Brighouse buoyant ahead of double test
made an unbeaten 84 in the Idle game, is one of the new boys to hit the ground running.
Brighouse are at home to Baildon tomorrow and then travel to Bowling Old Lane in the first round of the cup on Sunday.
Brighouse are level on points with Baildon and above Bowling Old Lane in the early-season table.
Lightcliffe, winners of the cup in 2013 when they beat Hanging Heaton in the final, are one of seven teams with first round byes.
That means Alex Stead’s men can give total focus to Saturday’s visit from Cleckheaton in Division One.
Lightcliffe will be looking to get back on track after a disaster last Saturday.
They crashed by 10 wickets at home to Bradford and Bingley after being bowled out for 83 by seamer Matt Simpson ( five for 43) and spinner Noman Ali (four for nine).
The visitors knocked off the runs in just 11.4 overs with skipper Phil Slater unbeaten on 67. Northowram Fields host Hopton Mills in the Central Yorkshire League’s Championship with hopes rising after a promising start.
Long- serving opening batsman Robert Larner is back in charge, much to his surprise. With spinner and last year’s captain Chris Thompson retiring in the close season due to injury, Jon Lister was due to take charge.
But he won’t be able to play until late in the summer after leg surgery so Larner has stepped back into the breach.
Northowram were also hit by Christian Silkstone’s return to Triangle but the batsmen’s undoubted talents haven’t been missed so far.
The Rams scored 252 to win at Liversedge on the opening day and topped that total with a ton from Dru Patel at home to Wakefield SM last week before play was washed out.