We are pleased to announce that we have accepted a new ladies team for the forthcoming season, which now means the Ladies League will have just one bye and not the two that are in the fixture book. The team is called Hot Cheese Stampers and will play their home matches at the Three Compasses, Charminster on a Tuesday evening. They will take the place of Bye 1 on the fixture list.

The fixture books, score cards, cup draw and invoice form will be available for collection from the Colliton Club on FRIDAY 9TH AUGUST from 7.30pm. The books will then be left at the club for a week where they can be collected from the bar, please would all teams please make sure books are collected by FRIDAY 16TH AUGUST. Please contact the league secretary Brian Newton if you are unable to collect the books during this period.

First round draw

Swankers v Strugglers
BYE v Steamers
Alcotops v Colliton Imps - Friday 4 Oct - DTFC
Colliton Ladybirds v BYE
Devils v BRK Yokels - Monday 30 Sept - DTFC
Hartstoppers v Breezers
Royal Oak Country Boys v The Hammers
Bull & Heifers v Funseekers
Rollers v Huntsmen
Essentials v Woodmen
Top Pins v Royal Oak Wanderers
BYE v Skimmers
Colliton Spares v Trinity Mix Ups
Colliton Rebels v Barmy Army - Friday 4 Oct - Colliton Club alley one
Chaldon Chuckers v Ship Wrecked
Merrymen v Colliton Supertramps
Puddletown Wanderers v BYE
Breakaways v Villains
Hotshots v Muckspreaders
Swan Abbots v Wareham Legionaires
Misfits v Vic Reeves
Mrs Browns Boys v Colliton Chimps
Untouchables v Half Pints
Dewlish Monsters v Unpredictable Strimmers
Plodders v Brewers Bees
Oakettes v Crackerjacs - Monday 30 Sept - Royal Oak, Bere Regis 
Vixens v Magpie Imps
Jolly Green Giants v Fumblers
Dribs 'n' Drabs v Tom Browns Bullocks
Patriots v Jokers
Colliton Flingers v Heathens - Thursday 3 Oct - Colliton Club alley one 
Colliton Wide Boys v Puddletown Nomads 

Ties to be played w/c 30th Sept

Please note that seven ladies sides have taken up the leagues invitation to play in the Open Knockout Cup (to avoid any doubt any missing player in a Open Knockout Cup match will receive a score of 28 regardless of gender)

Once the game is arranged by both teams and the alley is booked please could the home captain inform the fixture secretary of the date so it can be put up on the website.

Please note that when a week is set aside for the cup only one date is needed to be given by the home team to their opposition.

There were only a few rule changes at last nights AGM. Most were just wording to certain rules but below is a brief explanation to some of the changes that were voted in.

There had been some confusion over the missing player rule last season, the rule now states that at the start of a game if a team is missing a player then that player can play their missed hands as long as the player is present at the completion of both teams second hands. If they arrive after the second hand then the player may only play the remaining hands with 4 pins awarded for each missed hand.

The restriction on nights of play have now been lifted meaning any team can choose which night they wish to play on, the rule was that the Ladies league teams could only use Mondays and Tuesdays, while the Open League used the other three remaining nights.

This coming season will see the Ladies League teams being invited to enter the Open Knockout Cup. At present 7 ladies teams have taken up the offer (the remaining ladies teams can still ask to enter) meaning that the Knockout Cup will have 60 teams in it which will reduce the number of byes in the early stages of both the Knockout Cup and the Plate. The Ladies Cup will still go ahead towards the end of the season but there will be no Ladies Plate.

All matches shall be played in the week specified unless brought forward, which means teams can by mutual consent play later in the week if needed.

Players who regularly play for a team in a club shall comply with the membership rules pertaining at that club.

Thank you to the following companies who put an advert in 2018-19 fixture book.

The Colliton Club
Barrett’s Glass & Window Centre Ltd
Goldies 
R & B Trophies
Steve Brown Fencing and Garden Services
The Victoria Hotel
Downton Gifford Motor Vehicle Repairs
The Trinity Club
Serious About Events
Goldcrest Jewellers
Auto Towbars (Dorchester Car Radios)
Dorcheter Town Community Football Club
SGM Hair
Barry Knight Building & Maintenance
Sam Scaffolding
Matthew Lucas Funeral Directors
Tom Browns
B A Gosney Ltd Painter and Decorator
Fox Typesetting Services
Steve Crewe Handyman Services
The Bulls Head
Baker Joinery
Chris Whitefield Photography
M J Hallett & Sons Painters and Decorators
Kev Holbrook Ceramic Wall and Floor Tiler
Stag Fencing
Manor Park Flooring
Sherrens the Printers

If you are interested in putting an advert in the 2019-20 fixture book please contact Brian Newton.

Funseekers are in need of some new players for next season, they play at the Colliton Club in Section D on a Wednesday night. If anyone knows of anyone who may be interested please contact the Fixture Secretary Terry Gosney for more details.

The photos from the presentation evening have now been put on the website and can be found under the photos & press cuttings menu. All photos were kindly supplied by Chris Whitefield and will be available to purchase from http://www.chriswhitefield.co.uk/ later this week.

Check out the new history pages on the website. This is an ongoing project which will be updated throughout the summer to give you all an insight on the past history of the league. If anyone can help with any missing teams/years or mistakes please contact terry.gosney@btinternet.com , especially any information about league winners from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s as the skittle fixture books only started putting in the previous seasons tables from 1980.

The Dorchester & District Skittles League accepts no responsibility or liability in respect of any material relating to Dorchester skittles posted by any team or person on social media.