BRAD Schmulian hailed the help of his fellow batsmen after guiding Woodlands to a six-wicket win over New Farnley to lift the Priestley Cup.

The Kiwi scored an unbeaten 68 as the Albert Terrace side overcame New Farnley's 178-6 with just short of five overs to spare.

But Schmulian paid tribute to Liam Collins and Muhammad Bilal, whose cameo knocks of 35 (off 42 balls) and 37not out (off 24 balls) respectively ensured Woodlands kept the upper hand.

The 29-year-old said: “New Farnley bowled us out for 68 in the league a few weeks ago so we were not that over-confident but we knew that if we batted 50 overs you can really catch up at the end.

"I was fortunate enough to have a few guys that came in and whacked it and took the pressure off me, such as when Liam hit 22 off one over.

“But I had a word with Muhammad to tell him to wait for the right ball to hit as you don’t have to create anything but that (hitting) is just the way that he plays.”

Only some sterling work from the Undercliffe groundstaff enabled the final to go ahead at Intake Road following the unseasonal wet weather.

Schmulian, a former first-class cricketer with Central Districts in New Zealand, said: “When I turned up today I thought that I would be packing up my bags and going home due to the weather that we have had the past few days.

“They (New Farnley) definitely had the worst of the wicket after we won the toss and bowled but Adam Waite (who made 97 not out to win the man of the match) was outstanding, grafted hard, was patient and capitalised in those last 10 overs.

“Our opening bowlers work hard and don’t get the rewards and then our spinners do get the rewards, and we have had that a bit this season, although it got away from us a bit in those last few overs.

“Out and out pace (bowling) was not rewarded as if you hit the seam it sat in the pitch a bit and it was quite tricky to play, and Charlie Parker (2-28 off 8.1 overs) hit an awkward area and was difficult to get away.”

As for the Woodlands experience in his first season for the Bradford League club, South African-born Schmulian said: “It has been fantastic and I could not ask anything more from the club, although the momentum with the weather has not been as good as it could have been.

“Woodlands have been outstanding and it has been the experience that I had hoped for. I want to come back next year and repeat what we have been doing this season.”