Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup final preview 2006

It's a David v Goliath cup final clash

Posted August 24, 2006

Bowling Old Lane: Division Two leaders

Woodlands: Division One leaders

This year's Sovereign HealthCare Priestley Cup final is a true David v Goliath battle with this season's giant-killers Bowling Old Lane tackling the defending SDS Bradford League champions, Woodlands.

The clash also throws up the intriguing prospect of the Division Two leaders trying to topple the side currently dominating Division One.

And if that isn't enough, Old Lane's side doesn't have a single player who has played in a Priestley Cup final, while Woodlands have Murphy Walwyn making a record 12th final appearance and seven of their team - Russell Murray, Nicky Rushworth, Tim Orrell, Adam Goldthorpe, Chris Brice, Safraz Ahmed and Richard Spittlehouse are appearing in their fourth successive finals.

However apart from Walwyn - who won six cup finals with East Bierley - there is only one player on view, opener Russell Murray who has been in a cup winning side. He appeared for Pudsey Congs in their 1995 win over Yeadon.

Woodlands will be most people's favourites to win, but Old Lane have shone they love to be cast in the role of underdogs.

In their run to the final they have defeated three Division One sides, Farsley, Idle and Hanging Heaton, while they beat Division two promotion rivals Spen Victoria in the quarter-finals.

Old Lane have proved themselves to be unbeatable in the cup on their own ground, but now they have to transfer that form onto the big stage and against a Woodlands side which has massive strength in depth.

Under the guidance of Tahir Khan, who took over the captaincy this season, Old Lane have made tremendous strides forward in both cup and league. Promotion to Division One is moving ever closer and the cup success has given them an added bonus.

Old Lane have some experienced campaigners in their ranks, men like opening bowler Zubair Najeeb, the former Farsley middle-order batsman Naeem Ashraf and wicketkeeper/batsman Imran Mirza. They also have a very useful overseas professional in Malik Aftab.

All have performed admirably this season, but they haven't faced a test as big as the one Woodlands present. The champions have been ruthlessly efficient in this season's cup campaign defeating Esholt, Saltaire, East Bierley and Pudsey Congs.

The manner in which they took Pudsey Congs apart in the semi-finals and avenged their two final defeats in 2004 and 2005 was impressive with Yorkshire all-rounder Richard Pyrah, much as he has been this campaign, in the thick of the action.

Woodlands are a side with lots of batting and have depth and variety in their bowling. In fact, their bowling attack has proved itself the best in the top flight this season.

The new-ball pair of Safraz Ahmed and Pieter Swanepoel are at the opposition from the tart, while Pyrah, Richard Spittlehouse and Murphy Walwyn provide seam bowling back up.

Perhaps on of the players who doesn't get as much praise as he deserves is left arm spinner Chris Brice. Both his economy and strike rates have been impressive and he poses a big threat to Old Lane.

The batting line-up is packed with stroke-players, men like Scott Richardson, Pyrah, skipper Tim Orrell, Adam Goldthorpe and Nicky Rushworth. There is also the formidable figure of Murphy Walwyn coming in at number seven. He has turned many a game on its head.