NEW Farnley stalwart Paul Whiteley has received the Dales Council League’s most prestigious annual award.

Whiteley, who is the umpires’ delegate to the league’s executive committee, was awarded the Geoff Cope Trophy at the league’s annual dinner at the Midland Hotel in Bradford.

“This is quite a surprise – I wasn’t expecting it,” admitted Whiteley after receiving the trophy from league president Cope, the former Yorkshire and England off-spinner.

“I have been involved with the Dales Council League since 1956 (their first season) and I have been secretary at New Farnley three times, and won my first trophy there as clubman of the year in 1972, when I received that trophy from (former Yorkshire and England left-arm spinner) Don Wilson.

“I am a one-club person, but as far as the league is concerned, I have been umpires’ representative for 12 years and have been on the league’s executive committee as long as that.

“I liaise between the league and the umpires and vice-versa. It is not a hard job but it is rewarding.”

Meanwhile, Baildon B won the Les Bulmer Trophy for the most sporting second or third team, after marks awarded by the Dales Council Umpires’ Association, while Adel won the equivalent trophy (Dales Council Umpires’ Association Sportsmanship award) for first teams.

Veteran Keith Dibb won the John Morgan Yorkshire Evening Post Umpires’ award.

Baildon B’s Tim Joy was the leading bowler in C Division, while Mohammed Amin (Drighlington B) won that section’s all-rounder award.

Bradford clubs sewed up the Division B awards, with Yorkshire LPS’ Ali Ghazanfer taking both the bowling and all-rounder prizes, while Interlink’s Irfan Jamadar won the batting trophy, as well as being the leading run-scorer (Stan Stafford Memorial Trophy) with a superb 1118 at an average of 93.

In A Division, Raza Ali (One Stop) was the leading batsman, while clubmate Rafaqat Mehmood was awarded the Gordon Hay Memorial Trophy as the best senior fielder.

Abdul Khan (Cookridge) won the equivalent junior fielding award, while Rodley’s Finn Woodward-Chapman was the leading junior batsman and left-arm spinner Emma Lawson (New Farnley) the leading junior bowler.

Amin also took the Fastest 50 award for an astonishing 11-ball blitz that contained seven successive sixes, while Wayne Broxholme (Mayfield) and Farooque Angillath (Shipley Providence) shared the Roy Webster Memorial Senior Wicket-Keeping Trophy.

Matty Atkinson (Tong Park Esholt) took the equivalent junior award, while Thornbury were once again winners of the Steve Raistrick Memorial Trophy as the highest-placed B team.

Awards – Geoff Cope Trophy (outstanding contribution to the league): Paul Whiteley (New Farnley), umpires’ delegate to the league’s executive committee. Umpires’ Association Sportsmanship Trophy (for first teams): Adel. Les Bulmer Trophy (sportsmanship for second and third teams): Baildon B. John Morgan Yorkshire Evening Post Umpires’ Award (voted for by clubs): Keith Dibb.

A Division, batting: Raza Ali (One Stop) average 47.83; bowling, Harcharan Seehra (Leeds Sikh) 7.8; all-rounder, Aqif Butt (Savile Stars), batting 45.71 (second), bowling 14.36 (fourth). B Division, batting, Irfan Jamadar (Interlink) 93.17; bowling, Ali Ghazanfer (Yorkshire LPS) 8.03; all-rounder, Ghazanfer, batting ninth, bowling first. C Division, batting, Richard Edwards (New Farnley) 85.25; bowling, Tim Joy (Baildon) 9.42; all-rounder, Mohammed Amin (Drighlington), batting 48.88 (fifth), bowling 10.78 (third). Junior batting: Finn Woodward-Chapman (Rodley) 49.17. Junior bowling: Emma Lawson (New Farnley) 10.46.

Fielding, Gordon Hay Memorial Trophy (senior): Rafaqat Mehmood (One Stop); Judy Griffiths Memorial Trophy (junior): Abdul Khan (Cookridge). Wicket-Keeping, Roy Webster Memorial Trophy (senior): Wayne Broxholme (Mayfield) and Farooque Angillath (Shipley Providence) (shared). Junior: Matty Atkinson (Tong Park Esholt).

Fastest Fifty: Amin (11 balls, including seven successive sixes). Most runs (Stan Stafford Memorial Trophy): Jamadar (1118). Most wickets (Joe Raistrick Memorial Trophy): Seehra (54). Highest-placed B team (Steve Raistrick Memorial Trophy): Thornbury B.

Roll of honour, A Division (Jack Shuttleworth Cup), Leeds Sikh. B Division (William Hill Trophy), Interlink. C Division (John Collins Trophy): Drighlington B. Pool Paper Mills Cup: Interlink. Cawthorne Cup: Thornbury B. Twenty20 Cup: Halifax Direct.