Following a long testing winter cricket returned to Wagon Lane on Saturday 23rd April. The club was rocked to its core when the Boxing Day floods unforgivingly swept across the area. Only through the dedication of the club's members and the support of local people/groups and organisations such as YCB and ECB has the club survived. A massive thank you must go out to all those who have contributed so that our great club can continue to provide the community with cricket.

The indoor nets have been condemned and the outdoor nets remain out of use in their full capacity. Although the recovery from the floods has got the club in a position to be able host cricket, the area that surrounds the scorebox on the main pitch still shows the scars of the unprecedented winter floods.

The long and arduous winter has stretched into the spring months resulting in the opening day fixture for all three senior teams being pushed back to September.

As well as new ground equipment, fresh paint on the walls and new seed in the ground we also have three new captains at Bradford & Bingley this year. Scott Etherington has succeeded Phil Slater who has retired from cricket after captaining the 1st XI for the last nine seasons. Matthew Keeton has returned to the club after a one season stint at Gomersal and has taken the 2nd XI reins from Warren Allit and Rick Foulder has stepped up from vice to full captain of the 3rd XI following the retirement of Nick Smith.

The retiring Phil Slater and Nick Smith have joined a large exodus at the club including Ryan Cooper, Matthew Simpson, Chris Thompson, Jacob Roach, Bradley Davis, Lawrence Davis, Romil Butt, Richard Slater and Oliver Croudsen. The club would like to thank all of these players for their efforts during their time with the club.

The biggest presence that will be missed in 2016 is that of Richard McCarthy who has decided to return to Australia after a stellar career at Bradford & Bingley CC. Macca is a true legend who showed tremendous commitment and loyalty to Bingley throughout a career in which he established himself as one of the Bradford League's greatest ever players.

The 1st XI welcomed Pusey Congs to Wagon Lane on the opening weekend and could not stop the visitors amassing an imposing 306/6 off their 50 overs. Bingley never threatened during a run chase undermined by regular wickets despite the efforts of Charlie Best (52) and debutant Jack Edgar (41). Bingley finished on 171 all out to collect 5 points.

The 2nd team made the short distance to Keighley, the side the club were relegated with from the 1st division last season. After laying a solid foundation Jack Dixon and Matthew Keeton combined to remove the Keighley openers who both scored 53. Bingley continued to puncture the Keighley innings reducing them to 161/9. The tenth wicket would prove frustratingly elusive however until former Keighey man George Heartfield bowled Jack Rodgers with the penultimate ball of the innings as the home side set 194 to win. Jack Dixon the pick of the bowlers with 5-37 off his ten overs. After a solid start Bingley lost Warren Allit for 21 and wickets there after continued to fall with the 2nds somewhat collapsing to 134 all out off 41.4 overs.

The 3rd XI also started away with a short trip to Sandy Lane. After being asked to bat first Bingley steadily eased into the innings cautiously amassing 14/0 off 8 very tightly bowled overs. Both openers would unfortunately not go on to build a purposeful innings and the only real resistance from Bingley came in the form of Andy Dobson (37) who was the last man out as Bingley set 88 to win. Sandy Lane's openers began positively and reached Bingley's total inside 25 overs 5 wickets down.

A tough start for all three teams but things will surely settle down in the coming weeks.

Star performer of the week - Jack Dixon

1st XI Scorecard - http://www.cricketresultscentre.com/bcl/scorecard.php?Match_ID=606

2nd XI Scorecard - http://www.cricketresultscentre.com/bcl/scorecard.php?Match_ID=1270

3rd XI Scorecard - http://cdcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/2653498