The winter has been especially long and hard and has seen the green under snow, ice or water for long periods – not the best conditions for grass but it seems to have come through relatively unscathed, apart from the ever-present moss that is! Rather more affected is the hedge which surrounds the green and this does look as if it may have given up the ghost. People say that is nearly impossible to kill privet but time will tell.

Once again our “first team” finds itself in the second division of the Hovingham League after suffering relegation last season so we should at least have some easier matches – nevertheless, we still prefer to play against stronger opposition.

Like many clubs, we are finding it increasingly difficult to attract new players and this is placing ever-more pressure on the selection committee. We consider dropping a league each year but never seem to have the courage to do it but the time is coming when we will have to bite the bullet unless new members can be attracted.

It is pleasing to note that the Yorkshire County Ladies still value our services and we have another county match this year when Yorkshire take on Cumbria at Sessay on Friday August 20th. We are also pleased to be hosting various county competitions throughout the season.

With the unification of mens and ladies sections, the problem of insurance has become a topic of some concern. It is not yet clear where clubs stand on public liability insurance when they entertain players from non-affiliated clubs. Bowls England, the new governing body, seem unable to shed light on the subject so we may well have to take some extraordinary steps in the 2010 season to cover ourselves in case of accident.

In spite of lots of concerns, we still look forward to the 2010 season and can’t wait to get onto the greens.

APRIL
18th	Sun	Marshall Cup
25th	Sun	Pairs Day	Result
26th	Mon	Sowerby Flatts Away	Galtres
MAY
3rd	Mon	Stillington Home	Galtres
5th	Wed	Leyburn Home	JSW
7th	Fri	Boroughbridge Away	EBRL
8th	Sat	Coaching Day, 10 am - 3 pm
10th	Mon	Thirsk Away	Galtres
11th	Tues	Welham Away	Hov
12th	Wed	Richmond Away	JSW
13th	Thurs	“May Bowl” YCWBA at Sessay
13th	Thurs	Harome Home	Hov
14th	Fri	Dishforth Home	EBRL
17th	Mon	Stillington Away	Topham Trophy (1)
19th	Wed	Masham Home	JSW
21st	Fri	Northallerton Home	EBRL
24th	Mon	Dishforth Home	Galtres
25th	Tues	Settrington Home	Hov
26th	Wed	Hutton Rudby Home	JSW
27th	Thurs	Huby Away	Hov
28th	Fri	Ripon Spa Home	EBRL
31st	Mon	Easingwold Away	Galtres
JUNE
2nd	Wed	County Triples at Sessay 2 p
2nd	Wed	Sowerby Flatts Away	JSW
3rd	Thurs	Terrington Away	Hov
4th	Fri	Thirsk Away	EBRL
7th	Mon	Topcliffe Away	Galtres
8th	Tues	Hovingham Home	Hov
9th	Wed	Dishforth Home	JSW
10th	Thurs	Settrington Away	Waltham Cup (1)
11th	Fri	Easingwold Away	EBRL
11th	Fri	Bedale Away	JSW
14th	Mon		Topham Trophy (2)
15th	Tues	Sheriff Hutton Away	Hov
16th	Wed	Topcliffe Away	JSW
17th	Thurs	Welham Home	Hov
17th	Thurs	County Pairs, 10 am and 2 pm
18th	Fri	Masham Home	EBRL
18th	Fri	Thirsk Home	Eden/Endersby
21st	Mon	Boroughbridge Home	Galtres
22nd	Tues	Harome Away	Hov
23rd	Wed	Thirsk Home	JSW
25th	Fri	Bedale Home	EBRL
25th	Fri	Thirsk Away	Eden/Endersby
27th	Sun	Walker Cup	Lancs v Northumberland
28th	Mon	Sowerby Flatts Home	Galtres
29th	Tues	Settrington Away	Hov
30th	Wed	Northallerton Home	JSW
JULY
1st	Thur	(Away)	Waltham Cup (2)
2nd	Fri	Sowerby Away	EBRL
2nd	Fri	Leyburn Away	JSW
5th	Mon	Stillington Away	Galtres
6th	Tues	Huby Home	Hov
7th	Wed	Richmond Home	JSW
9th	Fri	Boroughbridge Home	EBRL
12th	Mon	Thirsk Home	Galtres
13th	Tues	Terrington Home	Hov
14th	Wed	Masham Away	JSW
15th	Thurs	Waltham Cup semi-final
16th	Fri	Northallerton Away	EBRL
19th	Mon	Easingwold Home	Galtres
20th	Tues	Hovingham Away	Hov
22nd	Thurs	Waltham Cup final
23rd	Fri	Dishforth Away	EBRL
23rd	Fri	Hutton Rudby Away	JSW
26th	Mon	Dishforth Away	Galtres
27th	Tues	Sheriff Hutton Home	Hov
28th	Wed	Sowerby Flatts Home	JSW
30th	Fri	Ripon Spa Away	EBRL
AUGUST
2nd	Mon	Topcliffe Home	Galtres
3rd	Tues	Sowerby Flatts Away	HML
4th	Wed	Dishforth Away	JSW
5th	Thurs	Thirsk Home	HML
6th	Fri	Thirsk Home	EBRL
9th	Mon	Boroughbridge Away	Galtres
10th	Tues	Stillington Away	HML
11th	Wed	Bedale Home	JSW
13th	Fri	Easingwold Home	EBRL
13th	Fri	Topcliffe Home	JSW
14th	Sat	Marshall Salver at Sowerby Flatts, 1.30pm
16th	Mon	Galtres Winners v Rest
17th	Tues	Huby Home	HML
18th	Wed	Thirsk Away	JSW
19th	Thurs	Sowerby Flatts Home	HML
20th	Fri	Yorkshire v Cumbria	Stella Logan
20th	Fri	Masham Away	EBRL
24th	Tues	Thirsk Away	HML
25th	Wed	Northallerton Away	JSW
26th	Thurs	Stillington Home	HML
27th	Fri	Bedale Away	EBRL
SEPTEMBER
2nd	Thurs	Huby Away	HML
3rd	Fri	Sowerby Home	EBRL
5th	Sun	JSW Finals Day at Richmond
12th	Sun	Sessay Finals Day, 1 pm start
OCTOBER
8th	Fri	JSW Presentation Night, Richmond
15th	Fri	Annual Dinner, Golden Fleece
NOVEMBER
15th	Mon	Annual General Meeting, Village Hall, 7.30pm