The Book Club Invitational World Championship

The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses − behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights

Bagg: Bagg is a man with a dream.  At the same time he has only ever been a vessel for what the people wanted and needed- the Book Club Invitational World Championship. The bookie's favourite for the trophy many pundits believe that it will come down to whether or not Bagg has the mental strength to dance on the big stage. While favourite, there is a growing concern that a newfound fade in his straight bowls may be his undoing. This man is never short of a sly comment or a 'Strike Dance' that resembles a little of both the robot and gangnam style. 

2014 update: Topping the league was never going to be enough for Bagg- he wanted it all. Debate still rages regarding whether Bagg failed to make the final because of a lack of mental strength or the sheer genius of Wee Dave. One thing is for sure he will have spent the off season seeking the solitude of thought that can only enhance his drive for the coveted trophy. The bookies have Bagg identified as a threat once again- expect to see him in the top 4 come the end of the season.

Wee Dave: When the boss lets him out to play the bowling venue lights up. The signature, graceful gazelle bowling action that is sure to draw a crowd. On his night- unstoppable. When the chips are down his straight as an arrow bowls spray anywhere but straight. A wee man with a big heart who is never short of some advice for those struggling to hold it together mentally, Wee Dave's fortunes may rest with who (assuming he makes it) he faces in the semi-finals.

Update 2014: Forget the yanks coming back from 8-1 down to beat the Kiwis 9-8 in the Americas cup; forget Liverpool coming back from 3-0 down in Insatnbul against AC Milan to complete a remarkable champions league final victory; forget everything you know about sheer grace under pressure (with the possible exception of Drogba's penalty kick to win Chelsea their first champions league). This wee man encompassed all these moments and more to produce possibly the most complete evening of sport know to man. A final against Schmertie after knocking out the number 1 seed in the semis. Wee dave began X X X X / X and the rest in history. Can he do it again? Only a fool would say no, but, as they like to say, a fool and his money are soon parted....

The Man from Del Monte: The latest recruit to what has become the Book Club Invitational World Championship, the man from Del Monte lives up to his name by always saying 'Yes'. Yes to another game; Yes to another jug; Yes to more food. While the Man from Del Monte hides behind a shield of calmness it doesn't take much to scratch below and find a highly competitive individual. While not a favourite for the trophy the punters can expect the Man from Del Monte to give it a good shake up.

Update 2014: A surprise out of the blocks and a real threat to the finals TMFDM faded towards the end. Sources have revealed that TMFDM has spent some time soul searching and hitting the medicine ball. Will it be enough to crack the top 4? No, but, this season the finals will be much more expansive and on his night TMFDM can cause a stir.

The Lone Ranger: Much like his beloved football team, The Lone Ranger finds himself a long way from the big stage. While once a V.I.P of the lanes, The Lone Ranger's bowling is riddled with inconsistency and often lacks substance. While his bowling has come along way in the last few months he is not expected to walk away with the trophy- but that won't stop him from getting stuck in with some sly banter. Will he make top 4 at the end of the league season? The Punters say no but I can guarantee there will be a few nervous bowlers if The Lone Ranger has a couple of decent games early on.

Update 2014: Possibly the most consistent bowler of the inaugural season, TLR will be hoping that his experience will leave him in a better position to knock on the finals door. With so many unknown bowlers coming into the league, last season's wooden spooner will be hoping that he can hit the ground running if he is going to make the finals. 

Schmertie: Were it not for Midfield Maestro we would find ourselves laughing at the style of this cultural icon. What the tolerant, calm man lacks in bowling grace is made up for in the Fashionista stakes with punters often asking him where he got his threads. A bowler who on his night can bowl 170... or sub 90... no one really knows what to expect from the most erratic bowler of our time. A man who loves to argue but lacks the subtle ability to effectively trash talk and this may be seen as his down fall. Expect Schmertie to feature in the finals- just don't put your house on it. To read how Schmidtie does it, click here

Update 1014: Schmertie lead his life in the comfortably numb 3rd position until the final when he stepped up (or did MM step down?) to make the final. Blow the dust off the record books and you will see that he made the final against Wee Dave but ask anyone who was there and they will have no idea who was against wee Dave. Schmertie wasn't a no show but not even Wee Dave could have matched Wee Dave in THAT final. Expect Schmertie to make top 4 and, once more, be the guy that no one wants to lose to.

Midfield Maestro: While Wee Dave's bowling style may be akin to the grace of Torvill; I don't think that anyone would accuse the Maestro of having anything in common with Dean. He has one of the more unorthodox bowling styles to grace the lanes (think the love child of Aaron Lennon and his fairy running style and a baby giraffe trying to drink from a river) but you can't deny his results. A man who bowls with the determination and seriousness that one would expect from an England international taking a penalty. Mestro is expected to make it to the big dance in what will surely be one of the more interesting journeys.

Update 2014: The second seeded player leading into the finals. A best of 3 against Schmertie. Shadow bowling and the man responsible for people suggesting a time limit should be put in place for each bowl. How did he go in the final? Read below:

Raffo: An old head on young shoulders, Raffo has lurked around the edges of the BCIWC since about half way through season 1. Like any decent 12th man (cricket for our American friends) he has proven that he can turn up to a venue on time and do pretty well when the limelight is on others (incidentally, he is also pretty good at getting the drinks) but what remains to be proven is whether he can keep his composure when all around him are smashing strikes left, right and centre. A quiet, unassuming man, until you get a few sherbets into him, he has bowled well enough in the past to put some pressure on the favourites but only time will tell whether he has the ticker, minerals or celebratory dance to win the big one... 

Jared: He's loud, he's proud, he's got his own bowling shirt... He's a damn American! One of the biggest unknown quantities in the BCIWC. He ticks all the boxes of being a professional bowler- he drinks; his fitness glory days are behind him; he's loud, he's proud, he's American! The lovable rogue has only one downfall- his heart of gold. This will surely be exploited by the seasoned veterans of the BCIWC- meaning it will come down to how good Jared is at handling the pressure. Come finals will he be feasting on the carcus' of those that have fallen in his wake or will he be serving us all some of his famous jerk chicken...?

Grant:  It's hard to know what to say about a man who once replied that his wife, was, in fact, not a hindu when asked if she was at a Hen's party... He comes highly spoken of by one Wee 'people's champ' Dave but for the rest of us remains a largely unknown quantity. He's quiet, he's polite, he likes a bit of banter. Will he make the finals? He might, but, if you believe the hype, there is also a chance that he will fade in to the night and disappear a la wee dave's bucks party... For my 2 bobs worth? This is the man that has the ability to shake up the finals.

Sam R:  Another largely unknown quantity. A quick survey of the founding members comes up with nothing in terms of what kind of bowler he is. If the ability to keep on running is an indicator, as it is for table tennis in Forest Gump, then this guy is a shoe-in for the title. The only man I know who runs marathons for fun (and then plays futsal afterwards), this man's fate may rest on his ability to remember what night bowling is on. Expect some sly banter, expect some quiet charm- just don't expect to see a smooth celebratory strike dance from this young man!

Paul: The Corrigan Brothers once sang 'there's no one as Irish as Barack Obama'- well, they've obviously never met this beast of a man. Besides Irvine Welsh (trainspotting), he's the only person who writes English in an accent (Jaysus, for example).  Paul flirted around the edges of the BCIWC in it's pre and early days but never quite has the commitment to stick on the tour full time. For this reason the punters are unsure whether to put their hard earned moolah on him making the finals. What they are putting money on is Paul dishing out some friendly advice to those who take it more seriously than they should... 

Hernando:  The ultimate in home ground advantages or the pressure of playing in front of your loyal clientèle? Never short of advice or a few kind, emotionally supportive words,  no one knows what to expect from Hernando-  he's a big, stroppy man with a short fuse. A man who seems unsure of what his best bowling technique is, failing some sort of karate kid wax on wax off moment of clarity,  the founders expect this guy to crumble once a few gutter balls slip onto his scorecard. Will he be in the finals? Yes, he will. Will he walk away covered in glory? Well, that depends on your definition of glory...