancs & Fylde but then lost to South Yorkshire, which left them in second place in their section. Kevin Duncalf won the Cheshire team averages, winning both his games.

The women’s county side started off their campaign with a win against Lancashire but lost their next games against Greater Manchester and Cumbria, leaving them third in their section. Tamsin Birkett ended joint third in her section averages.

Glynn Cookson won the Cheshire Merit and went forward to the Champion of Champions where he lost in the second round. Glynn almost made it a double with the Cheshire Veterans Merit, but he lost in the final.

Castle pairing Robert Winnington and Emma Earlam were runner ups in the BCGBA Centenary Pairs.

The BCGBA women’s Champion of Champions gave us two Mid Cheshire entries, with Sue Worrall as Mid Cheshire County Ladies Merit winner and Nicola Boulton from her Isle Of Man success in September.

Luka Jones Dakic (Comberbach) beat Finley Harop (Castle) in the final of the Junior Cheshire Merit.

Castle Sports 2024 teams enjoyed success as Mid Cheshire Premier League winners, Brunner Cup winners, Cheshire Inter League winners, Knutsford Team Knockout winners, and Knutsford women’s section one winners (undefeated).

Meanwhile, Wharton Cons were Premier League runners up, Norman Cup winners and Whitby Cup winners.

Lis of this season’s cup competition winners, with prizes handed out at the Mid Cheshire Crown Green Bowling League’s recent presentation night:

Joe Robinson (Vets): Mark Winnington 21-18 Chris Koral

Challenge Cup: Stephen Field 21-20 Jamie Hulse

Roberts Bakery Trophy: Rob Winnington 21-15 James Gurney

Pogson Pairs: Danny Nixon and Shaun Yearsley 21-17 Jason Cornes and Adam Cornes

Mid Cheshire Merit D&D Cup: Tom Vickers 21-10 Nick Walker

Cowley Cup: Owen Cookson 21-19 Tom Vickers

Tom also won the Premier League averages. He was one of only two players to go undefeated, the other being Josh Towey of Crewe PO. Tom deserves credit for playing every game home and away, one of only two bowlers in the top 50 of the Premier League averages to do so, with the other being Andy Hamman.

In Section One, Shavington A were 210 points clear of Owley Wood B in second place. Both teams will go up to the Premier, replacing Alsager and Kingswood BC.

The Section One averages were won by Dennis Leather (Rudheath B) with an average of 20.53. Dave Rogerson (Crosstown A) was in second place.

Victoria won Section Two at a canter, pushing Barnton CC A into second place by 150 points. Next season these two teams will be in Section One, replacing Crosstown A and Sandbach Park.

Do not be surprised if Victoria and Barnton CC A are not top of the first division next season, as both teams have players more than capable of playing in the Premier.

Barnton CC A added to a great season by winning the Littler Cup.

The Section Two averages were won by Andy Hamman (Barnton), winning all 18 of the games he played. Ken Clarke came second, only losing one game with an average of 20.71.

Middlewich RBL B won Section Three, pushing Shavington B into second place by 102 points. They will both move into Section Two, replacing Helsby B and Wharton Rec A.

The Section Three averages were won by Jordan Warburton (Shavington) while Darren Simpson (Winsford Cons) was second.

Comberbach C won Section Four, holding off Tarporley B by 39 points. Both teams will be promoted to Section Three, replacing Hartford A and Rudheath bowls C.

The section averages were won by Benjamin Pattison (Owley Wood D), with Jessica Norris (Tarporley B) in second place.

It is good to see Finley Harrop finishing in third place in the league averages and Luka Jones Dakic in 11th place - two young men who did brilliantly this year, contesting the final of the Cheshire Junior Merit and going on to compete in the BCGBA Junior Merit where both got into the last eight.

Now onto the Mid Cheshire Federation.

After last year’s stressful season with Mid Cheshire winning Federation National League Division Three on the last bowl of the last game of the season - taking them from third to first - this year was a bit less dramatic as they won three out of four games to get second spot in Division Two which earned promotion to Division One.

On top of this Mid Cheshire’s team of eight went and won the team knockout with some consistent and brilliant bowling. The captain on the day was Paul Drinkwater who talked and listened to his players making this a real team victory.

The Mid Cheshire Federation Merit was won by Ant Lloyd.

Roll on 2025 and division one.

Mid Cheshire Ladies Crown Green Bowling League Division one winners Red Lion managed to go all season unbeaten to win the title by more than 200 points from Castle in second spot.

The Division One averages unsurprisingly had all top five spots taken by Red Lion players. Sue Worrall came in first place unbeaten, while in second spot was Nicola Boulton also unbeaten.

Division Two produced an amazingly close race with Rudheath just pipping Barnton B to the top spot by one point.

Rebecca Carter just beat Joanne Bentley into second place in the Division Two averages.

In terms of the Mid Cheshire Ladies competitions, Winnington won the Team Knockout in a closely fought final beating Barnton A 147-133.

Carolyn Stiff and Emma Webb beat Dorothy Breeze and Janet Newton 21-16 in the Charity Pairs.

In the vets competition final, Myra Sales defeated Mandy Maxwell 21-11.

Two Red Lion bowlers made it to the final of the Betty Horwill H/C Singles, with Sue Worrall overturning Nicola Boulton 21-14.

Hazel Williams and Dawn Nield took the League Pairs thanks to a 21-18 success against Alison Bestwick and Paula Whelan.

The Presidents Cup was won by Paula Gamon 21-12 against Carly Williams.

In the BCGBA Dorothy Pierce Memorial Pairs, Mid Cheshire pairing Sue Worrall and Nicola Boulton just fell short, losing in the semi-finals.