How do you look forward when the best is behind you? Ask Gomersal's Tony Blain.

Twenty five years ago Blain walked out at the Oval with New Zealand to do battle with an England side boasting players like Ian Botham, Graham Gooch, David Gower and Mike Gatting with his country holding a 1-0 advantage in the Test series.

Tony Blain

Blain was a 24 year old batsman wicketkeeper and making his Test debut. New Zealand had never beaten England on their own patch but Blain was determined to do his bit and there is no doubt he did just that. In a rain affected game he dug in to support the more recognised batsmen to defy an England attack of Botham, John Emburey, Phil Edmonds, Gladstone Small and Graham Dilley for two and a half hours making 37 valuable runs in the process before being caught by Gooch off Dilley.

New Zealand, in no hurry to give their opponents even a ghost of a chance, batted for almost three days and though Gower and Gatting both hit centuries the valuable minutes just ticked by to earn the draw that gave them the historic series win.

Blain went on to play in 11 Tests and 38 One Day Internationals but it was his three year stint in the Central Yorkshire League with Gomersal in 1983, 84 and 85 that were to prove a lasting influence on his life and resulted in him ending a 16 year absence from the game to turn out in a few games for Scholes last year and to register back at Gomersal for this current season.

One of the influences behind his return to England was his marriage last year, to his former fiance Sharon, "a long story" Tony explained, and he now lives within walking distance of the ground.

Although now in his 50th year, and a decidely dodgy back, he happily signed up to help out in the Seconds at Oxford Road and his unbeaten half century to beat fellow title chasers Cleckheaton recently proved only too clearly how much his influence is telling. 

That knock took his season's tally to 510 with few players normally passing that total in a full season.

Blain's efforts, along with Richard Gould and Phil Carter, have ensured over 1,500 runs at the top of the innings and that has seen the Gomersal side secure a place in the Priestley Shield final and one eye firmly on the Second X! Second Division title and already looking forward to that other half century in February and celebrating with another season at Gomersal in 2012.

Next up for the down to earth Blain is Sunday's Priestley Shield final, at Lightcliffe, against Pudsey St Lawrence and he seems to be looking forward to that as keenly as any game he has played in.

Whether a former Test player has ever played in the second teams’ cup final before is still a subject for debate but there is every chance that the Blain will be creating a piece of Bradford League history.

It has been great fun this season,” said Blain. “I am looking forward to the final and hope we can win the cup. In finals it always comes down to who plays the best cricket on the day and like us St Lawrence will be hoping it is them

“We have a good mix of experience and youth. It certainly helps having a batsman like Richard Gould in the side and players such as Phil Carter, Paul Huddlestone and Chris Rhodes, but the youngsters have played their part.

“Ryan Kitson and Max Senior have done well with the ball. Max is only 15 but he has opened the bowling. ”

Gomersal have one big dilemma going into the final and that is the choice of their wicketkeeper.

Matt Wilby, the club’s cricket chairman, has been ruled out by a serious finger injury, but despite having played his Test cricket as a wicketkeeper-batsman Blain will not be pulling on the gloves.

“I have to have a spinal fusion operation soon to cure a back injury. I haven’t kept for about 15 years because of it.

“Who keeps wicket is an issue. Paul Huddlestone has done it before but he has been a real find for us as an off spinner this season, and our skipper Phil Carter is a former keeper.”

Blain, who is a PE teacher at Queensbury School, added: “It is a real pity that Matt Wilby is missing out because he was keeping extremely well, but whoever takes over won’t let us down.”

Victory for Gomersal would help compensate for their first team’s defeat by Shepley in last week’s Heavy Woollen Cup final, but opponents Pudsey St Lawrence also have good reason for wanting to lift the Shield.

They were defeated in their last final appearance in 2009 by Hanging Heaton, but showed when defeating holders Yeadon in the semi-finals that they have the determination to go one better this time.

St Lawrence also have a good mix of youth and experience and though their league form has been inconsistent, they have been impressive in the Shield.

They avenged their 2009 final defeat by beating Hanging Heaton in the first round, and after seeing off the Division Two duo of Idle and Manningham Mills they snatch a one-wicket win over holders Yeadon in the semi-final.

Skipper Milligan and Phil Wilson have been the cornerstones of the batting while the evergreen Chris Hester has been their most successful bowler. He headed the second Teams Division One bowling averages at the halfway stage of the season and has also chipped in with valuable runs.

Normally St Lawrence, a Division One side, would be hot favourites to win but the presence of players like Blain and Gould in the Gomersal side make this a much harder match the call. The Shield final has often thrown up compelling contests in recent years and this one certainly has the potential to add to that list