One of the men who has played a big part in getting Farsley to Sunday's Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup final will be kicking his heels on the sidelines as his club tackle Bradford & Bingley at Spen Victoria (1pm).

David Syers has scored 225 runs in four innings at an average of 75 during his club’s run to a second successive final, but he will have to settle for a role as a spectator after securing a professional football contract with Bradford City.

The 22-year-old admits he would love to be playing but the demands of his new career rule that out.

He said: “Farsley have had some great games in the cup this season. After beating champions Baildon we have won three high-scoring games with Hartshead Moor, Undercliffe and Woodlands.

“I would love to be able to play in the final but I have always made it clear that my main aim was to try and make it as a professional footballer.

“Obviously I would like to have played in the final, especially as last year I was the captain and couldn’t play when the match went into a second day because I was playing football. It meant I didn’t bat.”

Syers, who made his first start for City in their 2-1 extra-time Carling Cup defeat by Preston in midweek, made 36 against Baildon and followed up with scores of 77, 54 not out, and 58 against Hartshead Moor, Undercliffe and Woodlands respectively.

Syers, who won the Bradford League’s coveted Gordon Bowers Award as the young player of the year in 2007, is hoping Farsley can erase the memory of last year’s final defeat by East Bierley and lift the cup for the first time since 1995.

“It will be a tough test,” he said: “Bradford & Bingley have strength all the way down the order and, of course, they have Richard McCarthy. They have a good side but Farsley have their match-winners in Lorenzo Inghram and James Lee.

“It is all about how we perform on the day. Perhaps the lads would do well to remember last season when Farsley beat Bradford & Bingley on the way to the final.

“It was a wet pitch and we managed to win the toss and put them in. I hope luck is with the lads on Sunday.”

In addition to Syers, Farsley are also without Harry Anderson, who took over behind the stumps last season when Syers concentrated on his batting. Anderson has been ordered to rest after picking up a mystery illness. It means Matthew Green will be keeping wicket.

Bradford & Bingley, who last won the cup in 2003, must make one change to their side. All-rounder David Clow has set off on his travels around the world so Rob Walker is drafted in.

They will also be hoping that wicketkeeper Matthew Duce is fit after dislocating a thumb.

Farsley: Steve Simpson, James Lee, Bradley Kruger, Shabbir Rashid, Tom Slater, Lorenzo Inghram, Joe Greaves, Matthew Green (wkt), Barry Frankland, Robert Thornton, Chris Henry (Capt). 12th man: James Henry.

Bradford & Bingley: Simon Davies, Scott Etherington, Naweed Ghany, Phil Slater (Capt), Matthew Duce (wkt), Chris Thompson, Rob Walker, James Davies, Richard McCarthy, Will Briggs, Matthew Cockshott.