Computer scoring has been introduced to the JCT 600 Bradford League for the first time and the experiment is already proving a big success.

Woodlands scorer Richard Kosmala created a piece of league history when he scored his club's opening Division One game against Cleckheaton on a laptop.

And this weekend East Bierley scorer John Atkinson will use the Total Cricket Scorer software to record his club's first team game with Pudsey St Lawrence.

Woodlands and East Bierley were keen to pilot the scheme in the JCT 600 Bradford League and have been delighted with the potential of the software package.

Woodlands scorer Richard Kosmala attended a pre-season training course with Barnsley scorer Kevin Motley - who has used Total Cricket Scorer for three seasons - and after that was anxious to have a go.

"After playing around on a trial version of the programme, I was really excitid by what I saw. I wanted to start using it straight away, but I didn't think I would get a chance so soon.

"I was staggered when the league officials said they were keen to conduct an experiment and were prepared to help us get it for the start of the season."

Kosmala used a trial version of the Total Cricket scorer in a pre-season friendly at Ramsbottom before the league provided a full version of the software on the eve of the season.

Woodlands scretary Brian Pearson said: "It is an amazing package and seems so easy to use. We are delighted to be at the centre of something which is helping to improve the standing of the league.

"The quality of the information the programme provides and the statistics it can generate are fantastic. I know that Kosy is delighted with the way things have developed. The programme is easy to use, but we are indebted to David Young, Alan Birkinshaw and Mike Baker for the hard work and support they gave to get this project off the ground."

The Total Cricket Scorer pagkage enables website editor Alan Birkinshaw to carry updated line scores and scorecards as often as he wants without the scorers having to break off from their duties.

Alan explains: "By registering with the live scores facility on the Total Cricket Scorer website the information can be secured without the scorer having to break off from the game. Both Richard and John have dongles connected to their computers which provide them with remote broadband access.

"One of the greatest things about this experiment is the tremendous enthusiasm and determination of everybody to exploit the huge potential of the programme.

"Richard Kosmala has done a lot of work on the mechanics of scoring a match and examining its potential in generating all sort of statistics, while East Bierley have looked at developing the various outputs so that the very best live scores service can be supplied to all our media outlets.

"From the moment the league introduced a live scores service last season East Bierley started projecting it onto the big screen in their clubhouse. Now they can have live scoreboards from all their own games and the potential is there for ball-by-ball updates in the near future."

To demonstrate the ease with which people can learn to use the software, Spen Victoria scorer Jack Birkinshaw was given a trial version, 10 minutes of tuition, and then asked to score his side's Division Two game with Morley.

Jack had scored on a laptop previously using the Willow Scorebook programme, but he said: "Total Cricket Scorer was easy to pick up. It is user friendly and I didn't encounter any problems."

Any club interested in taking a look at the Total Cricket Scorebook softwares can download a five-match free trial version at www.totalcricketscorer.com/

To be able to operate you need power in the scorebox or at the part of the ground you are going to score at as a laptop battery will not last more than a couple of hours top whack

"I must stress this is an experiment and it is something we are prepared to support any club with if they are interested in introducing laptop scoring," said Alan Birkinshaw. "I don't want people getting carried away with the idea that this is something that is going to be forced upon clubs.

"It would be wrong of us to deny those clubs that want to push out the boundaries of information provision the chance to do so. The Management Board has demonstrated repeatedly in recent times its determination to raise standards and this is just another example of what can be achieved with partnership and co-operation between clubs and league officials."

If your club is interested in laptop scoring and would like to register an interest in taking part, please contact Alan Birkinshaw or David Young.