BOWLS get underway on local greens when the Worth Valley Association's season starts on Saturday.

The season begins with the preliminary rounds of the Valley Cup when holders Cross Roads A take on Lund Park B at Cross Hills, where the home club will be showing off their new clubrooms for the first time.

The full drfaw is: Steeton B v Silsden PF A (at Sutton), Silsden PF B v Denholme B (Highfield), Cross Hills v Sutton (Craven), v Highfield B (Lund No1), Lund D v Steeton a (Whins Wood), Bradshaw A v Denon (Cross Roads), Whins B v Haworth (Cullingworth), Bradshaw B v Highfield A (Haworth), Oakworth a v Lund C (Denholme), Cross Hills B v Cross Roads B (Steeton), Oakworth B v Denholme A (Keighley), Craven A v Craven B (Silsden PF), Crow Wood v Cullingworth (Bradshaw), Whins a v Lund A (Oakworth), Lund B v Cross Roads A (Cross Hills).

The second round is on May 26 when all first round losers launch the Supplementary event.

The league itself starts on April 21 with R H McDowell Ltd the main sponsor. There will be three divisions in operation until September 8.

Runaway favourites to take the Division One title again are Cross Roads A. Whins a and Cross Hills A return to the top flight with Oakworth and Craven A with Oakworth and Craven A tipped to have a tough fight on their hands to avoid relegation.

Highfield A, Steeton A and Denholme A could be among the challengers for the title while Lund C and Craven B will have to work hard to hold on to their place. Newholme Manor are sponsors of the division.

Keighley B have joined Division Three where Lund B and Whins B will be seeking an early return to Division Three. Phoenix Trophies are to sponsor.

The league will also be running many sponsored events throughout the summer and are now under the auspices of the Federation of Bowling and start their county fixtures on May 20 against Doncaster in the newly formed League Three.

Veteran bowlers will also be busy with two divisions and games on Monday afternoons together with a county team in the Federation's first division. They also play Doncaster on may 20.

The Doubles League started on Tuesday with a full house of 10 teams.

The new partnership of Les Foster (Cross Roads) and Phillip Dowgill (Cross Hills) were winners of the Highfield Pairs, sponsored by the Welcome Inn, when they overcame favourites Mick Hall and Harry Seetio of Leeds 21-9. Losing semi-finalists in the early season event were David Jaques and Len Buxton, John Hamer and Eddie Hall.