New signing Soames set to miss the entire season

Posted: February 9, 2011
Updated:April 3, 2011

Woodlands' injured new signing Grant Soames

Woodlands have been dealt a serious injury setback on the eve of the new season. Their new recruit Grant Soames is likely to miss the entire season.

The ink was barely dry on Soames' transfer from Yeadon when the left-hand batsman and off-spin bowler damaged a cruciate ligament in a knee.

Woodlands secretary Brian Pearson admitted that it was a blow but his side are unlikely to seek a replacement for Soames.

One man who is set to make his JCT600 Bradford League debut for Woodlands against champions Pudsey Congs on the first day of the season is batsman Simon Mason, whose runs helped York to three major trophies last year.

Simon Mason

Mason scored 1,082 runs as York added the Yorkshire League championship and cup to the 2010 Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions Trophy last April when Mason was man of the match as they defeated Woodlands at East Bierley in a match carried over from the previous season.

Mason made 52 and clearly impressed Woodlands with his application in bowler-friendly conditions.

Mason is poised to fill the problematic number three position as Woodlands bid for a fifth title in seven seasons.

Champions Pudsey Congs, who will be under the leadership of new captain Andrew Bairstow, are hoping the talented young Otley all-rounder Josh Atkinson will thrive in their experienced line up. They have also completed the signing of Cleckheaton off-spinner Edward Walmsley.

Farsley are keen to improve on their tenth place finish last season by re-signing their former captain Ian Philliskirk.

He leaves Baildon after leading them to the Division One championship in 2009. His powerful strokeplay at the top of the order and spin bowling will be useful additions to the Farsley armoury.

Two players leaving Farsley are fast bowler James Lee and batsman Shabbir Rashid. Lee is joining Cleckheaton while Rashid is bound for Gomersal.

In addition to signing Lee, Cleckheaton have recruited opening batsman Tim Jackson who had such a successful first season in the Bradford League with Saltaire in 2010 after moving from North Leeds in the Aire-Wharfe League. With off-spinner Edward Walmsley bound for Pudsey Congs, they have brought in Bankfoot spinner Andrew Deegan.

Baildon, who have appointed Craig Hitchenor as their new captain, have re-signed two members of their 2009 championship winning teams, all-rounder Ahsan Butt from Windhill and batsman Tabbi Bhatti from Undercliffe. On the minus side left-arm opening bowler has gone back to Moorlands and Adal Islam has returned to Manningham Mills.

Pudsey St Lawrence have moved to fill the void left by the departures of Alex Stead and Gary Severn to Lightcliffe. They have signed former Yorkshire, Kent and Somerset fast bowler David Stiff from Weston-Super-Mare and Guiseley's prolific young opening batsman Adam Waite. He scored 986 league runs in 2010.

Undercliffe will have a new-look side under the leadership of their young skipper Ben Heritage. They have recruited Yorkshire paceman Moin Ashraf, the Yorkshire Academy pair of Callum Geldart and Irfan Amjad, Saltaire all-rounder Tom Hudson and batsman Matthew Bottomley from Keighley.

Newly-promoted Manningham Mills, who will be led by their experienced opener Amjid Hussain, have signed left-hand batsman Farakh Hussain from Undercliffe while all-rounder Adal Islam returns after a brief spell with Baildon.

Gomersal have recruited a trio of players from Division Two side Morley, Left-arm opening bowler James Russell returns after spells with Spen Victoria, Undercliffe and Morley, and is joined at Oxford Road by batsman Danny Lloyd and promising young wicketkeeper Jack Seddon who gets his first taste of regular first-team cricket.

Saltaire, keen to make an immediate return to the top flight after their relegation last season, have lined up a number of interesting new recruits.

Fahid Rehman, who cut his Bradford League teeth at Bowling Old Lane, is set to move from Windhill where he made 596 runs last season and the batting will be further strengthenened by the arrival of Sanjaya Kodimarakkalage who has been a successful opening batsman and leg break bowler from Fakenham in the East Anglia Premier League.

Mohammed Saeed, who played with Woodhouse last season, is their overseas player. Another recruit from the Aire-Wharfe League is Richard Spry of New Rover, while bowler Matthew Simpson from Craven League side Bradley will also be getting his first taste of Bradford League cricket.

All-rounder Will Smith has moved from Spen Victoria to Brighouse to help fill the void left by the departure of Paul Cummins who has joined Sheffield United. Hard-hitting Adam Brown has also made the move from Spen Victoria while the seam bowling brothers Aleem and Adeel Ladak have moved from Lightcliffe to join a new-look team under the leadership of Greg Osborne.

Spen Victoria's new captain is Tosh Baker. His side have recruited the Woodlands stalwart Nicky Rushworth who will add strength to their batting. They have also confirmed thesignings of wicketeekeper Matt Garside and all-rounder Rob Burton from Gomersal plus the Hartshead Moor pair of spinner Craig Woodhead and seamer Joel Pollard.

Idle have been one of the busiest club's in the close season. They have been recruiting a new side to play under the leadership of former Undercliffe stalwart Andy Wilsdon who has returned to playing after one year umpiring. He hopes to build on his tally of 859 first team wickets.

There will be a lot of interest in the performance of their Barbadian recruit Carelon Brome. he has experience of playing in England have played for Billinghurst in the Sussex County League.