Final preview.......................................................................................

Safraz Ahmed	Mohammad Naved

Woodlands will be hoping it is a case of third time lucky when they face Pudsey Congs in Sunday's Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup final at Wagon Lane (11am).

They are painfully aware that Pudsey Congs defeated them comfortably on the two previous occasions when the sides met in the final.

In 2004 Congs triumphed by eight wickets at the Britannia Ground while 12 months later they ran out victors by six wickets at Wagon Lane.

Woodlands, how are appearing in their fifth final in six seasons, are also painfully aware that it was Congs who knocked them out of last season's competition at the seconds round stage when they were defending the trophy they won by beating Bowling Old Lane in 2006.

Jerermy Batty

For a side that has been so dominant in league combat, Woodlands have failed to produce the same kind of form in their four cup finals to date. Perhaps the 10 over restriction is a a key factor in this because it reduces the impact their opening bowlers Safraz Ahmed and Pieter Swanepoel can have and puts greater pressure on the back up bowlers.

In contrast, Congs have a wonderful record in Priestley Cup finals. This is their fifth final in seven seasons and they have won all the previous four.

So what marks Congs out as an outstanding cup side? Well, they have an astute captain in Matthew Doidge who always handles his bowling attack shrewdly. His leadership in 2005 was a key factor in their last final win over Woodlands. He brought his fifth bowler Babar Butt on after the fall of a couple of early wickets and bowled him unchanged for 10 overs.

Doidge leads a side which has bags of experience. Players like Butt, wicketkeeper/batsman Andrew Bairstow - who is possibly playing the best cricket of his career -the spinners Glenn Roberts and Jeremy Batty and the ever-dependable Mark Bray.

Roberts and Batty have formed a a magnificent spin partnership and are as crucial to Congs as opening bowlers Safraz Ahmed and Pieter Swanepoel are to Woodlands.

In what are expected to be bowler friendly conditions the match up between the two new-ball attacks will be interesting.

Congs have the pace of Pakistan Under-19 opening bowler Mohammad Naved and the enigmatic Tom Glover - who was man of the match in last season's final and needs to try and rediscover that form. Woodlands have arguably the best new-ball pair in league cricket in Safraz Ahmed and Swanepoel.

When it comes to the relative batting strengths of the two sides Congs would appear to have the edge. Their young opening pair of Alexis Twigg and Adam Patel are followed by an experienced middle order of Butt, Bairstow, Andrew Bourke and Doidge.

The Woodlands batting has been extremely fragile this year. They have repeatedly shuffled their order around but only their young opener Sam Frankland has displayed real consistency.

Andrew Bairstow	Murphy Walwyn

Skipper Tim Orrell remains the only player to have made a cup final century and end up as a loser. That happened in 2003 when his side were beaten by Bradford & Bingley.

Former Yorkshire player Scott Richardson, Nicky Rushworth, Chris Brice, Adam Goldthorpe and Tosh Baker are all capable players and there could be no better time for one or more of them to produce a telling contribution.

One man on the Woodlands side who will be itching to get into the action is Murphy Walwyn who is playing his 13th final.

Let's hope the weather allows us to have a fitting finale to a season dominated by these two clubs.

Pudsey Congs: Alexis Twigg, Adam Patel, Babar Butt, Andrew Bourke, Andrew Bairstow (wkt), Matthew Doidge (Capt), Glenn Roberts, Jeremy Batty, Tom Glover, Mohammad Naved, Mark Bray.

Woodlands: Scott Richardson, Sam Frankland, Nicky Rushworth (wkt), Chris Brice, Tim Orrell (capt), Adam Goldthorpe, Tosh Baker, Murphy Walwyn, Safraz Ahmed, Pieter Swanepoel, Richard Spittlehouse.