WINGHAM Bowling Club has withdrawn from the No 1 pennant grade for next year.
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The club informed the NSW match committee of the decision this week.
"They've lost five players from this year and say they just wouldn't be competitive,'' Manning BA secretary/treasurer Bruce Elliott said.
"Their next grade is fours and they came second last this year, so it's a wise decision.''
This will leave three clubs Forster, Tuncurry and Taree West from the Manning to contest the revamped grade in 2016.
The No 1s will be run by the State match committee with the Manning clubs to be part of the North Coast Conference involving clubs from Forster-Tuncurry to Tweed Heads. The format for the competition has yet to be released, although Mr Elliott remains hopeful that this will happen before the end of the month.
Initially four Manning clubs including Wingham and four from the Hastings area had applied to play in the elite grade. It was expected these clubs would play in a preliminary competition with the winner moving onto playoffs to determine the sides to move through to the State finals. Mr Elliott said this could still be the case.
"Kew has been added to our... for want of a better word... section,'' he explained.
Mr Elliott said he is unaware if any Wingham bowlers still keen to play No 1 pennants are moving to another club.
"It's still the silly season with bowlers deciding where they'll play next year,'' he said.
"But obviously they have three options if they wish to stay in this area Taree West, Tuncurry or Forster.''
As has been previously reported Manning will become a stand-alone Zone 11 from January 1. This means that the winners of pennant grades two to seven will automatically qualify for State.
Manning Bowling Association's final official function was conducted last weekend with the presentation held at Forster BC. Tuncurry's Noel James (senior) and Ryan McGuire (junior) were named the bowlers of the year.