Cricket: Bob Hodson is determined to help Saltaire to regain their First Division status at the first attempt, and has hit out at the standards of the Secure Trust Bank Bradford League Second Division.

The experienced pace bowler is the only survivor of the side that were relegated last season, finishing 13 points adrift at the bottom of the table with only one win out of 26 matches.

There was a mass exodus of players at the end of what Hodson describes as 'one of my worst ever seasons.' But with the new campaign just a month old Saltaire's new-look team are already making an early challenge to win one of the three promotion places.

They go into tomorrow's match against another of last season's relegated clubs, Lightcliffe, at Roberts Park, in second place five points behind leaders Yeadon but five points ahead of equal third placed clubs Keighley and Manningham Mills.

The match gives Saltaire the chance to avenge their defeat by Lightcliffe in the Priestley Cup first round, but more important the opportunity to earn six more points in their promotion bid.

Hodson is not happy at having to play in the Second Division.

He said: "From what I have seen so far the Second Division is very weak. Although we finished at the bottom of the First Division last season I believe we had a stronger team a year ago than we have now.

"The team we have got now is possibly good enough to take us back up, but, no disrespect to anyone, we would probably have to recruit half a side at least if we do go back."

Two of the new signings, pace bowler Brent Shackleton who has returned to the club from Woodlands as captain and overseas player Mohammed Wasim - one of several recruits from Esholt - have joined Hodson to give Saltaire a strong three pronged pace attack.

Hodson who has had two five wicket hauls already said: "Our strength this time is in our bowling.

"From what I have seen so far it is the bowling that is going to take us up if we do go up. We have got to try to restrict teams to low scores because on the evidence of our early matches we would struggle to reach some bigger scores.

"Although we lost to Lightcliffe in the cup a couple of weeks ago they did not look outstanding and the restriction of ten overs maximum for each bowler did not help us. In the league we can use myself, Brent Shackleton and Mohammed Wasim in longer spells."

Yeadon - who are looking ominously strong with four wins out of five - visit Hartshead Moor after their 203-run destruction of Mills last week.

In the First Division, Farsley will be trying to retain their lead at the top when they play at home to Windhill.

Second placed East Bierley visit champions Bradford & Bingley who are still looking for their first win while Undercliffe are away to out-of-form Pudsey Congs.

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