VERY little separates leaders Hanging Heaton and second-placed Pudsey St Lawrence in the All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League.

The Batley club have 212 points, having won ten, lost four and had one match abandoned, and the Saints, who are on 206 points, have an identical playing record.

The duo meet tomorrow at Bennett Lane, and Hanging Heaton’s chairman John Carruthers says: “The six-point difference is irrelevant as far as I am concerned.

“Pudsey St Lawrence, who are a really good side, and ourselves are similar in that we can rack up a big total and defend it, but they are favourites for the title as they won it last year. But both teams have good spinners. St Lawrence have three (Steve Watts, Tom Hudson and Chris Marsden), while our overseas player Muhammad Rafeez has been superb for us.

“We know that he we can rely on him to bowl 15 overs for us in the middle of the innings (Rameez’s economy rate is 3.18, which is better than his Saints counterparts), and we haven’t had that for a few years.”

Carruthers will certainly be hoping that his team fare better than he did when they sides met earlier in the season at Tofts Road, with the visitors being dismissed for 106 in a 25-overs-per side game, Hudson taking 3-18, before St Lawrence triumphed by seven wickets, with Barrie Frankland being unbeaten on 51.

However, with seven matches to go, Carruthers has stopped short of saying that the title is a two-horse race.

He said: “I am sure that Farsley (third) and New Farnley (fourth) will have a say in matters.

“I know that Scholes have tailed off a bit at the bottom, but you can’t just turn up at matches thinking that you are going to win.

“The new set-up is good as it gives clubs the chance to progress, although Championship A and B divisions are unbalanced, with B Division much the stronger.

“However, that will be addressed next season when the league has a second and a third division rather than two divisions running parallel.

“It will take a few years to sort out but I don’t think clubs mind travelling a bit further as long as they know they are going to get a good game.

“We are used to travelling anyway because of our geographical position but if the Huddersfield League don’t want to take part in the pyramid system then they risk missing the boat.”

Farsley are at Cleckheaton, while New Farnley visit Morley, who are battling for survival with three other clubs who are all separated by five points.

Hanging Heaton v Pudsey St Lawrence is not the only top clash tomorrow, however, as Yeadon host Batley in Championship A.