A Saltaire stalwart who prepared the ground for two decades on his way home from a night shift has won the Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy, the JCT600 Bradford League’s top accolade.

Julien Young has served the Roberts Park club for 51 years and becomes the third Saltaire member to lift a trophy which acknowledges outstanding service to the league.

Alf Burgoyne (1964) and Jeff Driver (2005) were their previous winners and, like his predecessors, Young has given endless hours of service to them.

He was a determined player, who was a teasing slow left-arm bowler but worked his way up from number 11 to open the innings for the second team.

Young was the main groundsman at Roberts Park for many years, in liaison with Burgoyne and Driver, and more recently with Billy Ricketts.

League president Keith Moss said: “He used to prepare the ground on his way home from a night shift and then went home for a few hours’ well-earned sleep.

“He was often the first to arrive at the ground and the last to leave.

“‘Mr Perpetual Motion’ has been a most wonderful and loyal servant of his club. He has given generously of his time and is an inspiration to others. He is a most worthy winner of this accolade.”

Young has also done large amounts of ground maintenance, helped with the juniors, helped with any fund-raising ventures and organised the catering.

East Bierley skipper Lee Goddard was voted the JCT600 Players’ Player of the Year after topping the Division One batting averages and leading his side to victory in the Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup.

Goddard said: “It is really nice when you are recognised by your fellow players.”

The JCT600 Unsung Hero award was won by Spen Victoria’s Peter Jackson, who – as well as being an opening batsman for his club’s first team – is their secretary and groundsman.

He won wide admiration for the way he battled the elements to twice have the Spen Victoria ground in top order for the Priestley Cup final.

The new Tommy Mathers Trophy, for ground of the year, was won by Farsley, while the Albert Smith Spirit of Cricket award went to Cleckheaton.

Fahid Rehman of Saltaire picked up the Gordon Bowers Young Player of the Year award and Edward Walmsley the Ernest Lodge Young Spinner of the Year prize.

Hanging Heaton’s David Stiff received the Sir Learie Constantine Division One All-Rounder trophy and Kashif Naveed of Morley received the equivalent Jack Hill trophy in Division Two.