THREE more clubs from the Bradford Mutual Sunday School League have expressed an interest in joining the Dales Council League.

They are Omars, who finished third in Group A in the season just finished; Bradford Indians, who were a place below them; and Kashmir Bradford, third in Group C and semi-finalists in the second teams’ H Broadbent Trophy, who are all potential members for the 2023 season.

Girlington, whose first team were eighth in Group A and whose second team were third in Group B and runners-up in the H Broadbent Trophy, had already expressed an interest in joining but now need to back up their verbal information with a written response.

Meanwhile, Ilkley want to put a third team into the Dales Council League for next season and are seeking a groundshare, while a team based at Laisterdyke have also expressed an initial interest in joining but have not followed that up.

On the other hand, the league have lost St Chads Broomfield’s sixth team from Division C, due to a lack of players, and Division A Crompark, who haven’t played in the league since the pandemic began.

Crompark, founder members of the Dales Council League in 1955, are now due to enter merger talks with nearby Aire-Wharfe League club Menston.

One Stop’s appeal against their 40-point deduction has failed, still leaving them ninth in Division A on 185 points, whereas if their appeal had succeeded they would have been seventh on 225.

They have still, however, to write letters of apology to the league, Tong Park Esholt and umpire Andrew McLauchlan.

The league have also confirmed that matches will revert to 45 overs per innings next season (instead of 40) and that clubs should also once more provide teas.