CIERAN Garner is standing down as Woodlands skipper, but he could bow out in style.

The Oakenshaw-based side secured the Bradford League Premier Division title with a superb 74-run win over rivals New Farnley on Saturday.

And that has put them into the Yorkshire Premier League finals, with a last four clash at Appleby Frodingham, the winners of the the Yorkshire Premier League South, this weekend.

If they win that, they will play in the final at Headingley on September 18 against either Castleford or Marton.

But for now, the Woodlands players are celebrating their first silverware of 2021, after a triumph in that must-win clash at New Farnley saw them pip Townville to the title.

Garner beamed: "It was an easy win in the end, but you wouldn't have said that halfway through, as it was in the balance for a while.

"Brad Schmulian hit a brilliant 112 to give us a score (228 all out) we were happy with, but Townville were something like 80-2 in reply.

"It was looking like being really close, but then we got them on the run with a flurry of wickets, and the result took care of itself.

"You never know what will happen in a pressure game like that, you're always thinking of the worst-case scenario and that it could go down to the wire."

The efforts of Schmulian, and spinners Chris Brice and Kez Ahmed, who took four wickets apiece, ensured a fine win in the end.

Garner waxed lyrical about Schmulian after his match-winning knock in the Heavy Woollen Cup semi-final win over Hoylandswaine last month, but discussing Brice and Ahmed, he said: "They'd probably get in anyone else's Bradford League team over the last 10 years.

"They're our spin twins, Chris a left-armer and Kez a right-armer, and as good as Brad is with the bat, they're just as important.

"They complement each other so well, and if we get off to a good start with the fast bowlers, that's great, but we know if another team starts to dominate us early on, Kez and Bricey can pull it back for us."

So far, the Bradford League Premier Division is Woodlands' only silverware of 2021, and Garner said: "I don't think this is big-headed, but when we set out before any season, we want to win everything we enter.

"It didn't work out in the cups though, we did get to that (Heavy Woollen Cup) final against New Farnley, but it just wasn't our day. They were the much better side.

"But seeing their celebrations afterwards, and knowing we were playing them on the final day of the league season, just gave us that extra motivation, and there's no better feeling than winning at your rivals on the final day to secure the title."

Garner has two weeks left at most as Woodlands skipper, as he explained: "I couldn't have asked for two better seasons (2019 and 2021) as captain, but Brad will be taking over for next year.

"I still want to be involved in the first and second team whenever they need me, but I've got a young family, and I just can't commit to all the games as I'd like to."

It was a good job Woodlands won at the weekend, as Townville did everything they had to do, beating relegated Batley by four wickets in a low-scoring encounter.

Morley were the other side to go down from the top flight, despite their 35-run win on the final day against Cleckheaton.

Bradford & Bingley suffered a miserable end to their season, losing by 179 runs against a hard-hitting Pudsey St Lawrence side.

Ossett secured the Division One title after thumping Baildon by nine wickets, while Bankfoot need just one point from their final game against Carlton this weekend to be certain of promotion to the top flight, after defeating bottom team Hartshead Moor by 51 runs.

Birstall had to work hard for a two-wicket win over Undercliffe, while Lightcliffe gave their hopes of avoiding relegation a big boost with a 77-run win at Carlton.

That win for Lightcliffe has seen Keighley fall into the relegation zone, as they lost by 49 runs against East Bierley.

Gomersal are not out of danger though either, after their 23-run defeat by Pudsey Congs.

Jer Lane took another step towards securing promotion from Division Two with a four-wicket win over Northowram Fields.

Jer Lane have 290 points and are 10 ahead of East Ardsley who won both their weekend games to maintain their late push for promotion.

They followed up an emphatic nine-wicket victory over Wakefield St Michael’s with a five-wicket win over Bowling Old Lane on Sunday.

Hopton Mills, who defeated Bowling Old Lane by three wickets on Saturday, are a further eight points back.

Gulsheraz Ahmed hit an unbeaten 114 as Yeadon chased down a Buttershaw St Paul’s score of 246-9 to win by seven wickets.

Relegated Scholes defeated Hunslet Nelson by 87 runs to record only their second victory of the season.

Bottom team Spen Victoria suffered a six-wicket defeat at home against Sandal, and the latter recorded their second win of the weekend when they defeated Scholes by six wickets too.

Great Preston require just one point to be sure of promotion from Division Three after recording a 93-run win over East Leeds.

They now have 306 points and lead by seven from Crossflatts, who they face in the final game of the season on Saturday.

Crossflatts survived a series of scares against Liversedge before scraping home by one wicket.

Brighouse are 13 points behind Crossflatts and can pounce if the league newcomers slip up in their final game.

Quadratullah Azizi (5-47) and Parvaise Khan (4-25) bowled out Rodley for 73 as Brighouse stormed to a seven-wicket win.

Just a week after beating leaders Great Preston, Heckmondwike & Carlinghow suffered a six-wicket defeat at the hands of second-bottom Windhill & Daisy Hill.