RODLEY might not have pulled up many trees in a playing sense since they joined the All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League over the winter of 2015-16.

Their first team finished bottom of the Conference Division (the fourth tier) in 2016, and, not taking into account the withdrawal of Brook Walton in mid-season, were again propping everybody up this season.

But big things are happening off the field, and much of that is down to their chairman Steve Bradbury, who cut his administrative teeth with the Dales Council League as league representative and then league secretary.

Bradbury, who won the Bradford League's Unsung Hero award at their annual dinner at Headingley, said: "We only had two teams when we played in the Dales Council League but next season we will have two under-nine teams, two under-11s, under-13s, under-15s, an Academy side, a Sunday side and two senior Saturday sides.

"I am very proud, and it is recognition of what we have done."

Meanwhile, Methley all-rounder Marcus Walmsley was named the players' player of the year after receiving 43 per cent of the votes in the on-line poll.

Hanging Heaton's prolific opening batsman Nick Connolly, scorer of 1,165 league runs last season, was a close second with 40 per cent, and would have been a worthy winner too.

Walmsley scored 774 runs and took 51 wickets as he helped Methley win promotion to the Premier Division.

He was also man of the match in the Priestley Cup final when his side were beaten by New Farnley.

Lightcliffe won the Tommy Mathers' Ground award, and Batley the Albert Smith Spirit of Cricket award.

Townville's Conor Harvey was the Gordon Bowers Young Cricketer of the Year, while Farsley's Adam Ahmed won the Ernest Lodge Trophy as the Young Spinner of the Year.

OTHER AWARD WINNERS – First teams, Premier Division, batting average: Nick Connolly (Hanging Heaton) 1165 ave 89.62, bowling average Muhammed Rameez (Hanging Heaton) 57 wkts ave 10.56 ave, wicket-keeping: Matthew Duce (Bradford & Bingley) 35 victims 30ct 5st. Championship Division One, batting average: Shoukat Ali (Scholes) 879 runs ave 51.71, bowling average: Oliver Halliday (Morley) 45 wkts ave 8.24, wicket-keeping: Jake McCaffrey (Methley) 33 victims 31ct 2st. Championship Division Two, batting average: Mohammed Khan (Hartshead Moor) 1127 runs ave 86.69, bowling average: Asif Ali (Liversedge) 63 wkts ave 8.33, wicket-keeping: Tom Taylor (Carlton) 33 victims 27ct 6st. Conference Division, batting average: Haseen Bashir (East Ardsley) 659 runs ave 65.90, bowling average: Joe Finnigan (Wakefield St Michael’s) 69 wkts ave 9.17, wicket-keeping: Daniel Harwood (Great Preston) 28 victims 27ct 1st.

Second teams, Premier Division, batting average: Joshua Smith (Pudsey St Lawrence) 485 runs ave 53.89, bowling average: Will Swift (New Farnley) 42 wkts ave 12.12, wicket-keeping: Craig Russell (New Farnley) 28 victims 16 ct 12st. Championship Division One, batting average: Chris Hosley (Ossett) 787 runs ave 71.55, bowling average: Matthew Hirst (Gomersal) 57 wkts ave 9.65, wicket-keeping: Harvey Lockwood (Gomersal) 30 victims 21ct 9st. Championship Division Two, batting average: Kyle Welsh (Northowram Fields) 713 ave 59.42, bowling average: Nigel Hanson (Bankfoot) 37wkts ave 9.86, wicket-keeping: Kyle Welsh (Northowram Fields) 23 victims 19ct 4st. Conference Division, batting average: Jonathan Trevitt (Liversedge) 388 runs ave 64.67, bowling average: Adam Clarke (Liversedge) 45 wkts ave 7.47, wicket-keeping: Paul Gough (Oulton) 19 victims 15 ct 4st.

Highest league innings:Alex Lees (Lightcliffe) 227no. Highest opening partnership: 268 Nick Connolly (123no) & Gary Fellows (146) (Hanging Heaton). Highest aggregate first XI runs Nick Connolly (Hanging Heaton) 1165. Highest aggregate first XI wickets Iain Wardlaw (Hartshead Moor) 76. First XI most league stumpings: Mally Nicholson (Cleckheaton) 12. Second XI most league stumpings: Craig Russell (New Farnley) 12. Simon Stirling Memorial Cup (most sixes): Pritesh Lad (Buttershaw St Paul’s) 52. Sir Learie Constantine Premier Division first XL all-rounder: Jack Hughes (Townville). Jack Hill Championship & Conference first XI all-rounder: Mohammad Khan (Hartshead Moor).