Hoylandswaine are looking stronger than ever and Chris Holliday says they’d like to dominate not only Drakes cricket but the county club game as well.
That would mean carrying forward their Premiership success and being successful in both the Heavy Woollen Cup and Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions Trophy.
But who would back against the Haigh Lane men?
They have an outstanding line-up under experienced skipper SP Singh, himself one of the best all-rounders on the circuit, and have every right to set their targets high.
They beat Armitage Bridge in the cup fresh from setting a new 50-over team record for the top flight of 460-4 at Thongsbridge.
Their effort followed a comfortable victory over All Rounder Sykes Cup holders Scholes and featured a first-wicket stand of 260 between the established Gharib Nawaz (154) and Yorkshire’s Alex Lees (178).
The 39-year-old Mohammad Saeed Anwar, who has 12,500 first-class runs to his name in Pakistan, is next in the batting order (and don’t forget his spin option), while the 26-year-old Holliday can be called on at No4 – that’s providing he can push ahead of Durham county man Usman Arshad, skipper SP and the talented Max Joice.
We are now down to No8 and haven’t even mentioned Gurman Randhawa, who took 71 wickets last season, regularly piles up around 700 runs and who, in 2013, was voted the league’s most promising young player.
Throw in pacemen Shakir Muhammad – signed this summer from Delph – and Pakistan Deaf opening bowler Adnan Ghani, who are both dangerous hitters anyway, and it’s no surprise people are scratching their heads to think of a better line-up ever to take the field in Huddersfield District League cricket.
“Our team looks pretty strong and it’s going to take a good outfit to turn us over,” says Holliday, who came through the ranks at Yorkshire and was in the academy at Huddersfield New College.
“The aim is to challenge on all fronts – we never go into a game thinking we can’t win – and while it is only early in the season, I would love to think we can perhaps do an ‘Arsenal’ and become ‘Invincibles’.
“Potentially, I think we have the ability, because it’s probably the best side I’ve ever played in or maybe ever played against.”
That’s quite a statement from a player who captained Methley for five years and guided them to an historic treble, before moving on to their arch rivals Townville and then Cleckheaton, before signing at Haigh Lane last summer.
“It is very professional at Hoylandswaine. It’s 100%,” explained Holliday.
“We have Ed Hurst keeping wicket and he’s the youngest at 19, but I think everyone else has played to at least County second XI level, so everyone knows what their job is.
“If anyone is not performing, then Tony (Harrison, the cricket secretary) is pretty quick to let you know.
“You can’t just take the money and run in our set-up, you have to perform for the team and we all know that.
“Not much is said in the dressing room, because we all know what we have to do.
“SP is quite calm, relaxed and composed as captain, but I think that’s a reflection of the fact he knows what talent he has at his disposal.
“Our team is packed with talent and match-winners and it comes down to people stepping up to the plate and doing what they are supposed to do.”
While Arshad is a real county talent and only 25, it’s the signing of Lees while out of favour at Yorkshire which has really caught the eye of cricket lovers across the broad acres.
“Alex is a brilliant signing,” said Holliday, who gave up wicketkeeping three years ago to concentrate on his batting.
“He has not had the best of times at Yorkshire recently but he’s a really good player, an England Lion and Yorkshire captain, and he has come into our side and really helped everyone along.
“As a team, though, we are supremely confident and believe that whatever target we are set, we can achieve it (with bat or ball).
“I think we have the structure and ability to get out of any situation, really, and, as I’ve said, it will be some team that beats us – or they catch us on a really bad day when pretty much all XI fail at the same time.
“With our line-up, though, I don’t really see that happening because we have some very good cricketers.”
Already top of the league, what targets really whet the appetite?
“I think the Heavy Woollen, having lost in three successive finals, is one Tony would really like to get his hands on, and the Black Sheep,” he answered.
“We have the pressure of representing the Drakes League in that and I would like to think the whole of the league will be wanting us to do well – to show what a good league the Drakes is.
“The confidence is there, because we know everyone can do a job, so I’d like to think this year we’ll be challenging to dominate not only in our own league but hopefully Yorkshire cricket as well.”
