PRIESTLEY Cup winners New Farnley can have a big say on the top flight relegation battle in The All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League.

Their last two games are at home to Batley on Saturday and away to Pudsey Congs on September 9, two of the four teams covered by just seven points in the scrap for survival.

Batley have 158 points, East Bierley 157, Cleckheaton 156 and Congs 151, and all of them have away fixtures.

East Bierley visit leaders Hanging Heaton who need 15 points to make sure of the title, Cleckheaton are at Bradford & Bingley while Congs are at Lightcliffe.

New Farnley’s cricket manager Paul Hutchison insists that his team won’t be easing up now that they have won one of the league’s major trophies.

He said: “We want to go out and play our normal game. We lost to Batley earlier in the season so we know we cannot afford to take them lightly.”

New Farnley will be without two of their cup-winning side. Opening batsman Mitch O’Connor, who hit a century against Farsley last Saturday and made 97 in the Priestley Cup final, has gone on holiday to Australia, while Yorkshire’s Andrew Hodd is also unavailable.

The county’s fitness coach Ian Fisher will replace Hodd while Cameron Wallis deputises for O’Connor.

Hutchison has revealed that three of this season’s team, O’Connor, James Middlebrook and Nick Walker, will remain registered with the club and will help out when they can.

“We hope to refresh the side and bring in a couple of hungry young players for next season when we hope we can compete at the top end of the table.

“Our chances in the league were over in May this season. After winning our first game we lost the next four.

“The cup was our big chance of honours and we are thrilled to have won it.

“Our aim now is to become more consistent. We have to if we want to be a force in the league.”

The penultimate round of fixtures has certainly thrown up some interesting encounters.

Second-placed Farsley are at third-placed Woodlands while Pudsey St Lawrence and Townville, locked in a battle for fourth place, meet at Tofts Road.

But while those battles are playing out, Hanging Heaton will be looking to complete their first title win since 1999.

After going so close in the past two seasons they have been the top team for much of the current campaign.

Much of the credit for their success has been directed at openers Nick Connolly and Gary Fellows, but you cannot overlook the influence of overseas player Muhammad Rameez with his left-arm spin plus all-rounders Callum Geldart and David Stiff.