Undercliffe Cricket Club stalwart Ziarat Hussain reckons that Asian players need to show more dedication if they want to break into county cricket.

Hussain, a guest speaker at the Bradford Junior League's prize-presentation at Cleckheaton Sports Club, said: "We have people who look like world-beaters when they are 14.

"But by the time they are 17 they are struggling away, and that is something that we have to address in our culture.

"There is no Asian player from our immediate area who has gone on to play county cricket, and the reason is because they weren't good enough.

"Matthew Hoggard, for example, may have been a late starter but look where he is now. That is because of his dedication."

However, Hussain is in no doubt that cricket can be a major unifying factor in Bradford, and cited the league's Under-17 Cup semi-final between Undercliffe and Manningham Mills as a prime example.

He said: "My son plays for Undercliffe, and the passion that both teams showed in these games (the first match was tied) was unbelievable. There was a lot of sportsmanship, and that is what it is all about."

Hussain added: "I don't drink alcohol but it does not stop me from going into the bar afterwards and talking about the game. Cricket is not about getting to the ground at 1pm and going home at 7pm. You integrate with other players and they will talk to you.

"They won't hold anything against you. We are all cricketers, we all love the game and we all play the game."

Hussain started local league cricket as a 12-year-old at Laisterdyke, and remembered: "There was only one other Asian lad in the team apart from me.

"It was very, very strange walking into what was a white environment, but it has never bothered me."

Hussain would never describe his Bradford League career as illustrious. He said: "I would describe myself as an honest league cricketer, but my first wicket was special.

"In my first ball in Bradford League cricket I got David Leatherdale caught out, and he is still playing for Worcestershire now.

"I played against people who played for India, Pakistan and New Zealand - I bowled at Dilip Vengsarkar and Mark Greatbatch and was rubbing shoulders with people who I had only previously seen on TV. It was amazing."

Honours list - Albert Cowling Trophy (u-17 champions): Undercliffe. Parker Trophy (u-17 runners-up): Saltaire. Junior League Cup: Buttershaw St Paul's. Gordon Bowers Trophy (u-15s, Division One): Saltaire. Napier Printing Trophy (u-15s, Division Two North): Keighley. JR Gregson Trophy (u-15s, Division Two South): Pudsey Congs. The Bradford Cricket League Umpires' Trophy (u-15s Division Three): Mount. Laurie Boyden Cup (under-15s): Pudsey St Lawrence. Under-13s, Bowers Section: Pudsey St Lawrence. Peel Section: Undercliffe. David Bairstow Trophy (u-13 cup winners): Pudsey St Lawrence. Ernest Jones Trophy (u-11s): Idle. Greg Duggan Memorial Trophy: Danny Clifton (Pudsey Congs). Arthur Lister Trophy (u-17 batting): Mohammed Ibrahim (Allerton). Eddie Whitaker Trophy (u-17 bowling): Ryan Smith (Buttershaw St Paul's). Fred Coote Wicketkeeping Trophy (u-17): Sam Birkinshaw (Spen Victoria). Hopkinson Fielding Trophy (u-17): Oliver Smith (Tong Park). Kathleen Hodgkinson-Cope All-Rounders' Trophy: Adil Islam (Manningham Mills). Joan Peel Batting Trophy (u-15s): Tom Dalton (Pudsey St Lawrence). Joan Peel Bowling Trophy (u-15s): Huzefa Patel (Mount). Ronnie Harrison Wicketkeeping Trophy (u-15s): Varun Devesher (Bolton Villas). Doris Hopkinson Fielding Trophy (under-15s): Kamran Rashid (Mount).