It is hold to contain my excitement and pride in the week leading up to the most important bowls match in the history of the Isle of Man.

A lot of hard work has been put in by a lot of people to make this dream a reality, and it is the culmination of all of these efforts that sees the Isle of Man take on Shropshire in the Crosfield Cup.

On Sunday 3rd May at 12:30 the first historic bowls will be sent simultaneously both Peel Sunset Bowling Club and Sinclair Bowling Club in Telford, Shropshire, as the Manx team aim to cause a few upsets and give their much more experienced rivals more than they bargained for.

In truth the step up to full county level, the highest level of Crown Green Bowls that there is, will be a tricky one and nobody is underestimating how mammoth the task is that lies ahead, but there is a buzz around the local bowls scene at the moment and maybe just maybe we can have our own minor victories.

The Island are drawn in a group with Shropshire, Lancashire and Staffordshire. Shropshire are not just odds on favourites to win the group but they are also one of the most fancied teams to win the whole competition so a good performance in the home leg is vital if the Manx men are to have any chance of causing a massive upset.

Shropshire have some of the biggest names in the game in their ranks and Callum Wraight and Richie Goddard are just two that followers of the bowls festival will regognise.

The travelling Manxies will have their work cut out as they travel to a green that none of them have ever even seen before and it will be a massive achievement to leave the green with some individual wins under their belts.

All that is left to do is to wish all of the players and everyone involved the best of luck and it would be brilliant if as many of you that can make the pilgrimage to Peel at 12:30 on Sunday to offer your support as the Island’s best bowlers embark on a new adventure. Whilst a win would be unbelievable the most amazing achievement has been to make it to this point, and anything else beyond will be a huge bonus.

Bowls is back! If the first few entertaining weeks fixtures were the appetisers last Monday’s gargantuan war of attrition between South Ramsey A and Marown A was most definitely the main course, and after such a delight it leaves me wondering what truly spectacular mouth watering dish will be served for dessert.

It is very rare in an eight aside bowls match for the entire fate of the game to rest on the solitary figure standing on the mat, lying game down, with the final bowl of a 296 point affair in his hand, but last Monday it happened.

They say cometh the hour cometh the man and Dido Kelly was more than ready to prove the old adage true as at 20-19 ahead he found himself lying two down after a brilliant fight back from a very worthy adversary, five times Island Champion Colin Kelly.

As things stood if Dido failed to change things Colin would seal a well earned 6-4 win for the visitors, but Dido never knows when he is beaten. With one of the best bowls you will ever see full corners he trailed the jack to his back bowl to win his game, tying the match on aggregate and ensuring it was his side who were on the right end of a well fought 6-4 victory.

This was just one of the many highlights of one of the most evenly matched entertaining encounters you could ever wish to experience. Carlsberg don’t do bowls matches but if they did it very well might play out like this one. Credit goes to all 16 players who stepped onto the green and it’s a shame either side had to lose,

Oblivious of events up north league champions Onchan A ruthlessly went about their task of defending their title with a 10-0 dismantling of Castletown B. Winning big at home is the key to any victorious championship quest and with both of their openers at the park ending in maximum victories where they concede on average 71 points against they have definitely thrown the gauntlet down to the challengers.

Both Marown and South have the pedigree to beat Onchan in head to heads but it is the champions devastating consistency which could be the key to their success.

Douglas A followed up last week’s hard earned draw with South Ramsey with an extremely impressive 9-1 away victory over Castletown A to leapfrog the men from the crofts into third place.

At the top of division two it was first against second as league leaders South Ramsey B travelled to the Villa Marina to take on an inform Douglas B side. Despite young Stefan Kelly’s performance of the night for the visitors, beating Roy Williams 12-5, it was the home side who took victory with an extremely impressive overall team performance seeing them come away with a comfortable 8-2 win. They will be tough to beat this season if they keep this form going and now top the table with the visitor’s four points behind in second place.

Port St Mary B had to fight at home to overcome a spirited Onchan B side 6-4 and now find themselves in third spot.

With Peel C, Ballaugh C and Douglas C all picking up good 7-3 home victories its very tight at the top of division three with them on 22, 22 and 21 points respectively from the first three games.

League Champions Onchan A continue to head Isle of Man Bank Mens Division One thanks to a 9-1 win away at Port Erin A.

They will be disappointed not to have picked up all ten points after a very strong start to the season.

Second placed South Ramsey A’s run of maximum 10-0 victories also came to an end as they met a battling Douglas A side at the Villa Marina, with honours ending even 5-5. The home side won 5 out of the 8 games with the visitors aggregate score enough to seal the draw.

Castletown A are still flying high in third place after a very strong 9-1 win over their B team at the crofts.

Marown A have played one less game than their rivals and got their campaign going again with a 9-1 win over Ballaugh at the memorial playing fields, just missing out on the maximum by a solitary chalk as Captain John Keenan winning 21-20 against Dean Kipling to get his side on the board.

The two newly promoted teams faced off at Finch Hill with the home side running out 7-3 victors over NoblesPark to get some much needed points on the board.

North Ramsey A are an ever improving side who can be a test for anyone and they will be happy with a 7-3 victory on their travels to Peel A.

South Ramsey B top division 2 thanks to a 9-1 home win over a struggling Castletown C side, with John Kinley’s victory the only light at the end of a very long tunnel for the visitors.

Douglas B continue their strong start to the season with an 8-2 win away at Ballaugh B.

Peel B are in third spot despite losing out on their travels to Onchan B who managed a 6-4 victory.

Onchan C top the division three tree thanks to and 8-2 home win over Peel D in a league where I think the lead will change hands all the way to the wire.