Experience v youth in final showpiece (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Experience v youth in final showpiece

5:06pm Friday 24th August 2007 in Sport By Bill Marshall

Sunday's's Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup final at Pudsey Congs (1.00) will be a battle between youth and experience.

The youth belongs in the main to first-time finalists Cleckheaton, while the experience, despite losing much of that over the winter, is in the Pudsey Congs camp.

After all, Congs are seeking their fourth title in six seasons, but they are a new-look team this time and Cleckheaton can take some comfort from the fact that the host's runs-per-over concession is nowhere near as miserly as it used to be.

"You don't replace bowlers like Rana Naved and Neil Gill," explained influential Cleckheaton all-rounder Ian Wood.

"But Congs will definitely be favourites. A lot of their players have been in finals before and it is only to be expected that some of our players will suffer from nerves.

"However, we have a strong side and we have beaten them once in the league and they have beaten us once. It has all the makings of a good final and the weather forecast is good too."

One reason why Cleckheaton have improved from 12th last season to their current position of seventh has been their bowling attack.

Wood said: "We have invariably been given a good start by our young opening pair of Ian Wardlaw and Craig Wiseman.

"We have followed that with our spinners Tom Pringle and Mohammad Zaman, and experienced players like myself have been more successful than we were last season.

"My brother John has been struggling with his knee but often he hasn't had to bowl because the others have done so well."

However, Congs, who are seeking their fifth win overall, will be looking to exploit what can be an inconsistent batting line-up.

Key men for Congs will be skipper Babar Butt, Andrew Bairstow, Matthew Doidge, Glenn Roberts and Mark Bray, but they also have potential match-winners in Andrew Bourke, Scott Cunningham and Tom Glover.

Entrance to the ground by both car and foot will be from 11.30am onwards. Please follow the stewards' instructions in order to allow the maximum number of cars into the ground.

Ten places have been reserved for Bradford League officials and sponsors to the rear of the clubhouse, and parking for players, umpires and scorers will be available on the far side of the ground near the artificial nets.

If the ground becomes full, there is ample street parking within easy reach of the ground but please make sure you do not restrict any movements by local residents.