Chris Silverwood has reached another important landmark as he continues his recovery from injury.

The 30-year-old Yorkshire pace bowler, who had a major ankle operation last October, is now coming in off his full run-up.

Silverwood, who played for Pudsey Congs in their victory at Pudsey St Lawrence on Saturday, said: "This is the second time this week that I have used it, but that's only the second time since last summer.

"The other occasion was the Second XI Championship match against Lanca-shire at Old Trafford."

Silverwood, who has played in six Tests and seven one-day internationals for England, added: "The aim is to strengthen the ankle up. It first gave me problems the week before we won the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy final. I went over on a foothold at The Rose Bowl.

"Then cortisone injections stopped working and I had an operation on October 7 last year."

Silverwood, whose figures of one for 58 off 11 overs at Tofts Road didn't do him justice, said: "I reckon I am at 90 per cent speed now, and some of my deliveries were probably at 85 or 86 miles per hour.

"It is hard work, but it is coming on, and, in conjunction with Yorkshire , we have worked out a plan to strengthen the ankle up.

"The idea was to bowl longer spells off my short run to get the endurance back in the legs, and now the plan is for shorter, sharper spells off my long run to get my levels up again."

Silverwood was certainly glad that former county colleague Gary Fellows blasted a Shehzad Butt delivery back past the bowler for four.

The ball went through a hole in the fence and was lost, and the replacement ball swung much more.

"I only wish he had done it much earlier," laughed Silverwood. "The replacement was a different type of ball with a nice sheen on it and I could swing it into the pads in those last few overs when the batsmen are trying to really push the score on."

Previously Silverwood has been playing Yorkshire League cricket for Castle-ford - he was born in nearby Pontefract - but he is enjoying his stint with Congs in the Bradford League.

He said: "It is a different challenge, and it is good to play against different people, and you aren't under as much pressure as you are at first-class level.

"I am enjoying it and the lads have been good and have helped me a lot.

"Wicketkeeper Gary Brook, for example, who I have known since I was a junior, talks to me about my point of release and my action."

St Lawrence were 96 for one after 25 overs, and many of their followers were disappointed that they only made 220 for seven on a green-looking but good wicket.

But Saints skipper Gary Fellows said: "You have to remember that Congs have the best attack in the league.

"What was more crucial was that we dropped a couple of early chances (Iain Priestley spilled a sharp one in the gully and another went through the slips).

"They are a strong side and bat down to seven or eight and, although we took an early wicket, we missed the opportunity to put them under more pressure."

Congs skipper Matthew Doidge said: "We were happy to keep them to 220 after they were 96 for one at halfway, and I would imagine they will be disappointed to only get that total, but Mark Bray and Glenn Roberts both bowled well.

"And in our innings, Barbar Butt batted well, picking out the right balls to hit."

As for the Bradford League table, Doidge said: "It is going to be very hard for either Bankfoot or Spen Victoria to avoid relegation, but it looks like the top of the table is going to be closer than for a while. There could be four or five in it at the end of the season."