WOODLANDS made untroubled progress to the group final stage of the ECB National Club Championship with a 145-run home win over Woodhouse Grange.

As the only competition that the Bradford Premier League heavyweights have never won you would think that the 40-overs-per-side flagship event would be the priority this season.

However, Woodlands captain Brad Schmulian begged to differ, saying that the league was still their No 1 target.

He admitted: “If we wanted to win one trophy it would still be the league, which we have prided ourselves on at this club for 20 years.

“We have won it for three straight years and we want to build a legacy, but the National Club Championship would definitely be the cherry on the top and second to the league and is one that we have our eye on.”

Playing home matches in it is one thing but Schmulian is not averse to the odd road trip.

He said: “We have played home games, but it would be nice to have a couple of away games as it is good for team culture, and we really gel on those away trips.”

It was on one of those away days last season that Woodlands were beaten in the last 16 at Wallasey.

Schmulian reflected: “It was a bit of a weird one. We did really well to get to 200 (202-9) on what we thought was a tricky wicket and we felt that we didn’t do a lot wrong overall.

“But their pro (Sumit Ruikar) took it away from us with a freakish innings (of 76) on a small ground, although we probably weren’t playing quite at our best in the mid-point of the season.

“But it was great experience for us, and we learnt a lot from travelling to different grounds and playing against new players in a 40-over format, which we don’t normally get in the Bradford League.

“We were a bit naïve as to how big a tournament it was and realised that we wanted to progress in it this year.”

As for the display against Woodhouse Grange, the Woodlands skipper said: “It was a good all-round team performance.

“In the league we have probably gone a bit early and lost wickets so we emphasised laying a platform for the second 20 overs.

“We didn’t execute it perfectly but with wickets in hand we proved in those last 10 overs that we scored about 90 and still lost a few wickets.

“We took wickets in the first and second over which set the tone and we know our ground very well.”

Woodlands, sent in, lost Tim Jackson early but Sam Frankland (63) and Schmulian (110no) added 82 for the second wicket, Muhammad Bilal (31) putting on 57 with the Kiwi for the third and Tom Clee (40) dominating a fourth-wicket partnership of 52 before Elliot Richardson (24) added 60 with his skipper.

Schmulian’s runs came off 93 balls and included 12 fours and three sixes in what was largely a trial by off-spin.

He said: “I enjoyed my knock. I was frustrated to get out yesterday as I felt amazing but got out in the thirties against B&B (Bradford & Bingley).

“I didn’t feel as good as yesterday, but I made sure I got through that twenty to thirty-run period.

“I made sure that the dimensions were in my favour, but it was nice to get three figures and get the win.”

Woodlands totalled 291-6, but wickets in both of the first two overs put Grange on the back foot and they were toppled for 146, despite 47 from Chris Bilton, 27 from overseas Jerome Bossr and 32 from Chris Wood.

Bilal, swinging the ball prodigiously, as did Elliot Richardson, took 4-21 and canny off-spinner Kez Ahmed took 4-35.

Next up are Doncaster Town on Sunday, June 18.

Schmulian said: “We played them in the Yorkshire Leagues’ play-offs in 2019.

“We had a couple of guys out and gave them a bit of a hiding, but I follow their scores and they have a couple of guys who do quite well, and they have some good young players.

“You only need a couple of players to come off in a 40-over game and you just hope that things go your way.”