Hanging Heaton are proving one of the conundrums of the JCT600 Bradford League season.

The Batley club have reached the finals of both the Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup and the Solly Sports Heavy Woollen Cup, and on Sunday are at Morley in a semi-final of the league’s Dyson Energy Services Twenty20 Cup (3pm).

However, Hanging Heaton are only eighth in the league, albeit solidly in mid-table on 144 points.

So how does their skipper Mark Lawson explain this differential?

The former Yorkshire and Derbyshire leg-spinner, who is in his fifth season with the club, said: “We have played some very good cricket on Sundays this season.

“Gary Fellows has done particularly well with the bat, winning three or four games himself, and David Stiff, Dan Busfield, myself and Jamie Baulk have picked up some crucial wickets in cup cricket.

“But in the league, I blame complacency in the sense that players know they have another chance on the Sunday – we have only had one Sunday off so far this season and played on 14 Sundays last year – and the fact that every game in the league is tough.

“You can see that because Baildon have beaten Woodlands twice this season and we lost to Morley last weekend, while not every cup game that we play is as intense.”

At least Lawson is appreciating the good weather in terms of his bowling.

He said: “I didn’t bowl in some games last season, and when I did the pitches were too wet, but this year, helped by the dry pitches, it has been my best season and i have already taken 60 wickets.”

Hanging Heaton are 35 points above the second relegation place, currently occupied by Saltaire, while the Bennett Lane club are 45 points behind Pudsey St Lawrence in third place.

Lawson’s side are at leaders Cleckheaton on Saturday, and he said: “They have a very well-balanced side with two spinners and four seam bowlers and they are the most consistent.”

Former top-flight powerhouses Woodlands (second) and Pudsey Congs (fourth) meet at Albert Terrace, while, at the other end of the table there is a key clash between second-from-bottom Saltaire (109 points) and third-from-bottom Bradford & Bingley (114).

Top match in Division Two is Yeadon (third) v Spen Victoria (second), with Yeadon hoping to back up their victory over New Farnley.