Prospects for the new season

Division A

ADEL CC - Adel have acquired the services of Kiwi James Bullock as their overseas player. He is predominantly a batsman. Apart from welcoming James, the club have made several new signings, including Thomas Edwards from Woodhouse, as well as welcoming back Mike Dallaston after a season at Kirkstall. Stuart Howie has stepped down from the role of first team captain after six years, and has been replaced by Tim Grey. Off the field, the ground has undergone some development - the biggest change being the creation of a car park in the area behind the scoreboard.

BILTON CC - Toby Drummond moves on over the Pennines and hands over the Club Captaincy to Andy Walker. Miles Corish is taking a break to concentrate on other things. Simon Clemerson and Chris Dawson are promoted from the second team. The overseas player this season is Paul Allegretto.

BURLEY-IN-WHARFEDALE CC - Following a successful finish to last season, Burley look forward to the new season with much optimism. Richard Brook continues at Captain with Roy Broadley and Marcus McLeod in charge of the second XI. One major change at the club is a new all-weather practice facility on one of the grass tennis courts. Chander Sheikar has joined as overseas player from Tong Park CC.

FOLLIFOOT CC - The first Xl will again be captained by Paul Angove with James and Greg Pickles joining from Knaresborough. The Overseas Player will be Luke Swards, a bowling all-rounder from Tasmania.

GREEN LANE CC - The first team will once again be captained by Barry McCormick and there are real hopes that the improvement shown by the younger players last season will continue. Australian opening bowler Rohan Obst will continue his English experience. The second team captain will be Craig Chaplin.

KIRKSTALL EDUCATIONAL CC - Andy Siddall continues to captain the First XI. Personnel remains largely the same with the addition of Simon Crampton.

NORTH LEEDS CC - Changes have taken place mainly to the ground and clubhouse, not the playing personnel. A new perimeter fence has been erected around two thirds of the ground, a new net area with three artificial pitches is completed, a new kitchen installed and the car park has been given a more durable hard core surface.

Jonathan Hughes returns to the league after some time spent playing in the Sheffield area. The overseas player from Tasmania is James Tyson, a 23 year old left arm opening bowler. Paul Phillips is making a comeback having been away from the game for a number of years.

Martin Kellaway will captain the first X1, Tim Hales the seconds and Roger Jackson the thirds.

OTLEY CC - Cross Green is looking splendid and with new netting facilities ready and waiting they are raring to go. Following a very encouraging first season as captain Richard Taylor is hoping for even better this season. Gary Thompson, Andrew Burke and Scott Etherington have left but James Harford comes in from Kensington, Adelaide. He was highly successful for Illingworth last season. Mark Wilkinson returns from Bramhope.

POOL CC - After winning the Division B Championship in 2005, Pool CC is preparing well for the club's first ever first XI campaign in the A Division of the League. David Singleton will captain the first XI and the club has secured the services of wicketkeeper / batsman John Goldthorp from Farsley. This is a major signing for the club as John brings vast experience from his many years in the Bradford League and indeed the Yorkshire 2nd XI.

Other signings include all rounder James Ward from Sprotbrough CC and West Indian Atiba Allert as overseas player. He is a fast opening bowler who took over 60 wickets for Knaresborough last season.

RAWDON CC - The first X1 will once again be led by Craig Walsh and will be seeking to consolidate their top five position from 2005. Notably Bruce Percy has retired. However the squad has been strengthened by the addition of opening batsman Stuart Smith from Pudsey St Lawrence. Seasoned all rounder Dennis Rock will return following injury. The overseas berth will be filled by pace bowler and lower middle order bat Jack Dent from Australia.

STEETON CC - Steeton will be led by new skipper Gary Boulton. Steeton hope to re-establish themselves in the A division after last year's promotion. Their new new overseas player, Nathan Giesler, a Victorian all-rounder, and new signings Andy Luxton from Thackley, and Chris Meehan from Silsden, along with some talented young players, a top half finish is a realistic target.

TONG PARK - Both Tong Park's senior teams are looking forward to the new season, which will include work behind the scenes to enable the club to bid for much needed funding in future years. The first XI will again be led by Nick Murden following the 2004 promotion and 2005's survival in the top flight.

After three successful years Chander Sheikhar will not be returning. Sheikhar will be replaced by Rajesh Gahlot an ex first class bowler from Delhi. Paul Squires (batsman) joins from Leeds University and veteran Mick Scott hopes to continue his wicket taking form.

Division B

BARDSEY CC - Bardsey has no changes to report for season 2006 regarding the captains with Andy Bowes and Stephen Hills continuing in the roles.

Adam Rayner will be the overseas player for the coming season. Adam comes with a good reputation as both a top order batsman and useful bowler.

BECKWITHSHAW CC - Beckwithshaw enter the 2006 season with a first team intent on gaining promotion back to the A Division after last year's disappointment. This year the first team will be captained by Charlie Lister, replacing Paul Thompson who will continue to extend his all-round abilities for the club. Ross Kneller has had a career move to Guernsey and will not be available and Rob Wilkins continues to work in the Sudan and will only be available occasionally. The overseas player recruitment sees the return of all-rounder David Bolton from Perth, Australia, who had a very successful season in 2000. New recruits include Stuart Carey from Knaresborough together with Matt Compton from Preston and Andy Woolley from Worcester plus local player Michael Coates from Harrogate CC.

CALVERLEY CC - There is very little change at the Club for 2006. Jake Brown is returning from Adelaide to captain the first eleven, Jon Cave having hung his bat up. Paul Haseleden has joined from the Liverpool area and is a middle order batsman.

COLLINGHAM CC - Winter nets have gone well and been well attended as everybody looks forward to a season where having narrowly missed out on promotion in the last two years the first eleven can make it third time lucky'. Ben Driver continues as captain of the first team with a squad that includes all the home grown players from last year. David Syers returns from the Bradford League and added to this will be the services of an overseas opening bowler.

GUISELEY CC - For the first time since 1996 the first XI finds itself in Division B having been relegated last year. In that year they won the league and they will be pulling out all the stoops to return to Division A at the first time of asking. The squad is strengthened by the addition of Andrew Burke from Otley CC who is looking forward to a long and successful career with the club having declared his intention to be resident over here in the future and by all-rounder Lee Margerison who joins from Thackley CC where he skippered. The team will be buoyed by the promotion of promising youngsters Adam Waite and Sam Wilkinson and will once again be lead by Ian Chaplin who will undoubtedly have learned from the chastening experience last year.

HALL PARK CC - The club have signed Tony Gilks and Alex McInnes from Yeadon, and Andrew Potts and Tony Pickersgill from Liversedge. From Camberwell in Australia the club has recruited Tommy Evans, an opening batsman.

HORSFORTH CC - Things at Brownberrie Lane continue on an upward trend after much hard work in recent years. The senior player pool is expanding, the junior section is expanding and the ground is expanding. Visiting teams at each level will be playing all games on the extended playing area this summer. After a season of consolidation in Division B the first XI will be looking to improve on 2005's successes and the second XI will be relishing the challenge of promotion to Division B. The Third XI is progressing well as a development for home grown juniors.

Nish Gonsalkorale returns after a period at Green Lane. Peter Weedon will be playing for his home side on transfer from Colton. Patrick Dyer and Chris Burke, two students from Leeds Uni; Colin White and Lee Deighton and Simon Jackson, from Alwoodley have all joined. The overseas player will be Jiju Janardhanan from Gujarat.

KNARESBOROUGH CC - The club has lost three of its early-order batsmen with James and Greg Pickles having moved to Follifoot and Stuart Carey to Beckwithshaw. This may well provide the opportunity for some of the younger second XI players to be blooded at this level. The club has obtained the services of Will Follett, a medium-quick opening bowler, who has moved into the area from the south and has recruited an Australian overseas player, who is a leg-spinner and middle-order batsman.

OLICANIAN CC - There are no changes to the senior club officials for 2006 with Mick Christopher, David House, Nigel Law and Brent Armitage continuing as President, Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer respectively. However the Management Committee has been strengthened by the election of Bernard Thornton as Assistant Secretary, a position deemed necessary to provide additional administrative support due to the club's continuing expansion.

The first team captain for the coming year will be David Corcoran who was the overseas player last year. David had a very successful season for us in 2005 and took over as captain part way through the year following the serious injury to Bernard Hughes. Jamie Hudson who did an excellent job in his first season as second team captain is to continue in this role again.

The junior section continues to flourish and expand and all the Under-11s and 13s who won their respective league titles last year are back with for the coming season. In 2006 we will be operating with one Under 9, two Under 11, one Under 13 and one Under 15 teams.

SILSDEN CC - The first XI will again be led by Hugh Sugden. Incoming players will be Zeeshan Quasim, an all-rounder from the Bradford League, and Omar Khatab, from the Craven League.

THACKLEY CC - Thackley have recruited this year, and will be introducing Mahir Ali to the AWSCL, a fast bowler who should strengthen the bowling attack. The club has taken on board concerns regarding the playing area and have spent money on the square. Also improvements to the score box have been undertaken and the improvement should please the scorers.

UPPER WHARFEDALE CC - Upper Wharfedale have signed Melbourne all rounder Rob Cooper as their overseas player. David Eggleton replaces Andrew Smith as first XI captain with David Daggett as his vice-captain. Andrew Gould takes over as second XI captain with Richard Foster as vice-captain. Chris Baines returns from Addingham to take over wicketkeeping duties and Harry Smallwood comes from Bolton Abbey to bolster the second XI batting.

Division C

ADDINGHAM CC - Addingham will be captained by Richard Simpson and the second eleven by Duncan Leng. They welcome Richard Hey from Ilkley and will be fielding a new wicket-keeper/batsman from Australia.

ALWOODLEY CC - Paul Horsey will has been appointed captain for a second term, and Adam Trunks will act as vice- captain. Ian Taylor who has missed the last two seasons living in London will be returning to Leeds at some stage to add to the batting strength. Brad Palmer (Australia) is retained as overseas player after some outstanding performances last season.

BEN RHYDDING CC - The coming season sees the welcome return of Mark Booth along with the arrival of Pat Parker, and Leighton Parsons as the overseas player. The club is sorry to lose the experienced Steve and Andy Winterbottom and Ian Alcorn but looks forward to the opportunity to continue to develop the younger players.

BOLTON VILLAS CC - New signings are Charles and Jeremy Trees plus Neil McClelland from Thackley. The overseas player will be Josh Durrant from Richmond CC of the Victoria Premier CL. Off the field has seen much hard work and effort with new practice nets, a new scoreboard facia, new seating and picnic area and more work to fill in uneven areas of the outfield as well as an extended square.

COLTON CC - Martin Stalgis continues as first Xl captain. Vinroy Dell from the Trelawny CC in Jamaica will be the overseas player. John Long from East Leeds CC has also joined.

HARDEN CC - Anthony Bairstow will again captain the first XI and Mark Falkingham the seconds. New for 2006 is the third XI which will be led by Gavin Dixon. New signings are David Dawson, a hard-hitting middle-order batsman from East Bierley and David Henson, a medium-paced bowler from Riddlesden CC. To spearhead the first XI bowling attack theyhave recruited Australian Tim Clark from St Joseph's CC in Melbourne.

Would all visitors to Harden CC please note that the main gate will be closed (not locked) on commencement of play. This applies to senior and junior fixtures and is purely for safety reasons.

ILKLEY CC - The Club has been reinforced in its bid to make a quick return to Division B by the recruitment of batsman Paul Dover from Thackley, all-rounders Andrew Wheeler and Nick Cockcroft (formerly of Ilkley) from Burley and overseas player, batsman Simon Schwerdt from Adelaide. Members are looking forward to seeing the further development of talented teenagers, Andy Rhodes and Alex Bailey.

ILLINGWORTH CC - With the arrival of the new improved facilities at Illingworth this season the players are determined to do them justice and push for a place in the higher Division. Richard Farrell-Smith, who has been with the club for 18 years since his junior days has taken over the mantle of captain. The overseas player will be Australian Daniel Superina, a right arm opening bowler and lower order batsman. Daniel, 23 has played A grade cricket since the age of 17, most recently with Marion CC and Flinders University.

MENSTON CC - Rumours of the demise of the club are greatly exaggerated. Nick Thornton will again lead the first X1, strengthened by several recruits from the Bradford and Central Yorkshire Leagues, in an attempt to start the climb back up the divisions after last season's relegation. The club welcomes back Richard Feltbower from a season at Ben Rhydding. This will be the first season without David Ted' Lester and Ian Myers following their retirements.

NEW ROVER CC - The club very much enjoyed its first season in the League and though disappointed to miss out on promotion by just two points, the cricket throughout the season was well contested with some excellent close finishes.

Popular former Vice Captain and ex Carlton all rounder Ian Stephens makes a welcome return to the club. The new overseas player will be Shane Franklin who replaces Joel Sheldon who took a staggering 101 wickets for the club in all competitions to set a club record that will probably never be broken. Other new faces have come from outside the area with batsman Matt Dulson joining from Crewe Cricket Club and bowler Anthony Jozefek arriving from Newcastle Cricket Club.

Drainage work has been carried out in the close season on parts of the outfield which have in the past caused a problem . The club looks forward to another enjoyable season's cricket.

SKIPTON CC - Following relegation from Division B the club last year took the decision to play without the services of an overseas player so as to give young players the best opportunity to develop. This happened and, as well as some very promising younger senior team players, the club has a vibrant junior section with four teams from different age groups. Continuing this youth policy, new first XI captain will be Kevin Owens who replaces stalwart Andrew Facey. Second XI captain will be Graham Summersgill who will be continuing his good work with the many juniors who played under him last year.

WOODHOUSE CC - Following a difficult playing season in 2005, resulting in the club successfully applying for re-election, they look forward to a new season. Last year's first XI captain Kevin McGuiness has moved to the York Senior CL with Dringhouses. A couple of players have moved out of the area and Tony Harrison has retired from playing at the age of 66 but he has taken on the mantle of Club Chairman. Steve Bray will be Captain with Steve Dobson as Vice-Captain. The Club has acquired the wicketkeeping services of Mark Deighton (ex-Highbury).