Halifax Sunday League: Four in, four out

Blackley will become the first club in the 34-year history of the league to field two sides.

Blackley II are joined by fellow new entrants Sowerby St Peter’s, Mount and Golcar while Norden and the Calder Valley trio of Luddenden Foot, Bridgeholme and Mytholmroyd have dropped out.

Sunday League official Gordon Akroyd said at last night’s meeting of the Spenser Wilson Halifax League that no clubs would be relegated from Division One and Triangle and Sowerby Bridge would be promoted.

Birkby Rose Hill, Great Horton, Shelf Northowram Hedge Top and Buttershaw St Paul’s would go up to Division Two and the four new sides would all be in Division Three.

Blackley’s Steve Williams said an influx of half a dozen senior players had strengthened his club’s resources and the club had a lot of junior players who needed introducing to 40-over cricket.

The inclusion of a second Blackley side also means that there is an even number of teams in Division Two, avoiding byes on the fixture list.

The draw was made for the round robin group stages of the Rod Warhurst Cup, which involves teams from the top two divisions.

Sowerby Bridge beat Almondbury Wesleyans in last year’s final at Old Town.

Rod Warhurst Cup groups - Group A: Rastrick, Sowerby Bridge, Birkby Rose Hill, Illingworth SM.

Group B: Lightcliffe, Almondbury Wesleyans, Barkisland, Triangle.

Group C: Great Horton, Buttershaw SP, Blackley, Thornton.

Group D: SBCI, Northowram Fields, Shelf Northowram HT, Copley.

The Halifax League’s T20 competition has a new sponsor in Vocation Brewery and finals day will be at Low Moor Holy Trinity this year.

Stainland have withdrawn from this year’s competition.

First round (Tuesday, May 14) - North East Group: Great Horton v Clayton, Illingworth SM v Thornton. Byes: Shelf Northowram HT, Low Moor.

North West Group: Warley v Luddenden Foot. Byes: Booth, Old Town, SBCI.

South East Group: Bradley and Colnebridge v Southowram. Byes: Blackley, Upper Hoipton, Greetland.

South West Group: Sowerby Bridge v Sowerby St Peter’s, Copley v Triangle. Byes: Stones, Bridgeholme.