Last Monday 8th October saw the opening of the 2018/19 Manx Indoor Bowls Association League Season at the National Sports Centre.
The success of the pre-season ‘taster’ or ‘come and try it’ sessions was evident with a good number of new players and teams taking part with a total of fifty three teams playing in various Leagues throughout the week.
In the Premier Pairs League held on a Monday evening the battle for the top at the end I suspect will involve, Cheesemakers, Young Guns, Likely Lads, Dragons and last years Champions Villans with perhaps Radical Heads who are newcomers to this League being worth an outside bet.
In the Tuesday morning League for Teams I can see the main contenders being Onchan Royals, Ellan Vannin, Maxums and Villans with this League going right ‘down to the wire’.
Tuesday evenings First Division Pairs will I think be a ‘two horse race’ between Castletown Crofters and Enigma’.
The Premier Teams will be a very closely fought affair and will light up Wednesday nights at the NSC with Dragons, QPR. Villans and perhaps TBC all fighting for top spot.
The First Division Teams Thursday League will I feel be contested by DNA and Mann Utd and finally I come to the Friday night Second Division Pairs but here I find it impossible to predict the best as there are so many new teams and players.
At the conclusion of the first week after watching every session what I will say is that I have noticed some great improvement in a lot of players from last year and I am sure there may well be a few surprises before the season finishes in March 2019. Also it is great to see players and officials from both Lawn Bowls and Crown Green Bowls playing and working in harmony in this Indoor Bowls League.