WIDNES & District Bowling Association have two new major sponsors on board for this week's launch of the new campaign.

Halton Housing Trust are supporting the league with a grant towards its administration, while PSN Industries (Aberdeen) have agreed a new one-year sponsorship for the Merit competitions.

The United Co-0p are continuing their generous support of the league, which allows expenses to be kept to a minimum.

The season starts tomorrow (Friday) with the replay at Halewood of the Walwyn White Cup's Plate competition final between Rainhill A and Moorfield B.

The original tie on the final day of last season was drawn and the result is expected to be close this time around.

Division One looks as if it will be as well-contested as ever with favourites Green Dragon having to not only cope with the top teams but also the modifications to their green.

These should help opposition teams to become more competitive.

Secretary Bob Hunt said: 'I expect the Rainhill teams to be more competitive this year, having had a season in the top flight.

'Rainhill A will be playing their first ever season in our Premier Division and it will be interesting to see how they compete at this level.

'I expect that they will be satisfied if they survive in this division. The teams I expect to struggle are Widnes A and Penlake.

'Division Two looks to be the most wide open with the relegated teams of Moorfield A and Halewood B being among the favourites to bounce back.

'However, they will be hard pressed to hold St Aloysius at bay as they had an outstanding second half to last season and are my tip for promotion,' added Hunt.

Promoted St Bede's and Lady Margaret's B will do well to consolidate their positions in this division.

And the secretary added: 'I expect that they, along with Wellington B and the Village, will be fighting out the lower positions.'

In Division Three, the over-whelming favourites for promotion are Clock Face.

If they get their act together, they should be too strong for the rest.

The other relegated clubs, Widnes Rec B and Wellington A, will do well to be in the mix at the end of the season.

Hunt added: 'My dark horses for promotion from this division are Ford B, who are an amalgam of two teams and should thus have the strength to sustain a challenge for the title.

'And I expect to see Widnes B to improve on last year's position.

'The wooden spoonists look like being the same as last year.'