Woodlands all-rounder Brad Schmulian tops batting and bowling averages

The New Zealand all-rounder has become the first player to top both the batting and bowling averages in the Premier Division.

Schmulian, who also topped the batting in 2021, finished with an average of 74.33 to edge out Ryan McKendry, from the champions New Farnley.

He compiled 892 runs from 15 innings, hitting three centuries and six fifties and with the ball took 38 wickets at 14.37 with his leg spin.

An impressive 67 players achieved the batting qualifying standard of 300 runs with four players topping 1,000 runs. Nine had averages of more than 50.

Cleckheaton’s Yousaf Baber scored the most runs with 1,219 (average 58.05), followed by McKendry with 1,109.

His Cleckheaton teammate Khizer Qadeer also amassed 1,062 at an average of 59 to finish as the third highest run scorer.

Townville's Jack Hughes was the top wicket taker with 58 and was one of four players to top 50 wickets – Udith Patabadige (Bradford & Bingley) 55, Adam Ahmed (New Farnley) 53 and Cameron Sharp (Baildon) 53.

Twenty four bowlers reached the qualifying standard of 30 wickets, including Cleckheaton’s Max Chappell (38 at 25.29) and Lachlan Doidge (38 at 30.24).

Jer Lane’s Sam Johnson finished as the top Premier wicketkeeper for the second time. He followed up his success in 2023 by claiming 33 victims with an impressive 19 stumpings.

Division One’s batting averages were topped by Pudsey Congs’ Yohan Mendis with 86.3 while in third place was Birstall’s Sharoon Siraj (750 runs with a 50 average) and in fourth Hisan Ahmad, of Batley (658 at 43.87).

Batley’s Ali Hamza Waseem (63 wickets at 15.19) was fourth behind winner James Lee, of Bankfoot, in the Division One bowling averages. Daniel Marlow, of Birstall, was fifth with 50 at 16.82.

Division Two champions Hanging Heaton had four qualifying players in the end of season bowling averages, but highest was Methushan Thilina with 50 at 16.18 and he ranked fifth behind winner Saqif Ridwan, of Bowling Old Lane, who claimed 45 victims at 13.42.

Heaton’s Luke Patel was second in the batting averages after a fine season in which he scored 772 runs at an average of 51.47.

Division Three’s batting was led by Hopton Mills player Joel Austin who averaged an impressive 87.38 while amassing 1,136 runs.

Heckmondwike & Carlinghow’s Wajid Hussain finished fourth in the standings with 834 runs at 55.6 and his teammate Khurram Shehzad was sixth with 459 at 51.

In the bowling averages for the third division Streethouse players took the top three spots with Spen Victoria’s James Russell in fourth after averaging 13.85 in claiming 47 victims.

Fahad Imam, of Heckmondwike & Carlinghow, topped the wicketkeeper charts with 27 catches and four stumpings, while Hopton Mills’ Connor Hayward was second after totalling 25.