Tahir Khan

Bowling Old Lane are back in the top flight after clinching the Division Two championship today.

Their title triumph was secured when rain washed out the entire SDS Bradford League programme.

The Old Lane players waited for confirmation that the matches involving their two closest rivals - Manningham Mills and Spen Victoria had been called off before starting their celebrations.

Their home match with Yeadon had been abandoned soon after the scheduled start time, but they had to wait for the news that Spen's match at Windhill and finally Mills' game at Lightcliffe had also fallen victim of the weather.

Winning the title was perfect compensation for losing the Sovereign HealthCare Priestley Cup final to Division One leaders Woodlands, six days earlier.

Skipper Tahir Khan, who has guided the side to the title in his first season in charge, said: "It is a bit of anti-climax winning it without playing, but we aren't going to complain.

"This has been our objective all season. Getting back into Division One is a tremendous boost for the club and it is a reward for a great team effort.

"We don't have any big stars, but all our players have contributed at some stage. Five of our batsmen have got between 350 and 400 runs, but we haven't had one big scorer. People have chipped in when needed.

"Our strength has been our bowling. Zubair Najeeb has spearheaded the attack with our overseas Malik Aftab, while Amjid Khan and our spinner Mohammad Hanif have taken many valuable wickets."

Skipper Khan, who was in the Saltaire side which won the Division Two title in 2003, says his team have nothing to fear in the top flight.

"We have beaten three Division One sides in the cup this season and have shown that we can compete with them. The biggest compliment we have had this season came from Woodlands skipper Tim Orrell after the cup final. He told us we had given his side their toughest game of the season.

"If we can push Woodlands hard and they are the best team in Division One, we should go into next season fearing no one. We just have to concentrate on our own game. That is what we have done this season and it has worked really well."

Khan is not envisaging too much change to his title-winning team. "We might make the odd subtle little change, but nothing more than that. The lads who have got us up deserve to show that we can compete and stay in Division One. That is our objective."

Khan is looking forward to next week's final game of the season at Undercliffe. "It will be nice to play in a stress free game. We seem to have had pressure on us in every match."

The pressure next week will be on Manningham Mills and Spen Victoria as they battle it out for the second promotion place. Mills are at Windhill while Spen are at home to Lightcliffe.

Mills have a two-point advantage, but it promises to be a tense time for the promotion chasers.

The washout in Division One strengthens Woodlands hopes of retaining their title, they lead by 26 points with just three games to play, while at the bottom Keighley are all but relegated. They are 46 points adrift of third from bottom Cleckheaton and they will be condemned to rapid return to Division Two if they lose at home to Hanging Heaton tomorrow.