Last Saturday, Stuart Houlbrook joined a very elite band.

The 47-year-old Spen Victoria bowler became only the fourth in the history of the JCT600 Bradford League to reach 1,000 second-team wickets.

Houlbrook joined Peter Byrne, Dave Pearce and Jamie Abbott in the four-figure club while he was taking 3-28 at Windhill.

“It was nice to do it there as they were the first club I took a wicket for in the Bradford League, although I had previously played for Manningham Mills but didn’t bowl,” said Houlbrook.

“I played there from the age of ten to 16, and then went to Windhill, Baildon, Saltaire, Esholt and Cleckheaton before joining Spen.

“The idea of getting to 1,000 was sparked by Esholt giving me a trophy for taking 250 wickets for them about six years ago.

"I thought ‘If I have taken 250 wickets for Esholt, how many have I taken all told?’

"However, I had one season at Esholt where I only took a few wickets and injured my hamstring twice.

“I thought ‘I am getting too old’ but the last game of that season was against Cleckheaton, and Russ Noble is a good friend of mine and invited me down there.”

Ambition achieved, however, Houlbrook is hanging up his boots at the end of the season.

“I am not going to get to 2,000, so it seems an appropriate time to pack up,” he explained.

Houlbrook, who is nicknamed ‘The Vicar of Dibley’ for his bowling style (dibbly-dobblys), has never taken ten wickets in an innings though.

He said: “I have taken nine four times – twice for Windhill, once for Baildon and once for Esholt against Windhill.”

Houlbrook added: “It has been good reading the Bradford League web-site this season and seeing the total number of wickets taken alter.

“Hanging Heaton’s Michael Horner should be next as he is on about 970.”

Houlbrook was just glad to reach the landmark last weekend, explaining: “They were nine down and I still needed a wicket.

“I got the tenth but it wasn’t a very good shot. He was caught out at mid-on whereas I would rather have done it myself by bowling him.”

Spen are sitting fifth in Division Two on 187 points behind Pudsey Congs (208), New Farnley, Undercliffe and Pudsey St Lawrence (all 203), and Houlbrook, who is an advocate of the second-team competition being separate to the first teams, said: “We can get promoted if we win our games against the sides above us.

"Making the second teams separate has made it much more competitive as teams are striving for promotion or fighting to avoid relegation.

"Previously when teams were dependent on where their first teams finished, a side could win the title and go down because theuir first team had been relegated."

Match of the day among the top-flight first teams on Saturday is Saints (third) at Cleckheaton (second).

STUART HOULBROOK SEASON BY SEASON

Year Club Division Overs Mdns Runs Wkts Ave
1988 Windhill 2 128.3 13 494 22 22.45
1989 Windhill 2 160.1 28 485 35 13.86
1990 Windhill 2 190.3 37 620 38 16.32
1991 Baildon 1 317.5 65 1012 48 21.08
1992 Baildon 1 212.3 54 579 41 14.12
1993 Baildon 2 318.1 78 786 51 15.41
1994 Baildon 1 216.1 54 622 33 18.85
1995 Saltaire 1 316.5 72 977 43 22.72
1996 Saltaire 1 302 74 954 38 25.11
1997 Saltaire 1 221.1 54 672 35 19.20
1998 Saltaire 1 223.2 60 658 38 17.32
1999 Saltaire 2 297 66 856 57 15.01
2000 Esholt 2 255.1 52 774 50 15.48
2001 Esholt 2 199.5 52 642 35 18.34
2002 Esholt 2 193.1 42 577 36 16.03
2003 Esholt 2 295.3 83 845 65 13.00
2004 Esholt 2 210.2 51 632 30 21.07
2005 Esholt 2 113.5 23 384 34 11.29
2006 Esholt 1 163.4 26 649 40 16.23
2007 Esholt 1 140.3 29 554 24 23.08
2008 Esholt 1 50 8 173 7 24.71
2009 Cleckheaton 1 235.3 42 779 48 16.23
2010 Cleckheaton 1 223.5 47 823 60 13.72
2011 Cleckheaton 2 184 33 660 33 20.00
2012 Spen Victoria 2 140.4 39 386 32 12.06
2013 Spen Victoria 2 120.4 32 322 27 11.93

Total wickets 1,000 Average 16.92