Woodlands lose out to Bradford & Bingley in Gordon Rigg Priestley Cup final

The overwhelming favourites and reigning Bradford League champions suffered a six-wicket defeat in a game played at Pudsey Congs.

Bradford & Bingley put their poor recent league form behind after electing to bowl first in a game initially reduced to 42 overs-a-side.

A further shower midway through the first led to it becoming a 37-over contest.

Woodlands were reduced to 22-2 with two of their most prolific scorers out and a further setback saw Sam Frankland injuring his leg and needing a runner.

Frankland batted on bravely and tried to hold the innings together as more wickets fell. But when he was out for 36 and dangerous hitter Muhammad Bilal soon followed it was 118-7 with Bradford & Bingley in the driving seat.

Although Greg Finn stuck it out to make 22 Woodlands knew their 154 total was below par.

Bradford & Bingley were given a DLS revised target of 153 from 37 overs and must have felt a little nervous after initially being reduced to 31-2 by Bilal’s opening burst.

But Corey Miller (55) and Matthew Swallow (36) put on 65 for the third wicket and the latter then combined with skipper Ed Brown (24no) to add a further 48 runs.

The target was then reached with eight balls to spare.

Pick of the Woodlands bowlers was Bilal (3-40), but try as they might their attack was unable to make the necessary inroads.