BRING it on!

That’s the call from Yorkshire Juniors, who begin the defence of their Drakes Pride British Junior Inter-County Championship on Sunday.

After last year’s magnificent victory in the final against rivals Warwick and Worcester, home team manager Graham Radcliffe and Howard Broadbent, who replaces Stuart Hanson as away team boss, have not sat on their laurels and are aiming to get off to a strong start against Greater Manchester (2.00).

Huddersfield bowlers have always formed the backbone of the highly successful Yorkshire side who have been British champions for six out of the last seven years – their only blip coming when they failed to reach the final in 2006, yet even then, they lifted the Supplementary Cup.

But the team, like many other counties, have lost 13 players due to the age restrictions from last year’s successful side – and it’s a point Radcliffe is trying to address.

“We’ve lost a lot players this time but by the end of this campaign we’ll be losing only six because I’m wanting to stop this haemorrhaging of players,” Radcliffe said.

“By including lads of a much younger age, they will be with us for longer. After all, the league they play in weekly is the best for juniors in the country and should enable us to continue the quality production belt for many years yet.

“And, of course, if they’re good enough, they’re old enough.

“Shropshire (2006 British winners) will be our toughest test in the group stages (Yorkshire also play Lancashire) and I reckon if we win that head-to-head then we can win the Championship again.”

At Moldgreen Con: Cash Brook (Almondbury BC) v J Jones, Joe Bray (Cleckheaton Spts) v M Rogers, Robert Hopper (Blakeborough Alb) v B Gloag, Ashley Southwell (Asa Briggs) v Natalie Johnson, Michael Higgins (Almondbury Lib) v J Ashton, Danny Radcliffe (Bradley and Colne) v Rebecca McLoughin, G Beaumont (Newsome WMC) v M Ashton, Craig Walsh (Blakeborough Alb) v W Willbur, David Spencer (Brockholes) v M Chorlton, Connor McGowan (Blakeborough Alb) v C Wildgoose, Andrew Craven (Skelmanthorpe Central) v C Hamilton, Neil Ewart (Lower Hopton) v R Newton.

Yorkshire reserves: David Ryding (Laurel Crescent), Jason Booth (Bradley and Colne), Aidan Fox (Lower Hopton), Rob Wainwright (Sandal).

At Bamford BC, Rochdale: Stuart King (Asa Briggs) v C Willington, David Telford (Tadcaster) v J Copeland, Conor Davis (Pudsey) v M Adams, Ashley Wilcock (Chapel St) v J Hynes, Ryan Exley (Wibsey) v J Linsey, Neil Wood (Chapel St) v J Collinge, Matthew Gill (Sandal) v D Thomas, Jack Summers (Asa Briggs) v M Shaw, Jonathan Peacock (Overthorpe Spts) v K Kirkby, Scott Sigsworth (Holbeck Ltd) v J Barker, Jon Wood (Crossgates) v B Stapleton, Simon Wood (Chapel St) v N Turrell.

Yorkshire Reserves: Ben Smith (Chapel St), Paul Wilzynski (Wibsey), Danny Towning (Rothwell), Cory McCleod (Knaresborough).

Huddersfield’s Inter-District Veterans got off to a winning start in defence of their title with a 35-21 victory against Skipton.

But they did not have it all their own way and came up against some stubborn resistance, before pulling the result back in their favour, boosted by excellent performances from debutants Bob Frith and Terry Randerson.

At Lindley BC: B Starkey 17 A Pennington 21, T Randerson 21 K Baker 13, F Greenwood 21 B Hardwick 15, J Hewitt 19 G Witham 21, H Pennington 21 D Stone 20, R Frith 21 I Wade 8, R Norcliffe 21 L Hubbock 16, R Sutton 21 B Scott 15.

At Silsden PF: D Hirst 8 T Hargreaves 21, R Tipple 14 A Ripley 21, B Nicholl 18 K Coppen 21, D Crowther 15 D Calvert 21, F Griffin 21 P Deighton 19, M McCluskey 21 B Armstrong 16, J Shaw 21 A Turnbull 11, E Haigh 21 L Buxton 9.

Results and positions from the Jack Pearson-sponsored Huddersfield Veterans League:

10-Man Team Section I – Golcar Lib A 9 Newsome WMC 0, Waterloo A 8 Lockwood Con 1, Almondbury Lib 6 Meltham A 3, Milnsbridge A 6 Lindley Lib A 3, Kirkheaton A 6 Marsh U A 3, Clayton West 9 Syngenta A 0.

Placings – Waterloo A played 4, 29pts; Milnsbridge BC A 4-23, Clayton West 4-21, Golcar Lib A 3-20, Elland CBC A 3-20, Lindley Lib A 4-18, Meltham A 4-17, Marsh U A 4-15, Almondbury Lib 3-13, Lockwood Con 3-12, Kirkheaton A 4-11, Newsome WMC 4-10, Syngenta A 4-7.

Section II – Thongsbridge A 5 Brockholes A 4, Shepley 1 Almondbury BC 8, Skelmanthorpe W 9 Paddock IC 0, Springwood 9 Golcar Lib B 0, Netherton Con A 8 Marsden Park 1, Rastrick 3 Crosland Moor 6.

Placings – Crosland Moor 4-29, Springwood 4-27, Almondbury BC A 3-22, Netherton Con A 4-21, Rastrick 4-21, Thongsbridge A 3-16, Brockholes A 4-16, Shepley 4-15, Bradley and Colne 3-14, Skelmanthorpe W A 3-12, Paddock IC 4-10, Marsden Park 4-7, Golcar Lib B 4-6.

Section III – Lindley Lib B 7 Cowcliffe 2, Thorpe Green A 6 Mirfield B 3, Dalton 6 Moldgreen Con 3, Hudds RUFC 7 New Mill A 2, Linthwaite Hall 2 Broad oak 7, Mirfield A 7 Ravensknowle Park A 2.

Placings – Mirfield A 4-23, Broad Oak 4-22, Ravensknowle Park A 4-21, Linthwaite Hall 4-19, Lindley Lib B 3-18, Cowcliffe 4-18, Hudds RUFC 4-18, Thorpe Green A 4-17, Moldgreen Con 4-14, Syngenta B 3-13, Dalton 3-11, Mirfield B 3-11, New Mill A 4-11.

Section IV – Marsh Lib 6 Waterloo B 3, Brockholes B 1 Kirkheaton B 6, Marsh U B 7 Hillhouse and Birkby 2, Primrose Hill Lib 2 Thongsbridge B 7, Almondbury BC B 6 Farnley Tyas 3.

Placings – Holmfirth 3-23, Thongsbridge B 3-21, Waterloo B 4-20, Brockholes B 4-18, Primrose Hill Lib 4-16, Kirkheaton B 3-15, Almondbury BC B 3-14, Hillhouse and Birkby 4-14, Marsh U B 3-11, D Brown Spts 3-10, Farnley Tyas 3-10, Marsh Lib 3-8.

Section V – New Mill B 7 Thorpe Green B 2, Lowerhouses 4 Netherton Con B 5, Ravensknowle Park B 3 Milnsbridge B 6, Meltham B 5 Lindley Lib B 4, Greenhead Park 2 Skelmanthorpe W B 7.

Placings – Meltham B 4-28, Milnsbridge B 4-22, New Mill B 3-18, Elland CBC B 3-18, Netherton Con B 3-17, Skelmanthorpe W B 3-15, Thorpe Green B 4-13, Outlane 3-12, Greenhead Park 3-11, Ravensknowle Park B 3-9, Lowerhouses 4-9, Lindley BC 3-8.

6-Man League Section A – Holmfirth 4 Thongsbridge A 3, Lindley Lib 2 Slaithwaite 5, Shepley 6 Meltham 1, Almondbury Lib 5 Clayton West 2, Syngenta A 6 Newsome WMC 1.

Placings – Syngenta A 3-18, Almondbury Lib 3-16, Shepley 3-16, Clayton West 3-11, Holmfirth 3-10, Slaithwaite 3-8, Thongsbridge A 3-7, Meltham 3-5, Newsome WMC 3-4.

Section B – Greenhead Park 2 Syngenta B 5, Thongsbridge B 1 Skelmanthorpe W 6, Paddock IC 6 Broad Oak 1, Crosland Moor 6 Brockholes 1, New Mill 5 Golcar Lib 2.

Placings – Skelmanthorpe W 3-17, Crosland Moor 3-14, Broad Oak 3-13, Paddock IC 3-13, Syngenta B 2-11, Golcar Lib 3-10, Brockholes 3-8, New Mill 3-6, Greenhead Park 3-4, Thongsbridge B 2-2.