Woodlands win at Farsley in Bradford Premier League opener

Heading to Farsley 1st XI versus Woodlands 1st XI in the Bradford Premier League kicked off Cricket Yorkshire’s outdoor match coverage for 2026.

The rail journey began at Il Caffe Ristretto, the kiosk on Platform 1 in Bingley, where friendly conversation and a fine hot chocolate are guaranteed.

The Leeds train from Skipton arrived with shoppers, football fans and a boisterous energy. When I got to the city’s central concourse, revellers in sparkly cowboy hats sashayed their way towards the ticket barriers.

Farsley is a bustling village sandwiched between Bradford and Leeds, with New Pudsey station serving commuters and cricket journalists alike. A poster advert for Shari Lapena’s book, She Didn’t See it Coming, on the bridge reminds me that my new club cricket release will need a marketing push soon.

There are a few left-field ideas to promote the book and I’m excited to share it with you all before long.

Anyhow, I hadn’t been back to Farsley since a 2018 assignment from The Cricket Paper to interview Ray Illingworth. Time slips by, doesn’t it?

This time, an alternative walk leads to the centre where the cherry blossom tree in the churchyard had erupted in a pink shower.

C’est très bucolic. (Sorry, we’ve been hoovering through the Netflix real estate show, The Parisian Agency: Exclusive Properties where adjectives in French flow generously.)

Spectators on foot have the short, steep climb of Red Lane, past Sunny Bank Mills, to negotiate for the reward of club cricket as Farsley CC’s pavilion is at the top.

Catching up with Farsley captain Joe Pocklington revealed his club’s squad changes and ambitions for 2026. Joe has taken over the captaincy from Ben Wright who moved down to Derby.

Much is expected of Rahul Tangirala who opened the batting for Three Bridges in the Sussex Cricket League last year and has started at University of Leeds. He began with a dogged 41 in a draw against Derbyshire for Leeds/Bradford UCCE and should go well at the top of the order for Farsley.

Allrounder Pocklington is aiming to force his way back into county cricket contention for Nottinghamshire 1st XI so Farsley could require a captaincy reshuffle but for now, weight of runs and wickets are the order of the day.

As Joe pointed out, it was Bradford League performances that helped win him a trial at Notts initially and that’s the initial focus, alongside any Notts 2nd XI matches:

“We’ll be looking for top four in the league and a good cup run in both the National (Club KO) and the Priestley Cup.”

Farsley’s opponents Woodlands have also seen a captaincy switch. Cieran Garner skippered in 2019 and relinquished the role but he is now back at the helm.

After discussions with Brad Schmulian, who led in 2025, the decision was taken to free Schmulian of the role in acknowledgement of a busy 12 months of first-class cricket for Central Districts in New Zealand and club cricket for Woodlands.

To give you some context, Brad has scored 6,949 runs and collected 351 wickets in the last five years just in the league. You can add plenty more from cup competitions.

Garner said: “The biggest compliment I can give Brad is that he’s just an ultimate professional. He raises our standards and is probably the best player I’ve ever played with.”

After Woodlands won the toss and elected to field, I could reflect on the changes by the former champions of Yorkshire. Tim Jackson’s return in the top six brings experience and a calm head while the return from injury of opener Matty Weston is a boost too.

Discussing how Woodlands faltered in 2025, Cieran said: “We just lost quite a bit of momentum with Matty’s injury to be honest.” The hope is that the batting pairing with Mosun Hussain, that began so profitably last time around, will lay the groundwork for Woodlands to either score big up front or chase with confidence.

As grizzling clouds assembled to our right, the forecast rain arrived but it wasn’t heavy and pleasing to see umpires Tony Tennant & James Watson opt to stay out. The grumbling drizzle passed but the red sawdust bucket was called for early doors.

Farsley’s opening stand of 86 between Pocklington and Tangirala was largely untroubled. Noah Priestley, recruited from the Todmorden of the Lancashire League, bowled with pace. On another day, he might have accounted for both batters.

A calamitous run out – yes, no, wait, oh, what are you doing here? – saw Tangirala trudge off and Woodlands pounced. At 95-3, the hosts rallied again with Pocklington (110) showing his class. Farsley were then indebted to Shaheer Malik’s brisk 46 to get them past 200. The winter signing from Sandwich Town in the Kent County League made a decent first impression.

Farsley’s 224-8 felt light but the spin of Schmulian (4-46) and Henry Pearson (4-80) rushed and rattled the Red Lane outfit.

Unusually, I missed the tea interval having had a nose round Sunny Bank Mills; the former textile hub now regenerated as a gallery and business complex. It’s the filming location for The Great British Sewing Bee and clearly a popular destination, eateries were stuffed to bursting in the afternoon sun.

On my return, fortuitously timed to watch the umpires lead the players back out, Woodlands lost Mosun Hussain for 1 but Weston (23) and Schmulian (62) rebuilt.

If Farsley sniffed an upset, they managed to force the door ajar. A glance up at the electronic score and suddenly it was 163-5. Isaac J Bepey (2-40) had put in a shift with the ball, backed by team-mates.

Yet, Woodlands know how to win, be it at a gallop or gritting it out. Before the emergence of New Farnley, they were the eminent Premier League team in Yorkshire winning the White Rose Trophy twice.

Here, Henry Pearson (37*) and Scott Richardson (34*) combined for a vital half-century partnership that took only 61 balls. A half an hour period where Farsley saw the game slip away.

As the shadows lengthened, with a breeze occasionally flapping shirt sleeves and dresses, I could reflect on a gratifying start to club cricket outdoors.

Farsley were kind hosts with Miranda and others furnishing brews and answering many questions. It went something like this: Why is there a mighty shield down that corridor? What are the origins of that ram’s head next to the Premier League football on the telly by the bar?

Curiosity sated, there was time to catch up with friends and meet spectators outside. I’d go so far as to say it got tentatively warm and you can’t say fairer than that for Yorkshire in April.

Woodlands ultimately headed back to Albert Terrace in BD12 with 19 points banked to Farsley’s 5. Long before then, I had waved farewell and been offered a lift into Leeds.

This was merely the opening salvo in a Bradford Premier League rollercoaster that spans six months. Farsley will cause sides problems that’s for sure and the former champions look in decent shape for the battles to come.

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