Having finished third from bottom last season, Mirfield are finding things even more of a struggle this season in the Specialist Ducting Supp-lies Bradford League First Division.

The men from Memorial Park are currently next to bottom, and have a huge match tomorrow at basement club Spen Victoria.

Mirfield have lost overseas all-rounder Mohammed Asif and middle-order batsman Ibrahim Latif since last season, and recently opening batsman Simon Horkin left to join Liversedge.

And chairman of selectors David Haikings admits that too much reliance has been placed on leading batsmen Tariq Aziz, who won the Division One averages while with Pudsey St Lawrence in 2002, and former Nottinghamshire player Guy Welton.

Haikings admitted: "It's almost as if we need them to make a score every time they go to the wicket, but they are only human beings.

"Hopefully in the second half of the season we can give them more support via the likes of my son Richard, skipper Mark Fairburn and former captain David Jackson.

"Richard has had a wretched season so far. Last week, for example, he played a pull shot to a short ball, which was the right thing to do considering the delivery, but he got a top edge and was caught."

On the bowling front, Mir-field have signed Iftikar Ah-med, formerly of Cleckheaton.

And his support will be invaluable for youngster Matthew Harrison. A star of Mirfield's success in the Heavy Woollen Cup last season, when they beat Spen in the final at Liversedge, too much responsibility has been thrust on his shoulders this season.

Haikings added: "Ideally Matthew would be bowling first-change, but with Neil Parkinson being hit and miss because of injuries and work commitments, he has found himself being a front-line bowler.

"He has had some good spells, but it is a big ask for someone so young to be doing it week in, week out against some top-class players who are capable of getting hold of him."

Hopefully for Mirfield, Parkinson will figure tomorrow as he continues his comeback from a knee operation.

Haikings senior may be 55, but that hasn't stopped him being called up for first team duty five times this campaign.

"I have even batted at No 9," said the willing veteran, "and Matthew has gone in as high as four. That's too high for him in my opinion, although he has made several scores in the 20s and in the long run could develop into a genuine all-rounder going in at No 5 or No 6.

"We have also had to field a 15-year-old and a 13-year-old in the first team this season and sometimes have had only seven genuine first-teamers."

As for tomorrow's match, Haikings said: "Hopefully we can post a big score, as we did against East Bierley last month, although I have heard that it is sometimes better to bat second at Spen."

Baildon, who have climbed out of a relegation place, are at Bankfoot.