BRADFORD & Bingley look to have suffered in the Bradford Premier League off-season, with one expected heavy blow followed by another that rocked the club.
Young Australian left-hander Corey Miller was a class apart last season, and played a huge part in their surprise Priestley Cup triumph and solid mid-table finish in the Premier Division.
But while the club knew he was returning Down Under at the end of the year, and not coming back for 2024, they would have been banking on opening bowler Yasir Abbas taking a hatful of wickets for them as per usual.
But he left the club in the off-season, choosing to sign for B&B top-flight rivals New Farnley, leaving a huge hole in their bowling attack.
It is not all bad news for the Wagon Laners, with Joe Pyrah coming the other way from New Farnley.
B&B have also added to their youth strength by recruiting 17-year-old seamer Alexander Wade from Olicanians.
The teenager is expected to have a bright future in the game, and was promising enough to gain a place in Yorkshire’s U15 Performance Pathways Group of 2024.
B&B are also still looking to recruit an overseas player, who they will hope can have a similar impact to the one Miller had in 2023.
By contrast, Jer Lane have little to complain about in terms of their winter transfer business.
It is the Bradford side’s second season in the top flight, and they have recruited impressively in their attempts to build on last year’s fine fifth-placed finish.
All-rounder Yasir Ali is an inspired signing from Methley and a proven match winner who will skipper their 2024 campaign.
A big capture is prolific batter Mosun Hussain from Delph & Dobcross. He has built a huge reputation in the Huddersfield League for run-making and will be looking to transfer his talent with the bat to the Bradford Premier League.
Another notable addition is seam bowler Hassan Mughal from Cherry Tree.
Other signings include consistent batter Hamzah Iqbal from Bankfoot, well-travelled off spinner Amir Hussain, who played at Yeadon last season, former Cleckheaton seamer Awais Ejaz and lower league trio Dean Hans, Abubakar Dawood and Haris Butt from Crossbank Methodists, Northowram Fields and Windhill & Daisy Hill respectively.
Woodlands will be aiming for a fifth successive title, and a hat-trick of Yorkshire playoff wins, with largely the same team as they had last season.
The big news is that the mercurial overseas player Brad Schmulian is available again.
As two-time winner of the Learie Constantine All Rounders Trophy, he will be their key player.
Another boost comes in the shape of Liam Collins, who transferred back to the club last mid-season from Moorlands, as he will be able to play this time.
But a change has come in the wicket-keeping department, where Greg Finn has retired from cricket.
His replacement is young Alex Kaye from Broad Oak, who has previously played at Bradford & Bingley, New Farnley and Castleford, while he has also had experience at the Yorkshire Academy.
As for Undercliffe, they will be looking to consolidate on their return to the top flight.
They still have their mercurial all-rounder Zeeshan Qasim in the ranks, who did so much for their promotion campaign last season.
The overseas player at Intake Road this time is Pakistan batter Sharoon Siraj, who has scored half-centuries in first-class cricket. He also comes with an ability as an off- break bowler.
Another useful addition is 20-year-old seam bowler Calum Fletcher, who has signed from leading North East Premier League outfit South Northumberland, while Samuel Carroll and Harry Pinkney come in from Almondbury and Hepworth & Idle respectively.
Undercliffe have come up from Division One alongside Cleckheaton, who have unfortunately lost the experience of Richard Pyrah, Mally Nicholson, Andrew Deegan and Iain Wardlaw for their return to the big time.
However, they have retained the services of overseas batter Yousaf Baber and Waleed Akhtar who both registered 1,000 league runs last term.
With that loss of four key players, Cleck have had to be busy in the transfer market ahead of the 2024 campaign.
They have signed wicketkeeper/batter James Ford from Baildon and spin bowler Max Chappell, who has previous made a good impression with Hanging Heaton.
Sam Peter joins from Tynedale, Adam Ives has arrived from Gomersal, while Cleck are also bringing in free-scoring batter Arsaam Malik from Saltaire.
The experience of former contracted Yorkshire all-rounder James Stansfield could well be their key to their survival hopes.
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