Bradford & Bingley skipper Carl Sharp thinks the new Bradford League rule regarding points deductions for over-rates should be put under scrutiny before the season is out.

Bingley are joint top of the table - with Pudsey St Lawrence and Brighouse - after one match but their 50-run victory over Morley was slightly marred for Sharp by them being deducted a point for bowling their overs too slowly.

He confessed: "That deduction is probably down to me as I was not fully aware that the overs per hour was averaged out, rather than only coming in to play if you bowl 50 overs. We had 14 overs still to bowl when we won.

"I am happy with all the other changes that the Bradford League have made but this over-rate rule is a bad one and needs looking at for next season.

"Our overseas bowler (Ethy Mbhalti) bowled 14 overs. He doesn't dawdle but he does have a long run-up - and we also have Richard McCarthy.

"Maybe I am going to have to bowl my spinners more than I would otherwise

do, although Morley were not blameless either.

"On three occasions I reckon their incoming batsman was not as quick as he might have been in getting to the wicket and on one occasion the lad who was out was waiting on the boundary edge for the incoming batsman.

"It might not have added up to that much time in total but if wickets are falling

regularly then you, as the next-but-one batsman, should be padding up as far as I am concerned.

"Whether that was taken into account by the umpires, I don't know."

Generally, however, Sharp was delighted with the way last weekend went - and their second team are top of their Division One too, despite being the only team in the section to have a point docked for a slow over-rate

He said of his first team: "The top-order batting is my main concern but the middle order chipped in, with Richard Nichols stabilising the innings and the others batting around him."

Sharp added: "Obviously the wickets

are soft and wet at the moment but our overseas bowler Ethy is 6ft 6in and I am looking forward to seeing how he does when the Wagon Lane wicket gets hard in the summer."

Tomorrow Bingley are at home to defending champions Woodlands - one of six sides to win on the opening day.

Sharp said: "It will be a very difficult game for us. They should have Safraz Ahmed back and possibly Richard Pyrah will be playing if Yorkshire don't need him. It will be like facing an All Star XI."

That is the only clash between sides who won last weekend. Pudsey Congs are at Saltaire but the rest are at home.

Brighouse meet Keighley, East Bierley face Farsley and Pudsey St Lawrence are up against Morley.

The Division Two programme starts tomorrow, with the two relegated clubs both opening away from home.

Buoyant Bankfoot are at Windhill, while Spen Victoria travel to Bowling Old Lane.

Great Horton, who, like Bankfoot, starred in the first round of the Heavy Woollen Cup, are at home to Hartshead Moor.