WEST BOWLING AND BOWLING

WEST BOWLING 48 EAST LEEDS 6
NATIONAL CONFERENCE LG 2 @ EMSLEY MEMORIAL RECREATION
1 JUNE 2019 --- 2.30PM

WEST BOWLING IN POSESSION

On a day that promised so much it didn't take long for Cross Country trains to raise the blood pressure levels with once again a completely unacceptable level of service that would see a stressful effort to get along for a debut visit to West Bowling Rugby League Club and a hoped for pre match wander around the wonderful Odsal Stadium, thankfully the whole sporting day was capped off with a visit to Farsley Cricket Club before Cross Country consistently closed the day with another appalling journey.
Departure from base station and deciding to leave the Northern slow service to Leeds the 'give em another chance' option of the 1103Cross Country to Leeds would depart all standing and by the time Sheffield was left it was sardine time yet again with the travelling public the full length of the train, mind you we did have the trolly host trapped in our part of the train.  The first announcement came around ten minutes after leaving Sheffield and unbelievably the train manager announced the make up of all four carriages before adding unreserved seats are in coach c, what planet was this man on the bloody train is rammed mate if only you could get out of your cabin.  Needless to say rammed trains always find every delay and this one was no exception by the time we arrived in Leeds a 55 minute journey had taken 1 hour and 24 minutes and with connection missed I was hoping for a swift change in Bradford Interchange for a bus that would still allow an Odsal visit.

ODSAL SPONSORED BY WOWS AND LOTS MORE WOWS

An aged man sprinting across a tiled floor from station to bus bays is not a pretty sight but thankfully the 643 to Buttershaw was made with seconds to spare and this would take us along the steep Manchester Road that climbs out of Bradford to the south side of the city.  Interestingly at stages it adopts ownership of a guided busway along the middle of the wide sections of the main road before pulling back across three lanes to drop me off by the Richard Dunn Sports Centre, the former heavyweight boxer from the city had what at the time was a modern looking centre named after him however now it looks rather dated from the outside although it does sit in a lot of its own grounds.
Over the way is Odsal Stadium surrounded by large walls the massive floodlights poke out to remind you that the arena is definitely beyond.  Having popped round to look at the shop there was a gate open as preparations were taking place for tomorrows challenge cup quarter final between The Bulls and Halifax and thankfully this allowed a first visit.  The ground is sat in a natural bowl and sets up a great viewing ground having previously welcomed speedway and football it is still of course graced by Bradford Bulls and was originally built by Bradford City Council for Bradford Northern after part of the site had been used as a rubbish dump.

LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT TERRACING WOW

I found myself just constantly saying 'wow' and then 'wow' again and again it really is an impressive set up, of course there is now a dated element to the terraces but the depth and the curve of the terracing is only matched by the enormous floodlights and beyond the far sticks the tiered hospitality set up.  The main stand itself is impressive and vast in depth undoubtedly in these current austere times it needs some love and attention but it is such a vast site that the cost would be big but never let stadia like this disappear its well worth the fight.

OLLIE BARLTE LEAVING EVERYBODY STANDING AND SITTING

Moving back down Manchester Rd a quarter of a mile to the home ground of West Bowling which is on a park/recreation ground it offers a banked viewing area which surveys the pitch and surrounds to the north of Bradford including Manningham Mill.  The lower far side is railed for a bit of serious leaning although most of the crowd opted for the high vantage point.  The club operate out of cabins on site and have a snack bar facility and a scoreboard which was well operated throughout this high scoring home performance, thankfully we also have a club issuing a good match day programme too.  It is of course hard because they have little other revenue streams available to them and as an aside to selling the programme they do take a collection around half time to help funds.  Park games are not ideal for watching and obviously make it even harder for the clubs too.

MORE WEST BOWLING CONTROL

There won't be too much detail on todays game needless to say I took the notes but by the time the home side were 22-0 to the good after 20 minutes, a score that hadn't moved by oranges, it all became a procession for the dominant Bradford side who found little opposition from their visitors.
There was a brief interlude when East Leeds scored a maximum in the early stages of the second half but when West Bowling powered on in the closing stages they romped away to a 48-6 victory.
Not the greatest of games for a neutral but a confident win for high flying West Bowling while East Leeds are dropping through the table with recent results.

GOT THE RIGHT PLACE

Frequent buses along one of the main routes into the city allowed a quick return to Bradford Interchange and having hatched a plan to drop back and see Farsley Cricket Club if conditions where right it was just eight minutes after departing the station that we arrived in New Pudsey.  A few weeks back a similar call had been made to see Pudsey St Lawrence to the opposite side of the planned visit today after Field FC had had their game abandoned at half time.
Today would by a steady twenty minute walk to Red Lane and with a small footpath found adjacent to the ground I could view second innings proceedings on approach.  Farsley had batted first and been bowled out for 169 in the final over and with what looked like a close game in prospect local rivals Undercliffe were just an over or so into their reply.

SMART SET UP AT RED LANE HOME OF FARSLEY CRICKET CLUB

The club here it would appear charge a £3 admission something that seems familiar with some Yorkshire clubs but they also issue a programme for the game if you are here for the start.  There is a smart pavilion alongside a very tidy ground and pristine outfield with a collection of stone cottages sitting by the ground there are some additional views to give a Yorkshire cricket ground feel to proceedings.
Farlsey President former England and Yorkshire Captain Ray Illingworth was in attendance and this weekend will by 87 years young fantastic to see him still involved with his local club and he would have been pleased with proceedings as Undercliffe lost a steady collection of wickets to shots that they really didn't need to be playing and ultimately an excellent 70 from Simon Lambert saw him run out of partners and they were bowled out for 134 in the 41st over.  For Farsley James Logan had returned 5 for 42 to do much of the damage.

FARSLEY PRESIDENT RAY ILLINGWORTH [RIGHT]

A nice addition to the sporting day and with a comfortable finish a swift connection out of New Pudsey station allowed a connection onto the Cross Country train back to base station needless to say ten minutes late on return, rammed all the way, with manual seat reservations just in abbreviation format and for the north journey not the southern journey we were now undertaking.  How do some of these companies retain their franchise I will now be on desperate restraint to avoid this companies services at all costs if possible the overcrowding issue is a constant problem and has been so for as long as I can remember.
Nice to finish with a small selection of calming cricket and a wonderful opportunity to take a look at Odsal Stadium all backed up with some rugby league, and of course sandwiched inside lovely Cross Country journey's!