A look at player moves in the Premier First XI of the Bradford Premier League, with much of the following gleaned from a characteristically comprehensive league website article penned by league life member, historian and 2023 Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy recipient Reg Nelson.
Woodlands, aiming for a fifth consecutive title, have landed young wicketkeeper Alex Kaye, who joins from Huddersfield League club Broad Oak.
Kaye, who has played at Yorkshire Academy, along with Bradford & Bingley, Castleford and New Farnley, replaces the retired Greg Finn.
In what is likely to be grim news for Woodies’ rivals, New Zealander Brad Schmulian, always capable of big scores, is good to return to the Oakenshaw club.
In March, Schmulian hit 186 for Central District in a drawn Plunkett Shield match with Wellington.
Gloucestershire Second XI all-rounder Stanley Brown has joined Farsley, whose winter recruitment also snared Aire-Wharfe League New Rover’s young prospect Will Joyce and Jack Rodnight, a NCCA cap with Buckinghamshire, who comes in from Great Brickhill, of the Home Counties Premier League.
Lovely shot from Campbell Kellaway as we rebuild after losing some early wickets in our run chase 👊 #SheffieldShield pic.twitter.com/W2OsKWhfjg
— Victorian Cricket Team (@VicStateCricket) February 6, 2024
Pudsey St Lawrence have signed Victoria batsman Campbell Kellaway as a replacement for Delhi batsman Vaibhav Rawal.
Middle-order batter Kellaway will add star quality having played in the Big Bash for Melbourne Stars while the 21-year-old has a solid first-class average of 27 and represents Victoria in the Sheffield Shield.
Ex-Sussex, Gloucestershire and Yorkshire quick Jared Warner has signed for Methley.
Warner, reliable for middle-order runs, helped Wakefield Thornes become Yorkshire play-off champions in 2016 and 2018.
Accompanying Warner to Methley is left-hand specialist batsman (and left-arm, orthodox slow bowler) Taylor Cornall, who has experience with Lancashire and Worcestershire.
Jer Lane have had a busy off-season, making several important signings, as they look to build on finishing an impressive fifth in 2023.
Their eye-catching roster of recruits includes Methley all-rounder Yasir Ali, who will captain the Horton Bank Top club.
Prolific run-maker Mosun Hussain, who has played for England Under-19s and Yorkshire, arrives from Huddersfield League Delph & Dobcross, while seamer Hassan Mughal comes in from Cherry Tree, of the North West League.
Also secured are free-scoring batsman Hamzah Iqbal (Bankfoot), off-spinner Amir Hussain (Yeadon) and seamer Awais Ejaz (Shadwell).
Keen to compensate for the loss of three important players, New Farnley have swooped for Yasir Abbas (Bradford & Bingley), Fletcher Coutts (Broad Oak) and Ryan McKendry (York). Abbas is a useful seamer and can score lower-order runs.
In a major boost for New Farnley, New Zealander Cam Fletcher returns in 2024. Last season, Fletcher hit 779 league runs, at 111.29, with 168 his best score.
Priestley Cup holders Bradford & Bingley have brought in, from the Aire-Wharfe League’s Olicanian, teenage seamer Alexander Wade, who this year has secured a place in Yorkshire’s Under-15 Performance Pathways Group.
Ossett’s close-season signings are from fellow Bradford Premier League clubs.
They are all-rounder Joe Finnigan (Morley), dominant batsman Callum Geldard (Hanging Heaton), young prospect Harry Pearson (Birstall) and wicketkeeper Myles Wood (Hanging Heaton).
Calum Fletcher, a seamer, links up with promoted Undercliffe, from South Northumberland, the Newcastle-based reigning North East Premier League champions.
A University of Leeds student, Fletcher plays also for the Leeds/Bradford UCCE team and represents Northumberland in NCCA cricket.
Pakistani Sharoon Siraj, who has first-class 50s to his credit, and bowls useful off-breaks, will be the Intake Road club’s 2024 overseas player.
Undercliffe captain Bailey Worcester said: “Our overseas signing holds immense potential, and we are excited to witness his impact on the side. It was a great effort to gain promotion. Our main focus is on consolidating our position in the Premier.”
Townville have made three key signings.
From the Huddersfield League’s Hoylandswaine comes batting phenomenon Chris Holliday, renowned for a 2020 knock of 316 in 113 balls on the tiny Denby ground. He returns to Poplar Avenue after nine years away.
Sri Lankan Dustan Vimukthi, a specialist right-handed batsman and a right-arm off-spinner, boasts an impressive CV.
Back home, in first-class cricket, he has a highest score of 178 and best bowling figures of 9-108. Vimukthi spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons with Monton, a Greater Manchester League club.
Matthew Lumb, a quality seamer, has switched from league rivals Farsley.
Pudsey Congs, who in 2023 sidestepped relegation after winning at Farsley in their final game, have secured Danyaal Khalid, a top-order batsman and an off-spin bowler.
Relocated to Leeds to study at university, Khalid plays NCCA cricket for Bedfordshire after previous outings with Middlesex’s Second XI.
Cleckheaton, back in the top-flight after winning Division One convincingly in 2023, have landed, from league rivals Baildon, wicketkeeper/batsman James Ford.
Ford is joined by spinner Max Chappell (Hanging Heaton), prolific batsman Arsaam Malik (Saltaire) and, from Hexham-based North East Premier League club Tynedale, all-rounder Sam Peter, who made his Northumberland debut at the tender age of 15.
Read more…
For 2024 transfers from other Premier Leagues, have a read of our articles below:
🏏 Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League
🏏 Yorkshire Premier League North
🏏North Yorkshire & South Durham Cricket League
There’s also the excellent Bradford League website for the latest news, photography from Ray Spencer, historical features and much more.
This includes all transfers across all of the divisions for the 2024 season.
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