Prospective JCT600 Bradford League Division One champions Woodlands aren’t exactly playing like that.

After the matches on August 18, the Oakenshaw club led the table by 45 points.

But now, after losing a thriller to Pudsey Congs by one wicket, that advantage has been trimmed to 33 points, giving renewed hope to Cleckheaton, East Bierley and Lightcliffe.

And Woodlands’ league representative Phil Godfrey can see danger in all three of his club’s remaining fixtures.

They host third-placed Bierley on Saturday, visit relegation-threatened Farsley on Sunday and entertain fifth-placed Bradford & Bingley a week on Saturday.

Godfrey said: “East Bierley are one of the chasers, Farsley are fighting for their lives, and Bradford & Bingley always give us trouble.

"Before what I am calling the weather break, we won seven out of seven and looked almost unbeatable.

“But now we are in the home straight and can see the finishing line but the chasers are catching us up.”

Woodlands are without overseas player Safraz Ahmed, who has returned to Pakistan because of the death of his father, but Godfrey said: “We do miss him but we are not a one-man team and have struggled even when he has been in the side.

“But it just goes to show how strong the Bradford League is.”

Godfrey added: "Safraz rang us up last week and offered to come back but we kindly declined his offer.

"He would have been missing the last match anyway because the Pakistan Cricket Board wanted him back to prepare for the Champions League."