Bradford & Bingley have suffered a blow as they bid to hold on to the leadership of the Specialist Ducting Supplies Bradford League Second Division.

Their overseas player Wade Cornelius has left the club to play for Newcastle-based Gateshead Fell, who are struggling to stay in the North East Premier League.

Bingley's cricket chairman Peter Whitehead said: "He has received an offer that is much better than we can give him and feels it is a chance that he cannot miss, and we will not stand in his way.

"I believe that Fell's overseas player (New Zealand pace bowler Chris Martin) has had to return home to New Zealand for personal reasons, and there is no point in having anyone at our club who does not want to play for you."

Whitehead added: "At 26, Wade is a mature cricketer, but he has not done as well for us as we had hoped for a man of his experience and hasn't fulfilled the promise shown earlier this season."

Bingley skipper Carl Sharp said: "Wade did a useful job for us although he has only got 20 or so wickets, and formed a good new-ball partnership with Richard McCarthy. Now we will have to look at other options within the club."

New Zealander Cornelius is believed to be Gateshead Fell's fourth overseas player of the season following Marcus North, who signed for Durham, Trent Kelly's return to Australia and now New Zealand Test bowler Martin's departure.

Martin played in all three Tests against England earlier this summer and was seen as a key element in preventing Fell being the first club to be relegated from the North East Premier League since 2000.