Basingstoke Triples (AKA Monday League)

Andover is entering two teams in this year's Triples league - Andover Blues and Andover Yellows - both captained by Dave Canniford. The competition is open to all bowlers. Matches are played on a Monday evening, starting at 6.30pm - although do note that the team's two May and two August fixtures commence at 6.15pm.

There are three divisions in this league (Premier, First and Second), the Premier Division consisting of seven teams and the First and Second divisions each consisting of eight. Both the Andover teams play in Division 2, with the complete season being made up of all teams playing each other home and away. The top two teams in the First and Second divisions are promoted at the end of the season, relegating in each case the bottom two teams in respectively the Premier and First divisions.

In the 2025 season, the (single) Andover side finished fifth.

For each fixture, the team puts out three triples with each match consisting of 18 ends. Each winning rink receives 2 points and the winning team an additional 1 point for the overall score. The core rules for the League can be found at the BDBA website.

Full fixtures and results for Division Two in 2026 are as follows; the up-to-date table for the division is included in a .pdf at the bottom of the page.

Blues

11 May: Blues 63 v 46 St. Mary Bourne Falcons (5-2)

18 May: Andover Yellows 51 v 53 Blues (2-5)

25 May: Blues P v P Thornycroft (match forfeited by Thornycroft; Blues awarded 4.5 points, as their average points total achieved across the other games)

1 Jun: Aldermaston Ash 39 v 45 Blues (2-5)

8 Jun: Blues 50 v 43 Howard Park B (5-2)

15 Jun: Aldermaston Birch 50 v 38 Blues (5-2)

22 Jun: Blues 44 v 53 Whitchurch Weavers (2-5)

29 Jun: Blues 63 v 51 Andover Yellows (5-2)

6 Jul: St. Mary Bourne Falcons 39 v 57 Blues (2-5)

13 Jul: Thornycroft 45 v 54 Blues (1-6)

20 Jul: Blues 53 v 65 Aldermaston Ash (2-5)

27 Jul: Howard Park B 52 v 49 Blues (5-2)

3 Aug: Blues 60 v 35 Aldermaston Birch (7-0)

10 Aug: Whitchurch Weavers 49 v 58 Blues (2-5)

Blues ended the season in a very creditable third place with a W10 L4 record, and a shots total of 687-618 (+69), missing out on promotion by just 4 points. Well done to all who played for a season of strong effort. Congratulations to Aldermaston Birch and Howard Park B both of whom are promoted with 64 points.

 

Yellows

11 May: Howard Park B 50 v 35 Yellows (5-2)

18 May: Yellows 51 v 53 Andover Blues (2-5)

25 May: Aldermaston Birch 51 v 53 Yellows (4-3) (match postponed on original date; played 17 Aug)

1 Jun: Yellows 33 v 43 Whitchurch Weavers (2-5)

8 Jun: Aldermaston Ash 72 v 42 Yellows (4-3)

15 Jun: Yellows 57 v 58 St Mary Bourne Falcons (2-5)

22 Jun: Thornycroft 44 v 65 Yellows (1-6) (match postponed at the time; played in Week 12 - 27 July)

29 June: Andover Blues 63 v 51 Yellows (5-2)

6 Jul: Yellows 33 v 42 Howard Park B (1-6)

13 Jul: Yellows 47 v 65 Aldermaston Birch (2-5)

20 Jul: Whitchurch Weavers 53 v 40 Yellows (5-2)

27 Jul: Yellows 35 v 65 Aldermaston Ash (0-7)

3 Aug: St Mary Bourne Falcons 45 v 52 Yellows (3-4)

10 Aug: Yellows 44 v 52 Thornycroft (2-5)

Yellows, in contrast, had a more difficult season, finishing one place off the bottom of the division with a W2 L12 record and a shots total of 638-756 (-118). Well done, however, to all who stepped up and played for the team.