GIVEN a summer as good as last year, Greg Colehan would already have achieved the 1,000-wicket milestone in the JCT600 Bradford League.

But in what he calls a stop-start season, the 45-year-old Bankfoot bowler has taken 996 with just Saturday’s match at Great Horton to go.

However, there is no danger of the upbeat Colehan, whose 14-year-old son Dan is starting to make an impact in junior cricket, being stranded so close to four figures.

“It has been annoying because of the weather – we have missed six matches due to rain.

“I started the season off well, struggled in the middle ten games and then have finished off well,” said the former Thackley junior, who has played Bradford League cricket for Salts, Bradford & Bingley, Windhill and Idle, as well as the Odsal-based club he currently plays for. “Even if I would have taken just one wicket in all of those games that were abandoned, I would have done it, but I think I have another season in me.”

With Colehan committing himself to play on in 2015, it is therefore a matter of when, rather than if, he becomes only the 13th man to reach 1,000 victims in first-team cricket, and he said: “I am no Richard McCarthy, but would be as proud as punch to join that illustrious list of names.

“Also it would be nice to do it for mum Margaret and my dad Terry, who is 83 and has taken me to games since I was ten.

“He doesn’t drive now but still gets the bus to Bankfoot to watch me.”

The two promoted teams, Undercliffe and Saltaire meet at Intake Road and the home side will receive the championship trophy from JCT600 Bradford League president Keith Moss.