Marsden will be hoping to make their stay in the Cedar Court Conference a short one.

Relegated from the Jedi Sports Championship last season, the Hemplow club have brought back Joe Smith from Rastrick for the 2017 season which gets under way on Saturday (when they entertain Cumberworth).

Marsden have also signed Imran Malik from Armitage Bridge and Farhan Hussain, who hit 533 runs for Denby last season.

Cumberworth, fourth last season, go to Marsden on the opening day with Northern Districts Under 19 opening bowler Reid Somani leading their attack, but they have lost George Smith who has joined Kirkburton.

Upperthong, who were third last season, have lost Andy Stokes to Thurstonland but will again have Ben Balmforth leading their attack.

Denby Dale will be hoping to push for promotion having signed Jordan Geldart from Shelley and Hywell Senior from Clayton West.

Birkby Rose Hill have lost the likes of Abdul Rehman (to Slaithwaite), Khuram Sajjad (to Shelley) and Wajid Hussain (to Linthwaite) but they have recruited brothers Ammar and Usnain Syed from Great Horton who play in the Spenser Wilson Halifax League.

Denby Dale have signed Jordan Geldart from Shelley

Lepton Highlanders are aiming to improve on lower mid-table and have brought in young opening bowler Matt Marsh from Hoylandswaine and talented batsman Sajid Bashir, who hit 596 runs for Linthwaite in the Jedi Sports Championship last season.

Emley, who were rock bottom last summer, are bidding for improvement having signed former top flight batsman Sarfraz Ahmed and his son Musa, who is winning awards on the Yorkshire Pathways. Emley have also signed Dean Rickson.

There are changes in the second XI competition at both Conference and Championship level due to the introduction of five Associate Members, who were formerly in the now defunct Central League.

It would have been six, but Almondburians have sadly folded.

Cartworth Moor, Flockton, Holmbridge, Edgerton & Dalton and Nortonthorpe will all have their first XIs in the Jedi Sports Championship Two.

Their second XIs will compete in the Cedar Court Conference Two.

Opening day first XI fixtures:

Premiership: Armitage Bridge v Thongsbridge, Barkisland v Golcar, Honley v Shepley, Kirkburton v Delph & Dobcross, Moorlands v Hoylandswaine, Scholes v Broad Oak, Skelmanthorpe v Cawthorne.

Jedi Sports Championship: Almondbury Wes v Clayton West, Elland v Meltham, Lascelles Hall v Holmfirth, Linthwaite v Kirkheaton, Rastrick v Mirfield Parish Cavaliers, Shelley v Slaithwaite.

Cedar Court Conference: Almondbury v Thurstonland, Birkby Rose Hill v Denby Dale, Denby v Lepton Highlanders, Marsden v Cumberworth, Mirfield v Emley, Upperthong v Hall Bower.