Cricket writer DAVID LOCKWOOD completes his build-up to the Drakes League season with a look at contenders in the Premiership

HONLEY have already created history by winning the League Championship an incredible four times in succession – and there is every chance this summer they could make it FIVE!

The Byrom Shield and Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions’ Trophy holders have decided against an overseas spinner this year, and instead have opted to recruit locally, signing Ibrar Ali from Holmfirth.

Ali claimed 26 wickets in 2007, although playing only half a season, and has enough experience around the Lancashire and Cheshire Leagues to suggest he will do enough to support the pace attack led by Harlon Haye, Ritchie Howarth and Martin Green.

But the clincher looks to be the re-signing of former Yorkshire and Glamorgan county man Matthew Wood as player-coach, who along with Simon Kelly, Mike Fraine, John Greaves, Danny Howard, et al, could mean they are able to bat most teams out of the contest anyway.

Wood last played with Honley in 2006 (the second of their current League-winning run) before having a season with his home village club of Emley Clarence in 2007. Much will be expected of him and despite losing Matt Cox, who has returned home to Australia, Honley look to have plenty of firepower again.

Honley’s main competition is likely to come from Barkisland, Golcar and probably Delph & Dobcross – if Bilal Khiljee gets a visa of course!

BARKISLAND slipped to fifth last season, losing three of their last five games, but still capped a fine summer by lifting the Romida Sykes Cup.

The Calderdale side may have said farewell to Love Ablish and Tinashe Panyangara, but they have recruited one of the stars of the Central Yorkshire League in Alex Schofield, and Indian fast bowler Jitender Billa.

Schofield topped the batting averages for previous club Mirfield Parish Cavaliers (and finished second in the bowling averages), while Billa is one of India’s up-and-coming starlets who plays for Haryana in the Ranji Trophy. He just missed an IPL contract.

Mathew Payne joins them from Slaithwaite, where his first team chances were limited, and with skipper Paul Winrow now back to bowling fitness, Barkisland again look to have a nice balance.

DELPH & DOBCROSS finished fourth in the League and were losing finalists in the Sykes Cup, but they did win the final Examiner-backed Twenty/20 and will, no doubt, be there or thereabouts again.

The only notable departure is keeper Jamie Haynes, but they have recruited all-rounder Arron Lilley from nearby Micklehurst, who last year claimed 50 wickets in the Premiership and who is a more than useful batsman.

Lilley should team up well with League prize-winning spinner Kamran Mirza to improve the attack.

Kyle Hogg is once again signed on, and when he plays the county man obviously makes a huge difference, but his availability may be limited because of appearances for Lancashire’s first team. Graeme Simpson is expected to be back after an illness. Grant Jones again skippers the side.

GOLCAR’S lack of bowling in depth probably cost them the title last season.

This year it looks stronger, the Swallow Lane club having signed another Australian opening bowler to spearhead the attack, plus Will Hinchliffe, from Meltham, while Adam France is also back in the frame.

France suffered an horrific hand injury before the start of last season which not only ruled him out for the summer, but threatened his career.

However, skipper Ashley Pamment is delighted with the progress of his young pace bowler in the nets.

Ben Hilliard is the opening quickie, who plays first grade in Adelaide, while Hinchliffe joins Golcar after his most successful season ever, when he had 47 wickets at Meltham.

Craig Ruscoe gives seam support, while Craig Horner and Steve Whitwam provide the slow options, but the latter will need some better support in the batting stakes.

Conference winners SCHOLES have recruited strongly with Iqbal Khan, Ibrar Latif and Mohammed Shahnawaz all arriving at Chapelgate from Mirfield Parish Cavaliers, while Aussie Grade A player Shane Mott from Hawkesbury will lead the attack – making them probably the pick of the three promoted clubs.

Batsmen Latif has scored 2,500 runs in three years at Mirfield, while Khan is a close friend of Scholes’ favourite Wasim Jaffer and is still quality.

Shahnawaz is a medium quick bowler who topped Cavaliers’ averages last term with 58 wickets – and all three are English qualified.

That has allowed the club to recruit Mott, a 24-year-old who has played for Australia’s age-group sides.

James Noble again captains the side and big contributions will come from from Andy Alsop (62 wickets in the Cedar Court title triumph) and all-rounder Matt Smith.

SHEPLEY may have said goodbye to Phil Heaton, but they look to have recruited well, and could well be one of the dark horses this season.

West Indian quick Romain Grenville could be quite a handful as the new opening bowler, while the recruitment of Sri Lankan-born Don Bandula Ranjith, who scored 750 runs for Shelley last season (including two tons) will shore up the batting if Town footballer Tom Denton is unable to play.

Their third signing, Sairjinder Pal Singh, could be the most significant if the Indian all-rounder can make as big an impact in the Premiership as he has in the Conferences, playing for Almondbury and Thongsbridge.

Craig Glover has moved on, while brother Danny takes over as captain.

MICKLEHURST have lost an important trio of players, but have gained a proven professional in Andrew Gleve, who has recently played with Flowery Fields in the Saddleworth League, but has played Minor Counties with Northumberland and with Leicestershire Seconds.

Gleve is an opening bowler, who also bats at No3.

The club’s other signing is even more interesting as they have recruited Mel Whittle, father of current captain Tom Whittle, who is something of a legend in the Lancashire Leagues.

A medium pace bowler and ‘useful bat,’ Whittle senior was most recently captain at Oldham and plays for the Lancashire County Over 50s side.

MELTHAM were struggling to finalise their squad having received a number of setbacks along the way, but in the end they look to have an improved line-up which could be good enough to keep them up.

Darren Hinchliffe’s ‘wanderlust’ has finally brought him back to his home village, where he will team up with new skipper Simon Kenworthy.

The Mean Lane club have also recruited ex-Holmfirth slow bowler and batsman Ibrar Hussain, and a batsman who has played at Brighouse and Cleckheaton, Subair Raje. They have also signed Jake Thornley, a 20-year-old all-rounder from Geelong in Melbourne as their overseas, and recently received a bonus with the addition of Michael Rudkin, a medium pace bowler who has just moved into the area from Middlesex.

CLAYTON WEST are another side to have recruited heavily, with two English-qualified Asian-born players, and a British ‘Aussie’ from Western Australia.

Adita Rai is an off-spinner and opening batsman who has played first class cricket in India’s Ranji Trophy alongside Rahul Dravid, and also plays for Essex Seconds, while Ibraham Kola is a medium pace bowler and mid-order batsman who played for Scholes in the Central Yorkshire League.

Chris Thompson, a medium to quick opening bowler plays for the Hawks club in Perth, Australia, and has just made the move up to Grade I play.

Stuart Rank will captain the side, and they are still looking to strengthen further with the pursuit of an overseas player who was at university here.

ELLAND are traditionally a strong outfit, last year finishing runners-up to Honley, but this year may find them off the pace.

The credit crunch has hit everyone, but none more so than the Hullen Edgers, who go into the season without an overseas man, while former County man Richard Blakey is rumoured to be heading for Brighouse.

Ryan Robinson took over at the back end of last season, and will continue as skipper.

They have signed Sam Scott from Shelley, but may not see much of him, the young all-rounder having signed a contract with Wakefield Wildcats Rugby League club, which may take him out of the equation, while Rob Laycock has returned to the Halifax League to play at Booth.

The big plus will be the return to fitness of talented all-rounder Greg Buckley, who missed all but five games last season (broken foot).

HOLMFIRTH have rung the changes with Gary Jakeman coming in as captain, and Derbyshire county second team skipper John Sadler joining as their frontline batsman.

Javed Iqbal (senior) remains as their overseas all-rounder (when he arrives), but the club have recruited Jonny Forrester (Micklehurst) to help with the bowling, plus bit-hitting all-rounder Carl Fletcher from the Triangle club in Halifax.

Jakeman will be hoping some of the club’s own hand-reared players like wicketkeeper Seb Allen, Tom Craddock and Matt Gummerson (who has been at Holmfirth a few years after moving from Thurstonland) will also play increasingly major roles.

Like their Conference counterparts Scholes, SLAITHWAITE ran away with the Frank Platt Conference title last year, and will be hoping their close-season recruitment is strong enough to ensure they stay up.

Martin Welsh retains the captaincy, and although resigned to losing Chris Kilner, will be looking forward to a new-look attack led by Mark Mitchell which includes former Kirkheaton bowler Ibrar Younis and Ronan Bruce, formerly of Linthwaite.

The Hill Top club have also signed a 22-year-old Australian opening bat (recommended by Mark Curry) in Marcus Hainsworth, who plays with Belmont, in New South Wales, and ex-Lascelles Hall stalwart John Booth, who should give the side some solidity at the top of the order.

BROAD OAK beat Marsden in the Conference play-off final, and they are delighted to welcome back the man who was largely responsible for getting them there, Australian bowler Ben DeAraugo, who with 87 wickets last season had the highest haul in the entire league.

The Oak, skippered again by Graeme Hurlbatt, have also signed Toby Rowland-Jones, an opening bowler with Middlesex Seconds, but who is a member of Richard Horner’s Leeds University side.

Availability could also be the main problem with their Yorkshire Academy players, Charlie Roebuck and Jack Hargreaves, along with Joe Root, who has joined the club from Sheffield.

SKELMANTHORPE are another of the Drakes League clubs starting the season without an overseas man, although they are hopeful.

The main incomers at Lidgett Lane are former Shepley opening bowler Craig Glover and ex-Emley Clarence batsman Tim Sykes, along with Steve Glover from Clayton West, although the latter is expected to take over as second team skipper.

Glover (Craig) will lead the bowling attack, along with James Crossland and Scott Dyson, but without an overseas man and the departed Andy Clarke, it might be a tough season for Skelmanthorpe supporters.