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Guiseley's Australian Dean Russ who blasted a century on the opening day of the season

IT was a cold damp start to the Airedale and Wharfedale Cricket League season with players donning woolly hats in the outfield in freezing temperatures and many not lasting too long before they resembled footballers with muddy kit.

A total of 13 games from the first, second and third teams programme over the weekend failed to make a start due to ground conditions and many were left to rue the damage done to their squares and outfields with players sliding around.

In most unpleasant conditions the league got under way - unlike the neighbouring Bradford League and Dales Council League who made mid-week decisions to postpone their starts for a week with clubs reporting that groundsmen had not been able to prepare sufficiently with the continuous wet weather of the past few weeks.

Strangely on a day of such cold weather it was the overseas players who shone the brightest with Guiseley's new Australian Dean Russ making a cultured unbeaten 100 in his newly-promoted side's 4-2 draw with North Leeds.

Fellow Australian Jason Wright, plying his trade with Burley, failed with the bat but produced the goods with the ball with 4-19.

In weather that rather suited his name West Indian Kervon Christmas took 3-51 off 16 overs for Pool.

Otley's Aussia Adam Vale produced a decent spell of 3-23 off 13 overs while Green Lane's Indian batsman Vivek Mahajan continued his excellent form of last season with an opening day knock of 46.

Knaresborough's Australian Dale Tormey was one of the stars of the day with a knock of 61 and a return of 3-45 off 16 overs in their 5-1 draw with Harden. He was edged in the best all-rounder of the day stakes by Illingworth's South African Pieter Venter who hit 50 and then took a superb 6-18 off 15.5 overs, ten of which were maidens, in his side's 16 runs win over Bolton Villas.

Clubs will be looking for some warmer weather and firmer pitches this weekend when the Bradford League, and Dales Council League, will belatedly swing into action with promoted local side Yeadon hoping for a good start back in the First Division.

11:54am Thursday 24th April 2008

Guiseley's Australian Dean Russ who hit a first day century

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