Words by Gutther Bawl.

Ask any TV writer, and they’ll tell you the same thing. The third season is the most difficult.

In the first instalment, you’re the new kid on the block. Fresh, hungry. Blessed with novelty.

Your second outing sets your stall out. Sets a standard. You earn the right to enjoy your success.

When you make your third pass, the pressure is on. The novelty has disappeared, replaced by expectations. Both of those within, and those without.

The summit still sits above you, only this time, there’s somewhere to fall.

It is with this in mind that I sit here writing, in preparation for the curtain to rise on this third season, the most difficult in the short history of Premier League Bowling.

We have our ingredients: 3 teams, 2.5 leaders, and a unified hatred of attention-standing pins.

As I retrace the footsteps of my memories, Season 3 is poised for undeniably gripping competition.

In Season 2, the inaugural champions, the Riders, were brutally humbled. Despite two of their number making the PLB Team of the Year - stalwart, “The Wickerman”, and pseudo-leader “Two Shoes” - their scores, and points total, left almost everything to be desired.

With shades of Icarus, they descended rapidly, wings devoid of feathers. However, there’s nothing in the jungle deadlier than a wounded animal, and it’ll be seen whether the same can be said for the Rohirrim. They are possessed with suggestions of talent amongst a minority of their team, and this year, unlike the last, they have nothing to lose.

Sources also tell me that the return of the Don after an extended break, adds to the feelings of positivity in the camp. A skip is back in the step of the Riders, and their fans.

There were no surprises who raised the trophy in Season 2. Despite losing their skipper, the Milanese and their faithful had no need to fret. The rabble had been crafted into a team, and they led wire-to-wire.

Their performances redefined the word “dominant”, and the title arrived, along with the majority of the Season’s awards. The team CV included three Team Of The Year picks, including the esteemed man himself - Pins Magee - who joined on the list the PLB Writers’ Bowler - BigTime - and PLB Bowlers’ Bowler - Zlats.

The new year brings with it the opportunity for the first back-to-back titles in Premier League Bowling history, and whilst the team has the talent to add a second trophy to the cabinet, their mental game will be under the spotlight as they attempt to stave off the same struggles the Riders faced.

Premier League Bowling remains nonetheless a three horse race, and we’d do well to remember our third horse. Picking up the silver medal on their first outing was no mean feat, Pinter accomplished the same in their first season.

Although considering Pin City Rollers actually beat another team this year, it could be argued that they had a better debut.

Two was also the magic number for PCR when it came to awards.

The Bowl’On D’Or for the Most Valuable Bowler - No Show - was, true to form, absent from the awards ceremony. Nonetheless his ability to dominate on the rare occasions he turned up meant the certificate couldn’t have gone to anyone else.

I was exceedingly honoured to present the first Gutther Bawl Award for the Most Promising Pinsman to PCR’s Tomahawk. A leader on and off the lanes for PCR, his recent promotion to co-Captain came as no surprise to any of the ultras who witnessed him turning out time and again for his team.

Time will tell whether his promise is fulfilled. We know baldness to be a crucial element of bowling prowess, and Tomahawk's full head of hair poses perhaps the biggest hurdle he’ll have to overcome.

With a little less than 48 hours left before we we let our thoroughbreds race, the anticipation and nerves are building.

The horses are ready, the course is in front them, and they’re ready to run.

Without a shadow of a doubt, we’re in for another cracking year of Premier League Bowling, and I, your humble literary servant - Gutther Bawl - will be with you every step of the way.

I can’t wait.

As usual, play hard, play fair; and keep them rolling.

Gutther