PAUL Hutchison couldn’t suppress a giggle when he found out that James Middlebrook was one of the umpires in Monday’s Yorkshire Vikings’ T20 match against the JCT600 Bradford League at Pudsey Congs (6pm).

Former Pudsey Congs and Bowling Old Lane all-rounder Middlebrook, who is now with New Farnley, thought his county career was over last September when he was shown the door by Northamptonshire.

However, the 38-year-old, who hopes to become a first-class umpire, was dramatically recalled by Yorkshire this season for their County Championship draw against Warwickshire when Adil Rashid was in the Caribbean with England, and took eight wickets, and he is on call for the white rose for the rest of this season.

“He has got a foot in the Yorkshire camp,” laughed Bradford League team manager Hutchison, worried tongue in cheek about not getting marginal lbw decisions from his former white-rose colleague in the JCT600 Challenge Match.

Hutchison added: “Seriously though, it is great for the reputation of the Bradford League that the umpires (Pudsey Congs’ Glenn Roberts is the other umpire) in such a prestigious match are stalwart Bradford League players who want to get on the first-class list.”

The match will help Yorkshire keep in nick for their NatWest T20 Blast campaign, which starts tonight against Derbyshire (7.00), and Hutchison said: “It is wonderful that Yorkshire are going back to the leagues – the level below.”

But any hopes that Bradford may have a city-centre franchise anytime soon for an English competition to be run on the lines of the Big Bash in Australia were dashed by the left-arm pace bowler.

“Due to the English counties and the infrastructure, I cannot see it happening in the next 20 years,” said Hutchison, who is waiting to hear whether former England swing bowler Matthew Hoggard and all-rounder Gavin Hamilton will be his assistants.

However, he reckons that Monday could be an opportunity for young players such as Bradford & Bingley pace bowler Jack Hartley to make an impression.

The Bradford League will be captained by Gary Fellows, and also includes fellow former Yorkshire players David Stiff, James Smith and Callum Geldart. Lightcliffe’s Suleman Khan is the overseas player.

The clash will be part of ex-Cleckheaton, Woodlands and Pudsey Congs all-rounder Rich Pyrah’s benefit year, and admission is £3 for adults but under-11s go free.

JCT600s: Gary Fellows (captain, Hanging Heaton), Callum Geldart, Adam Patel (both Pudsey Congs), Suleiman Khan (Lightcliffe), James Smith (Pudsey St Lawrence), David Stiff (Hanging Heaton), Mal Nicholson (wicket-keeper, Cleckheaton), James Wainman (Farsley), Steve Watts (Pudsey St Lawrence), Jack Hartley (Bradford & Bingley), Curtis Free (Cleckheaton).