B&DBA Presentation Luncheon
Our Annual Presentation Event at the Suncliff Hotel.
B&DBA 2024 - End of Season Review
Triples - Section 6
Swanage Puffins had a successful season in Triples Section 6 only losing 4 games, but this was not enough to see them finishing higher than 3rd. Ahead of them were two teams that never looked like they were missing out on promotion. Lyndhurst Lightning won 14 games and finished on 76 points, which was 7 points clear of Swanage Puffins.
Runners Up - Lyndhurst Lightning
Broadstone Wessex certainly like a good Triple league. Having been very successful at the recent BETBA Awards Night, picking up not only trophies for bowls, but also winning over half the raffle prizes and the quiz, the Broadstone Wessex Wildcats A are picking up the trophy of being Triples Section 6 champions having lost just their first and last games, winning 16 in a row, and being 12 points clear of Lyndhurst Lightning.
Champions - Broadstone Wessex Wildcats A
Triples - Section 5
Very early on in Triples Section 5, two teams pulled clear and put on impressive winning streaks. One of those teams were Downton Bustards, who claimed the runners-up spot with over 2 games to go finishing on 76 points having lost just 2 games in the season.
Runners Up - Downton Bustards
Swanage Dolphins won 16 of their 18 games, and convincingly won the section by a staggering 18 points. Having claimed positive shots of over 300, and dropping points on just 4 rinks all season, Swanage Dolphins are worthy winners.
Champions - Swanage Dolphins
Triples - Section 4
Triples Section 4 consisted of many teams that were new to the Triples League in recent years, and have climbed the divisions until they find their level. No surprise then that 4 of these teams battled it out at the top all season. Fordingbridge Flyers and Downton Dragons finished a respectable 3rd and 4th position, on 74 points. Fordingbridge Foresters had lost their first two games, with the first being against the Flyers, but a fantastic 8 game winning streak to close the season, and losing just one more game after the start meant that the Foresters finished 8 points clear of the flyers, but ultimately, that defeat on the opening day to the Flyers cost them the title.
Runners Up - Fordingbridge Foresters
Lyndhurst Lasers finished the season 3 points ahead of Fordingbridge Foresters on 85 points, rounding off another great season, only losing 4 games over the last 2 seasons, having won Section 5B last season.
Champions - Lyndhurst Lasers
Triples - Section 3
Triples Section 3 had one team dominant throughout, but the battle for the remaining promotion position went to the last day. Wimborne Bravo who were third going into the last day, were only able to pick up 2 points away to Highcliffe Lions, whilst Moordown B picked up maximum points at home to West Moors Bees, securing promotion and going up as runners-up by 7 points.
Runners Up - Moordown B
Many Southbourne teams started the season strongly in their respective leagues, but one team in particular never looked like finishing anywhere other than top of the table, finishing emphatically 14 points clear on 80 points.
Champions - Southbourne Foxes
Triples - Section 2
The top two sides in Triples Section 2 were locked in early in the season, despite others remaining close to them. Southbourne Dragons spent most of the year in third spot but were unable to stay there as the season closed out, as Branksome Park Dolphins beat them to that position, but it was Milford Buccaneers that were ahead, and at one time were top of the table, but finished as runners-up 13 points ahead of the Dolphins.
Runners Up - Milford Buccaneers
Highcliffe Lions lost only 4 games in the season, finishing top of the pile 11 points clear on 82 points.
Champions - Highcliffe Lions
Triples - Section 1
Last year’s champions, Swanage Swans had tough competition this season with the previous champions of Section 2, Boscombe Osprey, wanting to repeat their dominance that the experience in the Premier League, however, Swanage only enter the Saturday Triples in the B&D so are focused in performing well each week to finish in a high position in the league.
I myself, only played one game in the Saturday Triples this year for Kings Park Spitfires, but I was determined to visit Swanage having not bowled there for over 5 years, and had a very enjoyable day, in the presence of welcoming members and a great club. Swanage showed that day why they were in the top two with Boscombe Ospreys.
As the season progressed, the top 2 teams were not in question, but who were to finish champions went to the last day, Swanage Swans however, lost any advantage in the penultimate game, as they dropped points at home to New Milton C. Boscombe Cliff Ospreys finished 3 points higher on 84 points.
Runners Up - Swanage Swans
Champions - Boscombe Cliff Ospreys
Premier - Section 5
Section 5 consisted of all clubs that had teams in higher sections, with some teams near the top strengthening their teams in a bid to get out of the bottom section. When the curtain came down at the end of the season, it was Milford on Sea A that ended up in a promotion position, 6 points clear of Ringwood A in third.
Runners Up - Milford on Sea A
Kings Park A went from finishing bottom in 2023 to going up as champions in the same section the following season, with 131 points.
Champions - Kings Park A
Premier - Section 4
A weather-affected season had a major impact in Section 4. With 4 games to go, Argyll A were in second place, just one point ahead of Highcliffe A, and that is how it ended too at the end of the season as Argyll A picked up just enough points at Poole Park B on the last day to move up into Section 3.
Runners Up - Argyll A
Fordingbridge A stayed at the top throughout the season, pulling away at the end to achieve going up as champions, having lost just 3 games and achieving a total of 113 points.
Champions - Fordingbridge A
Premier - Section 3
Southbourne took a sensational lead at the top of Section 3, looking strong in a bid to return to higher sections they have been more familiar with over the years. At the half-way stage, New Milton A had found their momentum and overtook Southbourne at the top, having lost just one of their games. New Milton A were to progress, forming a greater distance away from second place week-on-week, whilst Southbourne continued to flounder. Bournemouth A struggled at the start of the season for consistency, but picked up wins when it mattered and overtook Southbourne to gain promotion by 4 points.
Runners Up - Bournemouth A
22 points ahead, with a total of 127 points, New Milton A celebrated their centenary year with a promotion and crowned the champions of Section 3, being one of only three clubs with two teams in the top 2 sections from next season..
Champions - New Milton A
Premier - Section 2
For much of the Section 2 season it was a three-way dance at the top, vying for two of the promotion places. Broadstone Wessex were a club hoping to feature at the top, but as the season progressed, concentration turned to what was happening at the bottom, as they just avoided relegation. Knyveton Gardens just missed out on staying in the top flight last season so were looking for an instant return, which looked extremely likely at the half-way point, but points proved much harder in the final two months, which meant they dropped away to third knowing promotion could not be achieved before the end of the season. Newly promoted Highcliffe ended up 15 points ahead of Knyveton to secure back-to-back promotions and an opportunity to join the top flight.
Runners Up - Highcliffe
Moordown had been knocking on Section 1’s door in recent years, but finally achieved that status with a total of 127 points, becoming the Champions of Section 2.
Champions - Moordown
Premier - Section 1
We watched with interest to see if any club could catch the dominant Boscombe from previous seasons. It didn’t take long to see that Boscombe Cliff meant business again, but many clubs that had relatively high finishing in previous seasons, struggled to make the necessary impact they were hoping for, however Branksome were looking strong and held second spot for large parts of the season. However, Bournemouth BC, much to the surprise of the club themselves, took up the mantle to try and close that gap at the top, and got themselves in a strong position with one game to go, having overtaken Branksome Park. With second position massively in Bournemouth’s favour going into the last game, Branksome Park got full points away to Fordingbridge, whilst Bournemouth picked up nothing at Poole Park, which meant Branksome Park finished 2nd on 110 points, just one point ahead of Bournemouth.
Runners Up - Branksome Park
Winning 16 of their 18 games, with their only defeat coming at home to New Milton, winning the league with a staggering 138 points, was Boscombe Cliff.
Champions - Boscombe Cliff