Woodlands skipper Pieter Swanepoel has come out in defence of his home pitch.

Cleckheaton captain John Wood called the Albert Terrace wicket “disgraceful” and “very poor” during their JCT600 Bradford League Division One match there in June.

The visitors won by four wickets but Swanepoel has countered by saying: “David Wharf puts in a lot of hard work on the ground and we have twice scored over 250 there this season.

“We got 263-6 against Gomersal on June 26 (Chris Brice 84, Danny Shuffe 75, Scott Richardson 54) and 254-5 against a very good East Bierley attack on July 10 (Brice 89no, Sam Frankland 61, Pieter Swanepoel 43).

“It can be testing just like any wicket but sometimes you have to give some credit to the bowlers, and Chris Brice, Safraz Ahmed and Richard Spittlehouse have been outstanding this season.”

Swanepoel reckons it may be 2011 before he is back to his best.

He had a shoulder operation last September, and said: “Tendons were attached back to the bone.

“It is getting better every week but I don’t think I will be back to my best until next season.”

Despite Swanepoel not being 100 per cent with the ball, Woodlands are level at the top with Pudsey St Lawrence on 247 points.

After finishing sixth last year, the Woodlands train is back on the track but Swanepoel knows there is plenty of hard work ahead if they are to add to their four straight championships of 2005-08.

He said: “Of all the teams, we have the toughest run-in over the final six games.

“We are at Pudsey Congs (fourth) on Saturday, at Cleckheaton (sixth) on August 28, at home to Undercliffe (seventh) on September 4 and at home to St Lawrence on September 5.

“We also face Farsley at home on August 14 and at Saltaire on September 11, both of whom could be fighting against relegation.

“There is something riding on every one of our matches for both teams.”

Woodlands’ match against Congs at Oakenshaw was rained off on May 29, and Swanepoel said: “We know about three or four of Congs’ more experienced players but we don’t know anything about their youngsters.”

St Lawrence are at Gomersal on Saturday but third-placed Bradford & Bingley have a rest day.

East Bierley (fifth) host defending champions Baildon (tenth), while Cleckheaton are at relegation candidates Yeadon (11th).