New structure is finalised as cricket leagues merge

The new structure will be headed by a 12-team Premier League, followed by two 12-club Championship sections and a 13-team Conference division.

It was originally planned to have two 10-team Champiionship sections, with inter-divisional matches, but it was proving difficult to schedule fixtures in a balanced way.

Bradford League chairman David Young said: “The increase in the championship divisions to 12 will assist fixture arranging and there will be no planned Sunday league games in all our divisions.

“In constructing the championship divisions we have tried to achieve a good mix of clubs from the Bradford League and CYL.”

First Teams

Premier: Bradford & Bingley, Cleckheaton, East Bierley, Farsley, Hanging Heaton, Lightcliffe, Morley, New Farnley, Pudsey Congs, Pudsey St Lawrence, Scholes, Woodlands.

Championship A: Baildon, Batley, Birstall, Hunslet Nelson, Idle, Keighley, Liversedge, Ossett, Saltaire, Undercliffe, Windhill, Yeadon.

Championship B: Altofts, Bankfoot, Bowling Old Lane, Brighouse, Carlton, Gomersal, Hartshead Moor, Hopton Mills, Methley, Spen Victoria, Townville, Wrenthorpe.

Conference: Adwalton, Azaad, Buttershaw SP, Crossbank, East Ardsley, East Leeds, Gildersome, Great Preston, Heckmondwike, Northowram, Oulton, Rodley, Wakefield SM.

Second Teams

Premier: East Bierley, Farsley, Hanging Heaton, Lightcliffe, Morley, New Farnley, Pudsey Congs, Pudsey St Lawrence, Saltaire, Undercliffe, Woodlands, Yeadon

Championship A: Baildon, Bankfoot, Birstall, Bowling Old Lane, Bradford & Bingley, Brighouse, Cleckheaton, Idle, Keighley, Ossett, Scholes, Windhill.

Championship B: Altofts, Azaad, Batley, Carlton, East Ardsley, Gomersal, Hartshead Moor, Hopton Mills, Methley, Spen Victoria, Wakefield St Michael’s, Wrenthorpe.

Conference: Adwalton, Buttershaw SP, Crossbank, East Leeds, Gildersome, Great Preston, Heckmondwike, Hunslet Nelson, Liversedge, Oulton, Rodley, Townville, Northowram Fields.

Highly rated opening batsman Tim Jackson has left Cleckheaton to join local rivals Woodlands in 2016.

Jackson helped Cleckheaton win back to back first division titles in 2013 and 2014 sand scored 888 league runs last season. Former Scotland international Iain Wardlaw has also left to join Huddersfield League side Hoylandswaine but Cleckheaton have made four new signings, introducing batsman Chris Holliday from Methley, Sam Wilson from Pool and all-rounder Mohammad Zaman returning to the club, while there will be a new overseas player in Mohammad Bilawal.

Hanging Heaton opening batsman Nick Connolly, Woodlands all-rounder Chris Brice and Pudsey St Lawrence’s Mark Robertshhaw have been short-listed for the JCT600 Bradford League player of the season.

Robertshaw helped St Lawrence win the league title and topped the batting averages with 1,003 runs.

Connolly hit five centuries on his way to 928 runs, while Brice topped the bowling averages having taken 68 wickets.

To vote on the player of the season visit www.bradfordcl.com.