After 30 years Wilsdon is swapping his bowling boots for an umpire’s coat and looking forward to the challenge.

Wilsdon is one of three well-known players to have qualified on the October training course held by the Bradford League Umpires Association.

Wilsdon has indicated that he will be officiating in league games from the start of the new season.

It means the end of a career which started back in 1979 at Eccleshill and saw him play at Farsley, Idle, Gomersal, Mirfield and Undercliffe (twice).

He took 960 first team wickets and at least 350 second team wickets.

He also won the Priestley Cup with Eccleshill in 1982 and won the Yorkshire Champions Trophy during his first spell with Undercliffe in 1998.

Wilsdon had a testimonial in 2006 which raised £3,000 for the cancer ward at the Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Former East Bierley captain Phil Taylor and veteran all-rounder Maz Bhatti, who has spent the last two seasons with Spen Victoria, also qualified from the umpires’ course.

If you would like to become an umpire, the next training course starts at Spen Victoria on Sunday (January 17) at 10am.

The course lasts for six weeks and each session is two hours long.

Further details are available from Glyn Pearson 0113 226 4714 or 0771 775 1365, Bill Holdstock 01274 569020 or Andrew Bullock 01274 822809.