Playing for Cleckheaton has certainly been an interesting experience this

season.

"We seem to be the kind of side that either make 300 or are bowled out for 120," confessed all-rounder Ian Wood.

"When we are at full strength we are a very good side - a match for anyone in the league - but too often this season we haven't had everyone available, and that is something we will try and address next season.

"What we need is to have a settled side to enable us to get some sort of consistency. You want people to be available every week, like my brother John and myself for example.

"Tomorrow at home to Woodlands we are without Kez Ahmed and Adam Patel, who are both playing for Bradford-Leeds University of Cricketing Excellence, and we have lost Uzair Mahomed to Durham Academy, and intermittently his brother Sarfaraaz because of exams.

"But we do have Yorkshire wicketkeeper Ismail Dawood, and we potentially have Lancashire spinner Gary Keedy."

Cleckheaton are sixth in the table with 28 points, which Wood admits is a disappointing return.

He said: "We hoped to be nearer to Pudsey Congs at the top but we are getting a bit more consistent, having had two wins and a winning draw in our last three matches, and John is bowling with more pace now he is finding his rhythm."

One thing that hasn't been disappointing for the Moorend club has been the form

of their overseas player, off-spinning all-rounder Faisal Shaikh.

"He has been fantastic," said Wood, "and turns the ball more than anyone I have seen in the Bradford League.

"But he doesn't bowl any rubbish either and has the one that goes the other way. Plus he has also started to get a few runs - 59 not out this week in the Heavy Woollen Cup against Yeadon, and forties against Spen Victoria and Baildon in the league."

Cleckheaton would have been glad to have swapped places with Saltaire a few weeks ago. They were second in the table on 20 points after a thrilling victory at Woodlands (Cleckheaton were then ninth on 11), but have since gained just one point from five matches and have fallen to fourth from bottom.

Saltaire skipper Ijaz Khan admitted: "We have played badly at times and our overseas player Shahid Yousaf hasn't been

firing on all cylinders what with the wet wickets and the cold weather.

"But we have also lost Mansha Khan with a trapped nerve, and he was one of the leading wicket-takers in the league when he was injured, and Gharib Razak has missed the last three matches on duty with Bradford-Leeds UCCE."

Tomorrow Saltaire are at home to basement club Spen Victoria, whose captain Chris Elstub said: "We are trying to enjoy our cricket and pick up points, but everything seems to be going against us at the moment. The next four or five games are very important. Hopefully we can get some points from them."