Airedale & Wharfedale League Prospects

Wow! no predictions for the new season, after what was one of the most successful seasons for the club in 2025, culminating in the team winning the Waddilove Cup for the first time in our history. At the end of the last season Richard Atkins stepped back from skippering the side although his experience and cricket talents will still be available to new first team captain James Nixon, who will again be supported by the very experienced Ricky Palacio as vice-captain.

We have continued our close association with New Zealand cricketers as Jack Duffy will join us as our overseas player for the forthcoming season, along with Jacob Parker returning for a second season.

As you would expect, the club intends to continue the ethos of developing talent from within and the policy of providing opportunities for developing talent to experience the first team cricket. Last season again saw several players who have progressed from our juniors ranks make an excellent and positive impacts in the in both the first and second teams.

Steve Kuhl will continue as second team skipper having taken over mid-season and will look to continue the excellent form seen in the second half of last season, which saw the team compete well in what is a very competitive Second XI Division 2. As with the first team, the emphasis on giving youth the chance to perform in senior cricket will be at the forefront of our approach.

Off the field, the club has continued to invest in and improve the equipment at the club with the focus is continuing on the ground and build on the excellent progress made with the square over the last two years. We continue to receive fantastic support from club members and excellent support from local businesses and the community which is valued and welcome.

As with most clubs we are looking forward to the new season and trust we can continue to provide competitive and entertaining cricket played within the spirit of the game.

Adel CC

There is no hiding from the disappointment of last season's conclusion: both the First XI and Second XI were relegated from their respective divisions. We go into 2026 acknowledging that, and with a clear determination to put it right. The fact that our Under-18s won the U18’s champions play off final last season provides us with further optimism for the season.

This is our 150th anniversary season, a milestone that deserves to be marked with celebration.

Joe Harrison takes over as First XI captain, bringing fresh energy and focus to the role. Matt Kirkham continues to lead the Second XI, providing important continuity. Both have our full support.

We have strengthened the squad with three new signings. Ashley Pearson joins from East Ardsley, Ollie Fellows arrives from Buckley CC in Wales, and Paul Swales — a familiar face — returns to the club from St Chad's Broomfield. We are delighted to welcome all three.

Our overseas signing is 19-year-old Tom Turner from Burnside West University Cricket Club in Christchurch, New Zealand. Tom is a hard-hitting, positive batsman who scores freely all around the ground. He is equally keen to make an impact off the field — working with our junior section and passing on his knowledge of the game. We can't wait to see him play.

The Third XI continues its important development role, providing a bridge for our junior players into senior cricket. If availability holds up, we are confident of a strong season across all three sides.

The 150th anniversary celebrations — including a fixture against the MCC on 3rd July — make 2026 a year to remember whatever happens on the pitch.

See www.adelcc.com/adel150.html for full details of our anniversary events. We look forward to welcoming everyone to Adel this season.

Alwoodley CC

With the prospect of First Division cricket for the first XI for the first time since Geoff Weir was a wee lad, it promises to be a summer of change on the cricket side of things at Crag Lane. So naturally, we are pleased to welcome back our first team skipper from 2019-2022, Christian White, for a second bite of the cherry.

That means it’s one and done for Giaan Duggal, who steps down with a drop of the microphone after one season at the helm and guiding ACC to a memorable promotion on the last day of the season - capping a fantastic season for the club, and all while sitting his university exams. Not bad for a lad who can’t catch!

Without the immediate prospect of fighting for re-election, we’re looking forward to a new dressing room pep-talk from Chris - welcome back!

The second XI gave a very creditable account of themselves in 2nd XI Division One and will be hoping to push on once again under the leadership of Jasi Lota, while Javed Mahmood is an exciting appointment for the 3rd XI as they look to bounce back from relegation last season - thanks again to Rob Mould for his hard work over the past few years.

The club continues to develop at a rapid rate with the committee doing a fantastic job of turning it round, and we look forward to showing off what Alwoodley has to offer to new friends and old in 2026.

Bardsey CC

The 2025 season was a mixture of high spots and challenges for both our Aire-Wharfe teams. After some hard-fought narrow wins in the early part of the season, the 1st XI squandered some promising positions and missed out on points too often. Despite that, we saw some really promising performances from our younger players in their first experiences of 1st XI cricket which we take a lot of encouragement from.

The 2nd XI didn’t do themselves justice in Reserve Division 3 last season and will be looking to be much more consistent in 2026. Many of the juniors who make up the core of the side are a year older and – hopefully – a year wiser and we look forward to watching them continue to develop.

Jonathan Wilson and Gary Hopton continue as 1st XI and 2nd XI captains. Jack Geldard is unable to return as our overseas player this year, so we are in the final stages of signing a top order batsman from South Africa at time of press. We will continue to field a development side in the Leeds T20 league on Thursday evenings.

In other developments, we have re-formed our u18s team after a gap of a few years, who will be playing their fixtures in the Nidderdale Junior League. We have a good mix of experienced players and younger ones just moving up to the age bracket, so we are excited by their potential. We continue to welcome boys and girls of all ages into our junior section and have seen an increasing number of girls joining in the past two seasons. We are also hopeful, after some very encouraging cricket “taster sessions” in August last year, that we may be able to re-launch a women’s side at the club.

Pre-season preparations on the square and outfield are well underway, and we are in discussions about some internal refurbishments for the clubhouse too. Our bar offering has also been diversified with a few more options on draught. Wishing our fellow member clubs good luck and sunny days for the season ahead. A warm welcome awaits all players, umpires and spectators at Keswick Lane.

Bilton CC

The 2025 season finished on a high for Bilton CC 1 st XI as they won Division one and returned to the

Premier League at the first time of asking. We go into this season with the confidence we can make an instant impact and be competitive in every game. We go in with the majority of the 2026 squad plus 2 new additions. We also have some really promising young players in the club who made great impacts when needed last season and we hope for the same in 2026.

Adam Pearson has arrived from East Ardsely with a promising reputation, adding fire power to our

opening bowling as a left arm quick. James Ford joins BCC from Knaresborough as first choice wicket keeper, adding a formidable presence in the top order. Ryan Heptinstall continues as Captain this season ably supported by David Cummings as Vice-Captain. Unfortunately, we have lost Richard Vass this year who has moved to Ripley in the Nidderdale Senior Cricket League, and he goes with our very best wishes and good luck for this season.

The 2nd XI are looking to head back up to the 2nd Team Division 1 following last season’s stabilisation in Division 2, alongside with a good Birtwhistle cup run. Given the further strengthening of the 1st team, it bodes well that the 2nd team will be strong and benefit from this also. We are also looking to introduce and continue with a number of our juniors this season, as just reward for continuing to excel at age group level. We’re very excited to see them progress this season.

Alex Heptinstall is this season’s new 2nd XI captain taking over from Neil Styrin who steps down and retires after an admirable 10-year stint. The whole club thank Neil for his brilliant contribution. Carl Heptinstall has also elected to retire from senior club cricket this season after being an almost always present for the last 20 years. All at BCC thank Carl for his significant contributions over the years. Paul Cannings has made the decision to continue his cricket with Collingham for 2026, and again, the club wish to put on record it’s huge thanks for all of Paul’s efforts within the club over the last 20 years.

The Sunday 3rd XI will continue this season under the stewardship of Harry Scholfield, who at 16 takes his first steps into captaincy. All at BCC wish him the very best of luck in this exciting new step in his cricketing career. The 3rd XI is still seen as an excellent opportunity for our age group juniors to cut their teeth in senior cricket, and we look forward to introducing more this season. All 3 teams are feeling buoyed by a valuable pre-season net regime and are looking forward to delivering some great cricket at Bilton Lane this year.

Bingley Congregationals CC

The Club, now into our fourth season in the Aire-Wharfe Senior Cricket League, are looking to consolidate our First & Second teams in the divisions they were successful in reaching after our 2025 promotion year. Our First team have reached the new heights of League One whilst our Second team have returned to Second Teams Division Two where they were in the 2024 season. We continue to see our Sunday Third Development eleven very much as the description “Development” suggests as the team for the introduction to and development of our junior cricketers supported by more senior players as required on the day. After relaunching our junior section five years ago, the first influx of juniors through the All Stars programme are now regularly featuring in our under 13 and soon to be in 2026 under 15 teams with some sure to be pressing for regular senior cricket.

In captaincy and playing terms, George Hicks continues as First XI captain with Alex Bradbury as his vice-captain. Unfortunately, overseas player Archer Coates, who was the winner of the Division Two batting award in 2025, will not be returning. In his place we have recruited batting / leg spinner Tarandeep Singh Chawla, who plays for the Ambassadors Cricket Club in the Ontario Cricket Association, Canada. He has a hard act to follow. Squad wise currently, we have retained all our players from 2025 and have added Zeeshan Ali from Shadwell and Ali Hussain from Keighley to strengthen our player pool and add competition for places in our two Aire-Wharfe Saturday teams.

In respect of our Second XI, Simon Bailey retains the captaincy and will be assisted this season by, 2025 award winning all-rounder, Towhid Ali as vice-captain. Whilst for our Sunday Development Third XI, a new captain, Ryan Baines will be leading his young team supported by more senior cricketers as are available on the day.

Development change continues at Beckfoot Lane with last year’s provision of a second cricket square on the adjacent playing area being expanded to allow both a Saturday Third XI and new Fourth XI to play in the Craven League. Each Saturday there will now be two games at Beckfoot Lane and to prevent balls flying between the two playing areas we are in the process of installing high ball stop netting. As mentioned last year the reasoning for the move to create two cricket ovals to engender and improve the Congs’ Club Spirit proved to be correct.

The basis for success in senior cricketing circles must be a strong and developing junior section which continues to be the case for Congs. The new cricket square with increased capacity for the 2026 season has allowed us to add two more junior teams including one girls’ team who will play in the West Yorkshire Women and Girls League this coming season.

We restate that our Club ethos continues to be focused on our traditions of being a family club, playing hard but enjoying our Saturdays and Sundays, and midweek evenings, and we look forward to continuing welcoming all players, officials & spectators to Beckfoot Lane during the 2026 season.

Bolton Villas CC 1924

Bolton Villas are set for an intriguing season, having retained the core of their squad, which is essential for consistency. Although they lost a couple of players, the team has strengthened its lineup with a few new recruits, including an Indian overseas all-rounder and a classy top order batter.

This addition is expected to enhance both the batting and bowling departments, bringing valuable experience and versatility. The fist team is also looking at Adam Ahmed and Anas Yahya to consolidate first team places. True to recent Villas mantra, 'don't die wondering' will again be the ethos.

The combination of retained players and new arrivals could be the key to unlocking their potential this season. Mo Hussain remains first team skipper with Omar Hassan leading a very youthful second team, the consistency of some older experience will provide the ideal combination.

Burley-In-Wharfedale CC

Burley Cricket Club extend a warm welcome to everybody who visits Hodson Park in 2026. Visitors will notice series of changes that have taken place with the groundsman's building now complete thanks to a grant from Sport England. This has now allowed the ground to be extended into the old tennis court making the boundary longer in that corner and the shape of the outfield more oval. The artificial strip on the square has also been renewed.

During the season, we are hoping that a new indoor cricket facility will be built .This exciting project, complete with bowling machine will allow anybody in the area to practice any time of the year.

On the playing front we welcome all-rounder Jake Ross to the club and the return of Sam Fox and Matthew Revis. Our overseas player is Cayden Wilson from Eastern Province, South Africa. Departing us are Jonathan Postle, Richard and Edward Brook, and Mack Hall. We wish them well at their new clubs.

Following successful campaigns in 2025, Mark Harrison and Lewis Morgan both continue as first and second team captains respectively. We thank Freddie Watson for captaining the thirds and welcome Ben Rowlands to this position this season.

As always, the club develops it junior players and expects another 150 All Stars (5- to 8-year-olds) to begin their cricket journey at Burley. Women's cricket continues to thrive under the leadership of Wendi Bolton and Amy Cheetham with both hard ball and soft ball teams competing at youth and adult levels.

Calverley St Wilfrids CC

In 2026 the club have retained the same captains as last season, who will be hoping to keep up the good progress and go one more this year and gain promotion / win the league. Tayyab Riaz has returned for his 4th season as our overseas, which saw him close to 1,000 league runs last season.

The club intends to continue developing talent from within and provide opportunities for developing talent to experience the first team cricket. Last season again saw several players who have progressed from our juniors ranks make an excellent and positive impacts in the in both the first / second and third teams.

The club has welcomed Haris Hussain, Umar Azeem and Hamza Azeem with a couple more transfers in the pipeline, who will be great additions to our club.

We look forward to welcoming everyone at Victoria Park for the 2026 season.

Collingham & Linton CC

The 1st XI are once again led by Ed Hayhurst, with the side aiming to make a strong start in the league to quickly overturn the points deductions and kicking on towards a far more consistent season than 2025 with a strong cup run.

Following the off-season departure of Leo Johnson to play in Newcastle, the rest of the squad remains the same with no other outgoings. We are thrilled to add Aidan Plaatjies from South Africa as our first overseas signing in three years, strengthening the batting line-up.

Stephen James will take over as 2nd XI captain after a successful two years as captain for Ali Batey including winning the 1st Division last season. The team are looking to challenge at the top of the league once again whilst also looking to regain the Birtwhistle Cup. The signing of Paul Cannings (Wicket Keeper / Batter) from Bilton during the winter will result in the second team being strengthened and there is no reason why Stephen and his team cannot achieve both league and cup success.

The 3rd XI will be captained by Rob Anderson again, with the aim of continuing to develop the C&LCC youngsters into adult cricket. It was pleasing last year to see some juniors progress into the 2nd team, and we look forward to existing juniors building on their performances from last season accompanied by senior players guiding the way for them.

Our Ladies and Girls team, the Collingham Emeralds, have been promoted to Division 1 in the West Yorkshire Women’s and Girls Softball League for the upcoming season. In addition, they have entered a team into the West Yorkshire competitive Hardball League for the first time under the captaincy of Vanessa Rhodes and vice captaincy of Janette Cawcutt. The team are excited about the challenging level of cricket which lies ahead of them in 2026.

We welcome all clubs to Harewood Road this season.

Follifoot CC

After an expected challenging season last year, the club enters the 2026 season with cautious optimism after some new joiners. James Orton continues as 1st XI captain supported by a core group of senior players including, Tommy Stewart and Alex Fox – who will be available having missed a large part of last season through injury.

The 1st XI will be boosted by the recruitment of Mo Bashir and Mohammad Atta Hamid. The club also welcomes all-rounder Jack Love from Melbourne as their overseas player who will add depth to the batting and bowling. The strong cohort of county junior players who debuted for the second team last year will be pressing for first team selection this season

The 2nd XI will look to build on the progress of last season with a good mix of youth and experience and the addition of several new players including Olly Laycock. Steven Townsend and Graham Dixon.

We look forward to welcoming all players, officials and supporters to the ground this coming season and let's hope for plenty of good weather!

Green Lane CC

Green Lane Cricket Club enters the 2026 season with the ambition of delivering another strong campaign across all teams.

Daniel Husband will continue as 1st XI captain, with Ash Roberts again leading the 2nd XI. Both Danny and Ash have provided the club with a stable and reliable leadership base in recent seasons, and their continued stewardship will be central to the club’s aims for the upcoming year. We are also pleased to confirm that David Greenwood will captain the 3rd XI, while Matthew Jackson will lead the club’s T20 side during the 2026 season.

The club is delighted with its recruitment over the winter period and warmly welcomes Mitchell Brooker, William Edden and Stanley Etherington to Green Lane CC. Their arrival strengthens the squad as we look to build on the foundations of a successful 2025 season.

Last year saw the 1st XI narrowly miss out on promotion, while the 3rd XI secured the league title in an excellent campaign. The club will be aiming to build on this momentum in 2026. The 2nd XI will be hoping to establish themselves following last season’s relegation, while the club looks forward to another competitive season across all sides.

Encouragingly, the club’s junior section continues to grow from strength to strength. Following a very successful 2025 season for our Under-9s and Under-11s teams, we look forward with optimism to the continued development of our young players in 2026. The future of Green Lane CC remains strong as the club continues to grow both on and off the field.

Away from the playing side, Tommy Powell enters his fourth year as club president and continues to do an excellent job supporting and maintaining the ground. Behind the scenes, many individuals have worked tirelessly throughout the winter to ensure the club continues to support both its playing and social members, and it is extremely pleasing to see such a strong sense of unity and togetherness across Green Lane CC.

We wish all clubs and players the very best for the 2026 season and extend a warm welcome to all visitors to Nunroyd Park.

Guiseley CC

After an incredibly disappointing 2025 campaign the Guiseley CC senior teams have gone through a complete “reset” as they bid for success in 2026.

The 1st XI was relegated for the second time in its history to the bottom Division and has suffered the loss of last year’s Captain, Joel Newlove, to Rawdon and Jake Whittaker to Otley.

Gareth Phillips, who played at Guiseley as a junior before having a very successful period at Pudsey Congs in the Bradford League, where he was Captain, takes on the mantle of being our 1st XI Captain and we can already see the difference he is making in the close season, so we can’t wait for the season “proper”. New recruits include wicket-keeper batsman, Adam Spendelow, from Mirfield Parish in the Huddersfield League and Matt Frost from near neighbours, Burley. Matt will lead the attack with Australian overseas bowler, Nick Brazil, who joins from Airport West CC in Melbourne. The team is further strengthened through the return of top order batsman, Mike Truswell, and one of the League’s leading all-rounders, Aniket Rana.

The 2nd XI is skippered again by Rob Atkinson who will benefit from a large squad with an excellent mix of youth and experience, as the club continues to blood a strong contingent of junior players. Having finished 9th last season and 4th the season before they will hope to me much more competitive in 2026 and to push for one of the two promotion spots.

The 3rd XI has been our most successful team in recent seasons and Bill Darby continues to take the helm mentoring the squad of youngsters, as they make their way in senior cricket, whilst remaining competitive in the top Division.

In other areas the Ladies Section, Guiseley Jets, continues to go from strength to strength having enjoyed great success in the 3 years they have been established, winning trophies every year. They have three teams playing a mix of softball and hardball cricket in 2026. The hardball team has been promoted to the West Yorkshire Premier Division, which is a fantastic achievement after such a short period.

In the Junior Section the club will field 11 teams including a girls U13s team.

Off the field a large patio area has been built alongside the clubhouse to enhance what is already one of the best facilities in the League and everyone is assured of a very warm welcome at Nethermoor.

Harden CC

Harden Cricket Club are looking to bounce back this season in the AWSCL following a tough campaign last year. Our first XI have had a strong winter in recruitment, the squad is aiming for promotion back to the second tier of the AWSCL and is determined to compete at the top end of the table.

The First XI will once again be captained by Andy Wear, with Toby Priestley providing key support. They will be looking to build on the club’s progress over the past few seasons and mount a strong challenge throughout the year. Adding further strength to the squad is our returning overseas signing, Thayne Nel, a talented South African opening bowler who will also bolster the middle order with the bat. His experience and all-round ability will be a key asset throughout the season.

The Second XI, led by captain Richard Falkingham and vice-captain Alan Cuff, they will be looking to bounce back with a blend of youth and experience, they will be aiming for another successful campaign.

This season, we are excited to continue with our Third XI, which will play a crucial role in developing our promising junior players, supported by experienced senior heads. The team will be captained by Neil Waite, with James Leng as vice-captain, as they look to establish themselves and nurture the club’s future talent.

We remain committed to progressing and strengthening all three senior teams, integrating our talented junior players as they continue their journey into senior cricket.

Off the field the club is always looking to progress and push forward with the high standards set to keep a look out for developments throughout the year.

Horsforth CC

On the field for 2026, Joe O’Gorman continues as 1st team captain. Adam Webster stands down as 2nd team captain with our thanks for his huge contribution over recent seasons. He is replaced by club stalwart Kri Lewis while Graeme Buckley continues as captain of the 3rd XI. A special mention and our best wishes to Adam Gillison, who after several years of great service on the field and off, has left West Yorkshire for the sunnier climes of the Dorset coast.

Following ten week winter nets programmes for both the seniors and juniors, there will be some new recruits to the senior playing squads. They will be sponsored by our long-term partner, Lockdown Windows and Doors, alongside new sponsors Optimum Medical and Patient Pharmacy. Our thanks to them and all our other sponsors and supporters. Without them all, improvements like the recently refurbished main scoreboard and new super soaker would not be possible.

As usual, King George’s Field and the clubhouse will be at the centre of a busy programme of sport and community events throughout the summer. Saturdays and Sundays will be busier than ever with more fixtures for the expanding Women and Girls section scheduled on both the senior and junior grounds.

Whatever the weather or parking challenges, we will do our best to offer everyone a warm welcome and wish you an enjoyable and successful season.

Horsforth Hall Park CC

Hall Park have had a great off season where the club have recruited a new top order batter in Aarsam Malik alongside a NZ overseas batter Tayden Smit, who comes with great recommendations. We also welcome back to the club some familiar faces in Jonny Postle and James Carlill which is great news. Long term injury victim last season Rishi Limbechaya is also back and raring to go.

We have retained most of the squad from last season who will look to once again kick on as they gain more experience and exposure.

The 2nd team will once again be looking to achieve a top half finish and a good cup run whilst giving valuable experience to the promising youngsters in the squad.

The 3rd team captaincy has changed hands this season with Ben Abbott taking the reins over from Steve Woods. The club thank Steve for the great efforts in growing the team over the last two seasons. Ben is excited for this new role and keen to bring new ideas to the squad for the development of the younger players new to senior cricket and the more experienced.

Off the field, the club have made upgrades to the outdoor nets and introducing live streaming for the first time. We wish all visiting teams the best of luck for the season ahead and look to forge further friendships on and off the pitch.

Ilkley CC

2025 represented the 175th anniversary of Ilkley Cricket Club and provided a strong season on the pitch, with the 1st team narrowly missing out on promotion, the 2nd team finishing in 2nd place and the 3rd team running away with the league title in an unbeaten league season. The 175th year also provided a great foundation to kick off several projects which are starting to come to fruition in 2026. Support from the local community and Sport England have helped raise the necessary funds for the purchase of a brand-new roller. Further development projects around the club will be implemented throughout 2026, setting a great platform for the years ahead.

There are wholesale changes across the leadership of the senior men’s teams, with Woody Luffman taking over captaincy of 1st XI, Brad Goodaire leading the 2nd XI and Jack Winterbottom taking charge of the 3rd XI. The squad remains largely unchanged in 2026, but we’re pleased to welcome the Tasmanian, Jesse Willmott, as our overseas for the season. We are also happy to welcome Sion Blears to the ranks, joining from Ben Rhydding CC. Dave Pennett continues to provide coaching across the senior playing group and older juniors.

The Ilkley Ladies section has gone from strength-to-strength over the last few years with the summer of 2026 set to be the biggest and most energetic yet. Ilkley now have over 40 ladies playing and training regularly. This year we will be entering 2 ladies’ teams into the division 1 & 2 of the Leeds West Softball league. We’re always excited to welcome new members of all levels for training or games, so please get in touch if you’re interested.

Mark Ross and Chris Dewhirst will continue to oversee junior coaching supported by willing parents, players and older juniors. The club will enter team at all age groups in the Airedale and Wharfedale Junior Cricket League and is supplemented with a team in the Bradford Junior League.

We promise a warm welcome in the pavilion for all spectators, players and officials.

Kirkstall Educational CC

The club is excited for the First and Second Teams to play in both Top Divisions after both teams had successful seasons. The Second Team won the Second Division while the First Team finished 2nd gaining promotion to the Premier Division for the first time since 2016. The Third Team will continue to enjoy playing in the 3rd XI Division 1 along with hopes to go one better in the Chappell Cup.

The off season has seen some new signings who we are looking to forward joining the club and the return of Warrick as overseas for the 3rd year running.

During the winter the club has seen the completion of Yorkshire Water's work under the outfield along with other improvements on and off the field. As always, the club looks forward to welcoming people to the Field of Dreams throughout the summer.

Leeds Modernians CC

Plenty of change at Cookridge Lane this season as the 1st XI looks to bounce back from a disappointing 2025. Jacob Douglass takes over as skipper – our thanks to Jonny Wiggan for all his efforts over the past four seasons – aided by the un-retired Stuart Borrill. They will lead an otherwise youthful team that showed promise towards the end of last season, bolstered by the signing of Frankie Reffold from Bridlington and the return of Ashley Rowden.

The signing of a group of a dozen lads from down the road means that, for the first time in over two decades, we are able to field three senior teams. We hope that the addition of some more experienced senior cricketers will be the difference for the 2nd XI in finding the consistency that has been lacking in maintaining promotion chases in the last couple of years; and underpin a 3rd XI that can hit the ground running while providing even more senior opportunities for our strong U18s set up.

We look forward to welcoming regular and new opposition to the mods this year, and the usual reminder that it's always colder in Cookridge.

Menston CC

The 1st XI is looking forward to competing in the 1st Division following a strong first season back in the division last year. Adam Montague-Millar will once again lead the 1st XI, assisted by George Marsden and we welcome Josh Young from New Zealand as our overseas player.

The 2nd XI will look to improve on a disappointing season last year. In a switch of roles, Steve Millward will captain the team with Tom Rhea as vice-captain. With plenty of quality junior cricketers at the club, we are excited to see them progress through the senior ranks and get plenty of opportunities in the 2nd XI this year.

Our 3rd XI will again be led by Charles Pullan and the team are looking forward to another enjoyable and successful season in Division 1, with the aim of giving more junior players the opportunity to play in the Airedale & Wharfedale Senior Cricket League.

Our 4th XI will be led by Dave Holder and following a successful season in 2025. Our 4th and 5th teams continue to give fantastic opportunities for all ages & abilities in senior cricket.

We are continuing to develop and improve our second ground at High Royds and it’s fantastic to be able to offer 5 senior men’s teams across two grounds. In a change of captaincy, Tim Yeardley will lead our 5th XI for the 2026 season.

Our Women’s 1st XI will again participate in the West Yorkshire Women & Girls Cricket League and aim to carry on the great work they are doing with the progression of a second (development) XI. We remind everyone that match day parking at The Fox Ground is in the adjacent Church car park, with the exception of Sundays where it’s on Station Road, Menston.

We wish all within the Aire-Wharfe league well and hope for a successful season.

New Rover CC

New Rover enjoyed an improved season overall last year. After a slow start with just 2 wins from the first 8 the first team performed very well after that with 10 wins In 13 completed fixtures. The very strong junior section came into its own with 4 fixtures (of which 3 were won) featuring 5 of the u15 squad in the team and Ashwin, Shaurya, Alex and Lewis will very much be in the regular first team pool of players. The club is very pleased to welcome Carlo Zanella from Sydney as the overseas player for the season. For the first time we are also entering the league T20 competition which will be a good challenge for the team.

The second team slipped away in the second half of the season after a strong start. With several additions and hopefully a better run on injuries a promotion push will be the aim. The third team will continue to continue to blood the junior members and give them valuable experience in senior cricket.

Off the field, we are very pleased to welcome Harry Smallwood who will take on many of the groundsman duties as Keith Boyce takes an incredibly well-earned step back at the age of 90. Keith will still offer his invaluable help and support to Harry where possible.

The close season has also seen the construction of a brand new Hitz cricket centre at the ground which will offer the latest technology in indoor Batting training and will be available to book very shortly.

North Leeds CC

On the field, all the senior sides will be looking to build on our 2025 seasons in their respective league & cup competitions. We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to Harry Kellaway for his time as 1st team Captain at North Leeds. Harry has led the side with great commitment and resilience, guiding the team

to Premier Division survival under very challenging circumstances. We’re now pleased to announce that Taran Chana will take over as 1st team Captain. Taran is looking to build on last season’s foundations and is aiming to push the side to a stronger position by the end of the season.

There’s been plenty of positive movement on the recruitment front. We’ve added an overseas wicketkeeper-batsman from Fitzroy Doncaster, while Imran Dawood joins from Wrenthorpe, bringing valuable experience and toughness to the squad. We’re also delighted that opening bowler Tom Alldred will be available for a large part of the season - a significant boost for the team.

In addition, several university players will be with us during the opening 6–8 weeks, including Louis Morris, who was recently part of the Derbyshire setup. Finally, we’re excited by the talented young players coming through the club, and we look forward to giving them opportunities to step up and gain valuable 1st team experience throughout the season.

We have also seen a change in the 2nd team set up, with Anil Chana returning as captain, taking over from Andy Alldred. Additionally, we have succeeded in strengthening the 2nd XI squad over the winter, with a few returning players also boosting the squad depth. Hopefully this can translate into a more successful campaign and have us back challenging towards the top end of the league.

The 3rd XI in 2026 will be again skippered by Jack Fitzpatrick, working hard to nurture the burgeoning talent in the club while generating success on the field. Last year saw a number of opportunities for junior players in senior cricket and this will be replicated again in 2026.

The Women’s 1st XI will be looking to defend the title they earned in 2025, after memorably finishing as champions in the hardball league. This year the Women’s 1st XI will once again be captained by Jacky Fitzpatrick, and they will compete in Division 1 of the West Yorkshire Women and Girls Hardball Cricket League, alongside the ECB’s Vitality Women’s Club T20 Plate and the Archer Cup.

This year, in addition to a league-winning hardball women's team, North Leeds will boast a range of additional offers for women and girls including a Yorkshire Roses dynamos softball group for u11 girls, girls u13 windball and u15s hardball groups, as well as the established women and girls' softball team which has been promoted to the second division this season. All of the groups will compete in their own leagues and we are very excited to watch all our players continue to develop their cricket.

The club once again has embarked on investments for players, members and spectators, including the installation of a brand-new net facility, and North Leeds looks forward to welcome all to the Homestead in 2026!

Old Leodensians CC

The 2025 season was a case of so near but so far. Both sides recorded their highest points hauls since we joined the league, but the 1sts missed out on promotion by 4 points and the 2nds had their highest ever finishing position but fell just short in 3rd place.

Both sides look strong again this season with Gaurav Kalra leading the 1sts and Jon Garrod once again captaining the 2nds. Recruitment has gone really well. We are bringing back our excellent Tasmanian allrounder Krystian Jankowiak for a 2nd season and have signed a classy player in Siddhant Gola from Leeds Mods. A mixture of new 1st and 2nd team signings give us plenty of strength in depth and a fresh look.

Our boys, girls and ladies sections continue to grow with record numbers for their new season. Several senior players are coaching and running the junior sides which is great to see.

Ground preparation for the new season is well underway with the square and outfield looking great for this time of year. Ambitions are for both teams to push for promotion, with a quicker start to the season than last year absolutely imperative. We can’t wait.

Olicanian CC

Our three adult teams will compete in the same divisions as last season. We will have a full range of junior teams and again host the ECB All Stars, which was quickly sold out.

Captains this year; Ethan McLelland takes over the first team with Dom Oldham and Nolan Tucker continuing as second and third team captains respectively. Tom Starkey and Haroon Mahmood have left for pastures new; we thank them for their contributions and wish them well in the future.

Jaden Webster an all -rounder from Barbados will be our overseas player, other player movements as listed on the league website.

Resulting from a successful ECB County grant the solar panels installation on our pavilion roof gave us a 50 % saving in electricity costs during 2025. This plus a substantial annual sum for exporting the excess electricity generated by the panels back into national grid meant a hugely successful financial project. A further recent successful Sport England grant will enable us to install a battery storage system to work in conjunction with our panels, to ensure we use all the electricity we generate and maximise further savings in electricity costs. It is anticipated that the battery installation will be completed by May 2026.

We have retained Club Mark accreditation for the season and taken advantage of the free ECB public Liability etc insurance as a result. Hire of our pavilion continues to be in big demand with many private events held during the winter months providing the club with a healthy income stream.

Yorkshire Water civil engineering works continue within the curtilage of our ground but not affecting the playing area, a completion date of June 2026 is anticipated. Until this work is completed parking inside our ground is limited to match day officials and club officers, as it was towards the end of last season. Parking charges are in operation in all areas immediately surrounding our ground however there is

adequate free on street parking close by if preferred. We will update each visiting club prior to their match at our ground, so they are fully aware of the prevailing circumstances.

We are pleased to be hosting Yorkshire CCC Junior County matches again this season with seven inter county matches already scheduled. The highlight of the programme being a two day under 15 boys match with Lancashire CCC as the visitors on Sunday 9 and Monday 10 August.

The club’s annual golf day takes place at Ilkley Golf club on Friday 22 May, if any club, or individual wants to enter a team of 4 players and enjoy a great day out on a superb golf course, contact our club secretary for details.

Otley CC

Once again, another cricket season is upon us and 2026 will be another season where Otley will be aiming once again to challenge for honours on all fronts.

Josh Atkinson & Andrew Rhodes will continue to lead the 1st XI & 2nd XI respectively and the 3rd XI will this season be led by Adam Hughes who will be leading is young team into the 3rd XI Division 1 this season following promotion last season.

There has been a few changes in personnel with the biggest change coming in the departure of long term 1st XI all-rounder Stephen Brown who has moved to Moorlands CC to be closer to home. Jake Ross has departed also and joined Burley CC. Incoming into the club is Jake Whittaker from Guiseley CC and the club are also in the process of finalising the paperwork for the arrival of an overseas player from Sri Lanka.

Off the field, the club has had to contend with some burst pipes over the winter which flooded part of the clubhouse. However, repairs and maintenance are ongoing, and the club are confident that everything will be ready for the start of the 2026 season.

Pool CC

2025 was a successful season for Pool, culminating in the 1st XI retaining their Premier League status and the 2nd XI achieving promotion to the top division. As a result, we have decided to re-enter a 3rd XI in 2026 to continue our ethos of developing junior talent from within.

After a decade at the helm, Charlie Bell has stood down as 1st XI captain. We thank him for a sterling effort which has ultimately led to the development of a young talented team achieving Premier League stability in recent years. Logan Duval, our Australian overseas returning for a third season, takes the reins and we wish him well in taking the team forward.

New additions to the 1st XI are Charlie Taylor and Danny Groom, joining from New Rover and Tong Park Esholt respectively. Charlie Popely also re-joins the club having been in Australia in 2025.

We are sad to report that injuries have finally taken their toll upon club stalwart, David Amos, and he retires after 17 years at the club. A rare ‘one-club’ man, we thank David for his outstanding contribution which yielded an impressive 415 wickets. The club also mourned the passing of former overseas player, Atiba Allert, in July 2025. 157 wickets and two league bowling awards in 2006-07, he was taken too soon.

The 2nd XI are delighted to regain their Division One status and will continue to be led by Matthew Parsons. Brian Davis takes the helm for our 3rd XI with the aim of blooding more juniors into senior cricket on a regular basis.

We look forward to welcoming visitors old and new to Arthington Lane in 2026.

Rawdon CC

Been a few changes at RCC as we aim to do a bit better than last year in our bid to return to the Prem. James Doidge has taken over as 1st XI captain and been working hard to attract a few new faces to boost the clubs hopes of challenging for promotion. We welcome Sam Chapman as our overseas player, an opening bowling all-rounder who will form a new opening attack with Joel Newlove, who has joined us from Guiseley. Other new faces boosting the senior squad include Andy Bywater, Ed Prideaux, Kamran Razzaq and Jang Shah, further strengthening the depth of players available this season. Welcome to them all and we hope they enjoy the challenge of the AWSCL.

Carlos Prowse is continuing as 2nd XI captain, with high hopes that the blend of youth – a year older, wiser and stronger - and experience will see the club challenging at the top of the table, while Alfie Holmes has taken on the 3rd team captaincy to help nurture and encourage more juniors to impact and enjoy senior cricket.

This season also sees the debut for Rawdon’s women, who we are delighted to welcome to the club. With 2 teams competing in the WYWGL, plus a further national T20 competition, they have one or two players with ambitions to play in the AWSCL and will help ensure a busy, active and lively season at RCC!

With all this going on, the club is thoroughly looking forward to the season ahead, optimistic that we will be challenging at all levels. As always League officials and visiting teams and members are assured of a warm welcome at Larkfield Road; we await the new season with great anticipation

Rodley CC

As we look ahead to the 2026 season, the club finds itself in a very strong and encouraging position. Membership across senior and junior cricket continues to grow, volunteer support remains excellent, and the sense of momentum throughout the club is clear. This year we will field four Saturday teams, two Sunday teams, and nine junior sides, which is a remarkable achievement for any club and something we can all take pride in.

Across our senior teams, there is a shared determination to build on last year’s efforts. The First XI, led by Kamran Ali, started 2025 strongly but faded away due to a combination of injuries, availability and drops in form but enter the season with renewed confidence. We are expecting a more settled squad, with several new faces adding strength in key areas. The focus will be on building consistency and competing strongly throughout the campaign.

The Second XI, under Dan Hill, look forward to testing themselves in a higher division after last season’s excellent promotion. With a committed and developing group of young players, the aim is to establish themselves at this level and continue supporting progression into senior cricket.

Last year’s Third XI cup success was a milestone for the club, and Ian Brear’s side will look to carry that positive mindset into both league and cup competitions this year. They continue to play an important part in offering opportunities for a wide range of players.

Alongside these teams and an Over 50s side, we will field two teams in the Dales Council, and an Academy team in the Mid-Yorkshire Sunday League. Their matches, alongside those of the play a vital role in developing younger players coming into the senior game.

Junior cricket remains at the heart of the club’s future and after welcoming more than 100 young people last season and with new players joining this season, the club will run nine junior sides at all age groups in 2026, alongside very successful All Stars and Dynamos programmes. The Academy team will continue to provide opportunities for these young players as they move towards senior cricket, helping create a smooth and supportive pathway through the club.

The scale of cricket we now deliver each week is only possible thanks to the dedication of many volunteers and a committed management committee. This collective effort is what enables us to run so many teams and maintain a welcoming, community-focused club that has been short-listed for Community Sports Club of the Year in the upcoming Leeds Sports Awards.

Orders have been placed to refurbish the bar at the club, the changing rooms have been refreshed and a two-bay artificial net facility installed. Further levelling works to the ground have been completed and taken well and the club has invested in a replacement roller. We will continue to invest in our facilities.

The coming season offers genuine opportunity for further progress—on the field, through team development, and off the field through strong club culture, a refreshed five-year development plan, volunteer involvement and a growing junior base.

With increased stability across our teams, committed leadership, and continued investment in the club, its facilities and young player’s pathways, we enter 2026 with real optimism. The challenge now is to make the most of these foundations and continue to build a successful and sustainable club.

Saltaire CC

The 1st XI finished 4th in the Premier Division despite some inconsistent form in the early part of the season. Consistent run-scoring from the likes of the composed Farhan Hussain, Khalil Ullah Khan, Jibrael Malik, Saj Ali, Ihsanullah and cameos from Imran Malik and Hamdaan Khan ensured there were sufficient runs scored but the bowling depended heavily on the shoulders of Ihsan Ullah, Khalil Ullah Khan and Saj Ali. Our fielding was a little like the ‘Curate’s Egg’ – good in parts!

Awaise Hussain has joined Undercliffe CC and Mohammad Tahaa has left for Bingley Congs CC and we wish them well in the future. Joining us are Abdullah Ijaz from Baildon CC, Sandeep Singh returns and Zulfiqar Khan joins from Bowling Baptist CC. We welcome them to Saltaire CC.

The 2nd XI had a great second half of the season after another slow start and finished in a creditable position. Much credit goes to Captain Touseef Ahmed who performed well with both bat and ball. Defendable scores were more in evidence as the season progressed with Zahid Hussain, Mohammed Awais, Talha Bismillah and Touseef himself leading the way.

With the ball the honours went to Islam Khokar, Ali Gul and Ayaan Akhtar. Ayaan is now part of the Derbyshire CCC u16 squad and a mention too for Aadiy Akram who is ’one for the future’ and still only 13! The fielding was like an old school report - 'could do better'.

Our 3rd XI led by Harvi Rehalu had a tremendous season and finished in 3rd place. It was a pleasure to see so many home-produced players featuring in the side. Runs were shared throughout the team with Amaan Hussain, Harvi Rehalu, Arjun McMillan and Faizan Jamil playing leading roles. A mention again for Aadiy Akram who scored an excellent 96 and was probably the pick of our fielders along with Arjun, as well as bowling his accurate medium pace with a bit of ‘nip’.

In 2026 we will again be fielding four Junior teams from under 9 through to under 15 and possibly an u18 side in the Young Lions Tournament as in 2025.

The three newly installed SIS hybrid wickets produced wickets which offered something for both batters and bowlers and thus far have proved a positive investment. During a very wet Winter keeping the Pavilion free of damp is always a challenge but with brighter days ahead things on that front should improve. We are about to purchase a new Mobile cricket cage after raising money via Crowdfunding which will be of benefit to both Senior and Junior players.

We have unfortunately suffered persistent damage throughout the Autumn and Winter to the outfield and square due to e-bikes, e-scooters and off-roaders. The authorities appear powerless to deal with the small number of persistent offenders despite us having installed a number of CCTV cameras and providing good evidence. It appears that we are not alone in suffering such damage if one is to believe reports from up and down the UK. We will keep battling on.

We look forward to welcoming our visitors to Roberts Park and hope that the weather will be in a benevolent mood.

Shadwell CC

The club is looking forward to a new season and the challenges that brings in an ever-changing world.

We continue to develop both on and off the field, with an emphasis on competitive cricket, junior progression, and maintaining an enjoyable environment.

Players In: Zahid Nissar (Overseas 23-24), Zarak Khan (Drighlington), Danyaal Khan (Gomersal), Amar Guptha (Newby Hall), Zakee Anwa (back from Burton Salmon), Ashwin Roda (No previous club)

Players Out: Bob Ashby, Zeeshan Ali, Hashim Rasool

Umpires In: Guy Nottingham (South Yorkshire League)

The 1st XI look to build on recent years and challenge in Division 2. Ayyaz Akram continues in the role of captain, and the squad retains a core of experienced players and promising young talent. We will look to improve on our consistency and work on developing younger players to play 1st team cricket.

The 2nd XI has a new captain, Rhia Sedha filling the ‘sizeable’ boots of Bob Ashby, the team will continue to focus on competitiveness and player development blending experience and youth and providing older juniors with a first pathway into playing higher level cricket (while competing effectively in Division 3).

Our junior section continues to thrive, offering opportunities through All Stars, U9, U11, U13, U15, and U18 age groups.

During the offseason, the Club has continued to invest in improvements, including planned maintenance work on all-weather nets and an update / refurb of display frames in tearoom area.

We look forward to welcoming all visiting teams and officials to Brandon Crescent this season and offer best wishes to all clubs across the AWSCL for a competitive, enjoyable, and successful year.

Skipton CC

Firstly, we take the opportunity to thank clubs for their support in respect of our re-election at the end of the 2025, one which on the field was somewhat of a challenge. We also extend our thanks to the League for inviting us to host the Chappell Cup final, something as a club we were proud to accept after the culmination of our recent work on the Hub and hard work on the ground.

Our 1st XI will once again be led by Carl Tetley supported this year by Rob Cockell; it will be a team mixing youth and experience boosted by our first overseas player for a number of years. Jacob Kerr from Elsternwick CC, Melbourne will join as an opening bowler looking to give us that much needed boost in the early parts of the opposition innings.

The 2nd XI will see Gareth Smith taking the role of skipper with support from Tom Davies – the youthful team will be looking to build on last year and take that additional and in some cases first taste of senior cricket forward meaning a few more of the close matches fall in our favour this time around.

Due to our ever-extending number of juniors, we are pleased to be able to re-enter a team into the 3rd XI competition enabling a route for our talented junior teams to experience senior cricket and hit that pathway to our second and first teams. Our 3rd XI will be led by Richard Dobson and Daniel Kennedy. In addition to Jacob, our senior squads have been boosted with the signings of Sam and Mark Stoneman from Sutton CC and Jago Bean from Embsay CC along with a few returners to cricket who have recently moved to the area.

We are committed to continue investing in the wider aspects of cricket and this year will see us using live match videos played through our YouTube channel so even if you aren't able to visit, you will still be able to catch all the action.

As always, we look forward to offering a warm welcome to our opposition, officials and supporters to Sandylands for the 2026 season.

Steeton CC

After a solid season last term with the First and Second teams both finishing mid table, and both reaching cup finals, the Saturday teams will look to go one better and hopefully finish in the top halves of their top leagues. The third team suffered relegation with a very young side, but with the experience of a full season playing senior cricket, they’ll hopefully be on course to bounce back this season.

Steeton put a high value on the junior section and all the teams at the different age groups did fantastically well last season. The coaches are tireless in their efforts, and this is now showing at all the levels with excellent results.

We have recently installed new nets at the Club and will have some new sightscreens for the upcoming season. We believe in reinvesting our hard-earned money back into the Club and that’s the way it will always be.

We are all looking forward to the return of our overseas player Tremaine Dowrich for a third season with us. Tremaine has had 2 super seasons at Summerhill Lane and we hope his success continues. We have also signed Harris Rowlett back from a stint at Oxenhope and Harry Wilkinson from Keighley.

On the captains front, it’s all change for 2026. Louis Horsfield is the new 1st XI skipper, after 4 fantastic years from Stevie Pearson. Leading the 2nd XI is new skipper Louie Wilkinson, and Alex Howarth will lead the 3rds.

Best wishes to all, and we hope you enjoy a visit to Steeton in the coming months.

Thackley CC

Thackley Cricket Club will be running 4 senior teams along with juniors from under 9’s all the way to u18’s teams for the 2026 season. The club intends to continue the ethos of developing talent from within and the policy of providing opportunities for developing talent to experience senior team cricket. Last season again saw several players who have progressed from our junior ranks make an excellent and positive impact in the senior teams.

Jack Holland will captain our 1st XI this year and will be hoping to push for promotion. This year Thackley are looking to fund a young player from India, he brings much talent and will be an asset to the team. Andrew Kalbasa will captain our 2nd XI and will be aiming for a strong season in division 3 with a mix of experience and youth players, we strive to win promotion this year after the set back of a demotion in 2025.

Nathan East will captain the 3rd XI as we endeavour to bring through the youth to gain experience, and this year we will be doing that in division 2 following our demotion last year. Craig Wiseman will captain the T20 team again this year, the team enjoyed the opportunity to play mid-week matches in 2025 and look forward to the 2026 season.

Off the field the club is continuing to invest and improve the facilities at the club. Renovations to the reception area, team changing rooms and toilets should hopefully be completed prior to the start of the season. There has been a lot of hard work from club members, excellent support from local businesses and the community over the winter months.

Expectations are again high for all teams this season following the 2025 season and we look forward to welcoming all clubs to Thackley this year.

Tong Park Esholt CC

Another season is nearly upon us and after plenty of wet weather it feels like there is still much to do! Our 1st XI has a new man at the helm in the shape of Nick Smith who takes the reigns from Dave Hester. Dave guided the club to new heights during his tenure and will now act as vice-captain, helping Nick ease into the role.

There have been a few on-field changes. We’re delighted to welcome Ollie Hardaker from Undercliffe, Anoush Fernandez from Baildon and Dan Taylor who returns to the club having captained Stockport last season. These recruits will strengthen the side in all 3 departments and we hope for a big improvement on last year’s struggles.

We’re excited to welcome Jarrod Parsons as our overseas for 2026. He maintains our relationship with Essendon CC where the impressive Aidan Salvado, last season’s overseas, also plays. Jarrod is a leg-spinning allrounder and we can’t wait to see what he can achieve at TPE.

Neil Cooper is pleased to be resuming 2nd XI captaincy duties and is looking to compete at the top end of a strong 1st division. He will look to blend experience with the crop of talented youngsters that are rising through the ranks. Adam Cullen leads our development side in Aire Wharfe Sunday cricket as we continue to provide pathways for our promising juniors, whilst 9 junior sides will represent the club across the age groups.

We wish a fond farewell to Will Rhodes who returns home to Stoke following the end of his studies. Haris Hussain moves to Yeadon, Pritesh Lad has gone to play closer to home with Drighlington and club stalwart Danny Groom has ended his one club career by joining Pool. Good luck to you all, you’re welcome back anytime.

Another club legend, David Shepherd, returns to TPE after a year at Olicanian and it’s great to have him back. The club is delighted to have been chosen to host the Waddilove Cup in 2027 and see it as recognition of all our recent facilities improvements as well as the hard work of our team of dedicated volunteers. As ever, we look forward to welcoming visiting teams for good competitive cricket and a drink in the bar afterwards. Best of luck to all.