Slow left arm bowler Ian Fisher looks set to make a dramatic late switch of Bradford League clubs at Yorkshire's insistence.

Fisher joined East Bierley just after last season ended after playing with the Yorkshire Academy team in the Yorkshire League and was formally transferred to them by the Academy.

But now Yorkshire cricket chairman Bob Platt has said that Bierley's small ground would not suit his development as a slow bowler and Fisher looks set to start the new season with Bradford and Bingley at their spacious Wagon Lane ground.

The 22-year-old player who began his career with Denholme in the Bradford Central League agreed to join Bierley before going to play cricket in New Zealand for the winter. I understand transfer formalities were completed last month while he was on Yorkshire's pre-season tour of South Africa.

Fisher was announced as a new signing for Bierley at last night's Bradford League meeting and chairman Brian Lymbery said: "As far as we are concerned he is registered with us."

However, Bingley's cricket chairman, former Yorkshire player Neil Hartley said: "My understanding is that although he had agreed to play for Bierley Yorkshire, his employers were not happy with him going there because of the size of the ground and that Bingley would be a reasonable option for him.

"I was asked about the possibility of him being accommodated in the Bingley side and I spoke to Ian and Bob Platt at the Yorkshire luncheon yesterday. Now, it is a question of sorting out his transfer with Bierley and the Academy."

Platt said: "We very much regret the situation whereby Ian Fisher agreed to go to East Bierley and he will not now be with them this season. The problem that occurred was regrettable and entirely due to the county club.

"We are anxious, however that he continues to play in the Bradford League and that he should play for a club with a bigger ground. Yorkshire have spent four years developing Ian Fisher and at the moment he is the only left arm prospect on the horizon.

"We think it is important for him to play league cricket on a larger field so that he can pursue the art of left arm bowling and if he comes through he may be in the Yorkshire team for the next 16 years or so."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.