Woodlands to face Bradford & Bingley in Priestley Cup final

It is a repeat of last year’s final, which Bingley won by six wickets at Pudsey Congs, although it has to be said that Woodlands were a fading force by that stage of the season due to the amount of matches they had played.

Woodands beat Townville by seven wickets in their delayed semi-final on Sunday at Poplar Avenue, and visiting opener Sam Frankland reflected on that 2023 final by saying: “I would not take anything away from Bradford & Bingley.

“They deserved to win and wanted it a bit more and, I am not using this is as an excuse, but we had played a lot of cricket by that time.

“That being said, fundamentally, Bradford & Bingley deserved it.”

Townville were 108-3 at drinks having won the toss on Sunday, but could only total 179, being dismissed after 41.4 overs.

Abdul Wahid, Chris Holliday, Dushan Vimukthi and Conor Harvey all got starts, but no-one could better opener Wahid’s 39 as Woodlands took wickets when they needed to.

Brad Schmulian took 4-28 and Kez Ahmed, who recovered after being hit for two sixes by Vimukthi in his first over, managed 3-44.

Scott Richardson bagged 2-21 to ensure Townville’s total never looked like being enough.

And despite Woodlands losing Liam Collins to the first ball after tea, his fellow opener Muhammad Bilal scored 47 off 35 balls, including four fours and four sixes, and Woodlands cruised to victory from there.

Big-hitting Muhammad Bilal got Woodlands off to a fast start and they cruised to victory thereafter. (Image: Ray Spencer.)

Frankland said: “With Nick Bresnan playing and Alex Page out, their tail was a little bit longer and, like most tough teams, the overseas (Vimukthi), Chris Holliday and Jack Hughes are a big nucleus of their batting.

“We always knew that we had to be patient, but we took our chances, which built the pressure on them as we tried to pin them back, so that period was crucial.

“We didn’t do anything different, but knowing that when the chance came we had to take it.”

The pre-tea innings on a wicket with spongy tennis-ball bounce also showed the quality of keeper Alex Kaye standing up to the stumps as he got three catches and a stumping.

Woodlands then shuffled their batting order, but Frankland, who has just hit successive league centuries, explained: “We had a chat about powerplays and pink balls etc and utilising that period.

“We utilised Bilal and Liam in that position, and Liam didn’t come off but Bilal did.

“We thought that if we do get off to a good start then it relieves that bit of pressure, with myself, Tim (Jackson) and Brad coming in a little bit later.

“It worked here, but whether it will work every time I don’t know. We always knew that risk to play with freedom and take advantage of those first 10 overs.

“Bilal will score as quickly as he did here wherever he bats, and there was an element of risk, but it was calculated.

“He got us where we wanted to be, with 73 on the board when he got out, and we could then pat back maidens or take one off an over and there wasn’t that pressure building.

“Fundamentally that innings from Bilal made it easier for the middle order.”

After that second-wicket stand of 73 between Bilal and Frankland (34), Jackson (55no) and Schmulian (41no) saw Woodlands home with an unbroken partnership of 90.

They won what was expected to be a close semi-final with a massive 10.5 overs to spare.

Bradford & Bingley won the other last-four clash the previous Sunday by five wickets at home to Pudsey Congs.