Bradford Premier League: Townville face their moment of truth

The end game is in sight for Townville Cricket Club’s 1st XI after a stunning season.

Their first-team squad are in contention – just – for their debut Bradford Premier Cricket League title, while also in the national final of the Vitality Club T20 Cup.

To cast an eye over this rollercoaster, I caught up with Townville’s captain Jonny Booth as a special piece of history is within grasp. It’s a searingly honest account, punctuated with deep frustration.

As ever, cheers to Ray Spencer / Bradford Premier Cricket League for the photos.

🏡 Townville ties

Booth is Townville through and through. In 2008, he made his first-team debut at the age of just 13 in the Central Yorkshire Cricket League’s Jack Hampshire Trophy. A knock of 25 against Wakefield Thornes suggesting a precocious talent.

Fast forward to today and Jonny has racked up well over 400 appearances for the 1st XI and driven, cut, swept and pulled his way to over 12,000 runs. Team Booth is closely intertwined with the red and blue of Townville too.

Jonny said: “Townville is pretty much my life, to be honest with you. My dad (Dave Booth) used to be captain, currently groundsman. He joined in the mid-to-late seventies and played all his cricket there. I’ve been at Townville since I was born. It’s absolutely everything to me.”

His mum sorts the teas, with a sister who used to score for the club and brother Liam is Townville’s keeper. 

Jonny’s captaincy has come in the past two seasons, succeeding Jack Hughes as the club sought to take that final step and scale their Everest – winning the Bradford Premier League.

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, Townville are nonetheless frequently in the conversation. The recent years have seen them knock on the door but not barge through: 4th (2024), 3rd (2023 & 2022) and 2nd (2025 & 2021).

Consistent in 2026, Townville have pushed Woodlands and New Farnley every step of the way: “We always feel like we can put a team out there that is going to compete. That includes myself, Jack Hughes, Connor Harvey and we build around that.”

☔️ Raining on Townville’s parade

If this sounds as if it’s leading up to possible heartache, you wouldn’t be far wrong (though the final chapter has yet to be written).

Townville’s rain-affected abandonment against Pudsey Congs, who were 119-6, now ironically requires the same club to do them a favour on the last Saturday.

Congs host Woodlands with the Oakenshaw outfit now three points clear, courtesy of 19 invaluable points after a two-wicket win over Carlton.

Jonny said: “I definitely feel like we have been the best team in the league this year, and we’re more than likely not going to get the reward of winning the league – unless a miracle happens on Saturday.”

He followed that up with: “But all in all, it’s been a fantastic year. We’ve played some excellent cricket and we’ve got some fantastic players. You just need to be absolutely perfect to win the Bradford League and that’s sometimes quite difficult.”

The maths see Woodlands requiring 17 points to win the Bradford Premier League and puncture New Farnley’s recent dominance. Townville are at Farsley where a win would at least give themselves an outside chance.

Umpiring scrutiny

In such a tight contest, Jonny reckons they’ve fallen foul of inconsistencies as to how umpires interpret stopping and re-starting for bad light or rain on a few occasions. Officials at Farsley and Pudsey Congs will be watched like hawks by supporters and players no doubt.

It’s always been this way across leagues with the spotlight on umpiring ramped up to the max when titles, promotion or relegation are on the line. There are rules but then interpretation of rules… never easy for those in white coats either.

Booth is diplomatic and balanced but the recent twist in title fortunes clearly stings. Speaking like a man who is having to come to terms with another potential near-miss, he said this of falling back down to second in the league:

“It’s soul-destroying, it’s heartbreaking. There’s people putting a lot of hard work and resources into these teams. You know, players are spending time away from families and committing a lot of effort.”

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan thread

One aspect of their planning that has come to fruition is Townville’s choice of overseas player. There has been a continued Sri Lankan thread since Dushan Vimukthi sculpted 1,431 runs and 83 wickets back in 2024.

Dushan’s recommendation for 2026 led to the Poplar Avenue club signing Sanoj Darshika. Jonny said:

“Sanj has been really professional and consistent. He’s very good in the field, decent with his bowling. He’s had a real big impact, especially in the T20s.”

Speaking of which – we should probably give a nod to the fact that even if Townville don’t win the league, they can still be crowned national T20 champions.

Jonny described the pre-season priorities of T20 like this: “It’s never one we target, it’s always a bonus.”

Why so unstoppable this season in the short stuff? The key rests in the fact that those not getting as much game-time can stamp their authority on another format instead.

Handbrake off in the T20s

Lower order batters get free rein to open their shoulders and attack in T20s up the order – a tactic that has paid off handsomely. Booth said:

“People like Matty Race, Liam Collins, Kieran Collins… a lot of these lads aren’t getting a go on a Saturday when we’re playing as well as we are. So, they’re absolutely raring to go. That’s why I think we’re so dangerous. We’ve got a man for every job.”

Townville got the better of Northern at Denby by 59 runs to reach the final at Worcester on Sunday 20 September against St Cross Symondians.

By then, they’ll either be Bentley Drains Bradford Premier League champions or need to summon up one last collective effort to get over the line in the T20 showpiece instead. 

You don’t win anything on sentiment in the Bradford League. It’s hard fought and earnt through graft. But it would take a particularly dour neutral not to see the magic in Townville’s story.

Win at Farsley and pray for a Pudsey Congs favour. Fall short and a first-ever Vitality Club T20 title at Worcester is a consolation of a kind for a side that came close to their own piece of history.

Saturday will settle it either way.