CRICKET’S Heavy Woollen Cup returns in April, and there are some surprise teams involved.

Entries have fallen away during the pandemic for what is the oldest knockout competition in the world, and consequently the committee put out a request for clubs to take part.

Three Aire-Wharfe League clubs have entered, and one is perennial league and cup contenders Otley.

They will start their first ever season in the competition with a home draw in round one on Sunday, April 24 against Skelmanthorpe.

Their fellow Aire-Wharfe sides New Rover and Beckwithshaw both start their campaigns a week earlier in the preliminary round.

New Rover have a home draw against Yorkshire Premier League play-off winners Castleford, while Beckwithshaw are at Kirkburton.

New Rover will host Shepley or Shelley if they go through, while a Beckwithshaw victory would see them travel to Undercliffe.