Hanging Heaton eye historic HW Cup final glory

The Bennett Lane men will have home advantage in the final and a big crowd is expected at Bennett Lane on Sunday for the visit of fellow Bradford League side New Farnley (start noon).

While Heaton will feature in their 22nd Heavy Woollen Cup final, New Farnley are playing in their first final as they seek to cause an upset.

Farnley are in confident mood as they chase promotion from Division Two at the first attempt having switched from the Central Yorkshire League last winter.

Farnley have some quality players in their ranks, not least former county man Ian Fisher and top order batsman Lee Goddard, who moved to Lawns Lane from East Bierley.

John Carruthers will feature in his sixth Heavy Woollen final but Hanging Heaton’s playing chairman has not had the best of luck in the compeition having won just one out of five to date.

Carruthers said: “I have lost in the final to Windhill, Spen Victoria, Baildon and Wrenthorpe, with the only win coming against Baildon.

“For a lot of our team, it will be their first taste of a major cup final, although Gary Fellows has won the Heavy Woollen Cup five times with Wrenthorpe and will be chasing a sixth with us.”

It promises to be a real family occasion for the Suggitt brothers as Joe switched from his home club Farnley to join Hanging Heaton in the winter and he is set to meet brother Tom in Sunday’s showdown.

Dan Busfield lives in the village and played all his junior career at Bennett Lane before having spells at Birstall and New Farnley and he too will come up against his former teammates.

Young spinner Jamie Baulk has been in terrific form in this season’s competition, having claimed 12 wickets in the four rounds priod to the final, while Heaton will look to key members of the side Fellows, Joe Fraser, David Stiff and captain Mark Lawson to hit form and ensure the cup returns to Bennett Lane after a 13 year absence.

Fellows is having a magnificent first campaign with Heaton and last Saturday passed the 1,000 runs mark for the club when he made 93 against Pudsey St Lawrence.

The former Yorkshire batsman has scored over 630 Bradford League runs and would love to reach the 1,000 mark in the remaining six matches.

Admission on Sunday is £3 adults and £1.50 concessions and the gates open at 10.30am.