East Bierley captain Matthew Anderson with the Priestley Shield

Six of the best from all-rounder Paul Ellis enabled East Bierley to retain the Sovereign Health Care Priestley Shield with a 37-run win over Woodlands at Undercliffe.

Ellis took six for 44 in a devastating second spell which extinguished any hopes Woodlands had of winning the trophy for the third time.

Woodlands collapsed from a potential match-winning position of 141-3 to 187 all out in reply to an East Bierley score of 224-6.

The win means that East Bierley can complete a league championship and Priestley Shield double if they defeat Farsley in their final JCT 600 Bradford League Second Teams Division One game on Saturday.

In a game that was a wonderful advert for second team cricket, East Bierley showed their all-round strength as they defeated a game Woodlands side on an afternoon when there were many fine individual performances.

Ellis was deservedly chosen as Man of the Match by adjudicator Mick Illingworth for his six for 44 and timely 24 not out at the end of the East Bierley innings, but there was so much more to admire.

On the East Bierley side there was some impressive fast bowling from Dan Abbott (2-19) and Chris Brook (1-30). There was also an attractive innings of 40 from their 15-year-old opener Scott Douglas who then took two stunning catches in the deep, while skipper Matthew Anderson changed the complexion of his side's innings with a rapid 33 and followed up with a tidy ten over spell of off spin which yielded 36 runs.

One of the pleasing feature of the game was the fact that the spin bowlers had the chance to shine. It was a refreshing change to see the first ball of the final bowled by an off spinner, especially when he is only 16-years-old, but Harry Smallwood stood up to the test superbly to return figures of three for 17 in ten overs - this was the fourth successive time he had taken three wickets in this season's competition.

Woodlands skipper Phil Walker was the most economical spinner on view, yielding just 13 runs in ten overs. He also made top score of 64 for Woodlands, an innings which looked as if it was setting his side on target for a successful run chase until he was brilliantly caught by Douglas on the boundary edge.

Walker, who hit eight fours, shared a third-wicket stand of 100 with Greig Godfrey who made a stylish 57 with a six and five fours before he was superbly caught by Leigh Abbott from the bowling of Chris Brook. They had revived their side from a precarious 24-2 after East Bierley paceman Dan Abbott had removed opener Cieran Garner and Tom Smallwood with short deliveries.

From looking a little down and in end of some inspiration, East Bierley were suddenly filled with confidence and the way they closed the match out was a lesson in making the most of your chances.

Richard Godfrey, sent in to up the tempo, was Ellis's first victim thanks to a fine catch by Douglas. When he bowled Keith Robson for a duck e Woodlands were 142-6.

The killer blow came 15 runs later when Walker attempted to hit Ellis over long on for six and was caught just inside the boundary by Douglas.

The floodgates were open and Ellis followed up by dismissing Robert Medcalf, Steven Pearson and Elliott Milnes before John Davis claimed the final wicket in the last over when skipper Matthew Anderson caught Joel Metcalfe just inside the midwicket boundary

It was fitting that the captain should have a hand in the final dismissal on a day when his team did him proud, right from the minute he won the toss and elected to bat first.

Openers Douglass (40) and Arron Brook (28) looked in little trouble as they shared a stand of 79 before Brook - last year's Man of the Match with an epic innings of 144 not out against Bowling Old Lane - was neatly stumped by the impressive Woodlands wicketkeeper Elliott Milnes off the bowling of Harry Smallwood.

The young off spinner, clearly not fazed by the pressure of playing in a final, followed up by ending Douglas' elegant innings with the aid of a catch by Walker and trapped the unfortunate James Petty lbw first ball.

When Greig Godfrey dismissed John Davis lbw for 14, East Bierley had slipped to 96-4 and their innings was losing momentum.

Leigh Abbott set about repairing the damage in partnership with Gareth Davis. Abbott looked to attack at every opportunity while Davis was content to play watchfully and push the singles.

Abbott looked to be moving into top gear when he was well caught by Harry Smallwood from the bowling of Richard Godfrey.

His dismissal brought in skipper Anderson who soon made his intentions clear as he hit two huge sixes sailing out of the ground from Richard Godfrey's bowling.

Anderson squeezed the accelerator at just the right time and when he holed out to Garner in the deep off the bowling of Greig Godfrey, Man of the Match Ellis came in and made the bowlers suffer.

He clipped a six over the roof of the pavilion and struck another one over long on as he made a bright 24 not out in partnership with Gareth Davis who finished 31 not out.

The late assault meant East Bierley had a total of 224 to defend - a far bigger score than seemed likely when they were labouring at 144-5.

It is a measure of the quality of their side that whenever they needed somebody to step up and make a contribution they did so, but they are only too aware that Woodlands drew the best out of them with their determined approach.

It may have been a bitingly cold day but the spectators who watched it will surely have been warmed by the cricket and will no doubt be watching out for the future achievements of the talented youngsters who made their mark on this final, players like Scott Douglas, Harry Smallwood, Dan Abbott, Elliott Milnes and Liam Walsh. This was a final which had so much to commend it.

Man of the Match Paul Ellis of East Bierley