"ONE of the most serious things wrong with League cricket is the acute shortage of good slow bowlers," said Leslie Binns, captain of Thongsbridge Tennis Club.

The announcement was made at the club's centenary celebration dinner and dance at Holmfirth Civic Hall.

More than 230 members and guests of the club gathered to celebrate the winning of the Sykes Cup and Byrom Shield in the club's centenary year.

Mr Binns said that in his view the shortage of slow bowlers stemmed from the introduction of time-limit cricket to which he would like to see an end.

If it did end, however, captains would be needed who would play to the spirit of the game.

Thongsbridge, he said, were the best team he had played with and, after thanking each player in turn, he said: "I think that for such a small club who have sometimes been unable to raise a second team, the achievement of winning both Cup and League last season was a tremendous one."