Cleckheaton have signed up a batsman who has scored more than 1,000 runs in five of the last six seasons while playing club cricket in England.

The Moorend club will be hoping that Mohammad Zaman Khan can maintain his remarkable record in English league cricket.

The right handed opener, who made his first class debut aged 17 in 1999 and played for Pakistan Under-19s, first came to England in 2001 to play for Brandesburton in the NPI East Yorkshire Alliance Premier Division.

He soon made his mark by scoring 1,421 for an average of 78.94 and he also captured 72 wickets at 14.33 apiece with his off spin. The following season Zaman returned to Brandesburton and made 1,317 runs at an average of 94 as well as taking 66 wickets.

His performances attracted the attention of Oxbridge Yorkshire League side Driffield who recruited him in 2003 and he obliged by scoring 1,157 runs. The following season he again made 1,000 runs for the Yorkshire League side.

In 2005 Zaman moved to Littleborough in the Central Yorkshire League and he kept up his fine record by making 1,047. Last season he returned to Littleborough and for once missed out on 1,000 runs, but only just. He his 987 and avaeraged 49.35.

Idle have signed another Sri Lankan all-rounder as their overseas player to replace Dinusha Fernando who has joined Central Yorkshire League champions Wrenthorpe.

Dilhara Lokuhettige has been in prolific form during the Sri Lankan domestic season for his club Moors. He scored a career best 211 and his best bowling performance was seven for 64.

Idle will be hoping that Lokuhettige will be looking to maintain Idle's tradition for successful overseas players which includes Hassan Adnan, Mohammed Haafeez, Ejaz Ahmed, JP Yadav and Fernando.

Lokuhettige is one of three Sri Lankans playing in the top flight. Thilan Thusara returns to han ging heaton after making a big impression last season, while Farsley have introduced all-rounder Uswatte Fernando as their new overseas professional.

Newly-promoted Bowling Old Lane have signed up a batsman with a First Class triple century to his name as their new overseas player.

Last season's Division Two champions and Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup runners-up have recruited the 28-year-old Peshawar right hander Shoaib Khan.

In 66 matches he has made 3,751 First Class runs at an average of 37.51 and Old Lane will be hoping that his appetite for big scores will be transferred to the JCT 600 Bradford League.

Old Lane would be happy if their Shoaib Khan is as successful as the new Morley overseas player of the same name. Morley were so impressed with the left hand batsman and right arm medium pace bowlers performances with Hartshead Moor last season that they moved in to sign him.

Khan, who is 21, topped the Division Two batting averages in 2006 with 77.45 after making 852 runs with a highest score of 119. In First Class cricket he has hit 1,133 runs in 18 matches at an average of 33.32.

Pudsey Congs look to have unearthed a young batsman of great promise. Twenty-one-year old Afaq Raheem has scored 2,013 runs for Kashmir in 33 matches with a top score of 140 not out and a healthy average of 37.27. He is also a useful off break bowler bring variety to the Congs' attack.

Another young batsman making his JCT 600 Bradford League bow with a promising First Class record is Spen Victoria's new recruit Adnan Raza Ali. The right hand Lahore Blues batsman has so far scored 831 First Class runs in 10 matches with a highest score of 137. His average of 48.48 suggest he is a player to watch. Raza also bowls off spin.

After the outstanding achievements of Hartshead Moor's last two overseas batsmen, Khurran Shehzad and Shoaib Khan the performances of Adna Raees will be watched closely.

The Rest of North West Frontier player has scored 785 First Class runs in his fledgling career with a top score of 137 and an average of 26.16.

The only bowler among the new overseas players registered so far is the Indian opening bowler Suyash Burkui at Baildon. he has taken 25 wickets at 31.84 apiece for Maharashtra.

Keighley, relegated to Division Two last season, have maintained their practice of recent seasons by recruiting an Australian. This year it is all-rounder Greg Kennedy while Pudsey St Lawrence has Australian Thomas Stray as their overseas professional.

Brighouse, Undercliffe, Woodlands and Yeadon have all opted to retain the overseas players they had last season.

Safraz Ahmed

No doubt Brighouse will be wanting to see Rizwan Ahmed dazzle again. Las t year he topped the Division One batting with 823 runs at an average of 48.41. He is also a more than useful leg spinner.

Two players who need no introduction to Bradford League followers are Jaffer Nazir at East Bierley and Safraz Ahmed at Woodlands. Both have had long associations with the league and have been the two outstanding opening bowlers over the past six years.

Nazir has won the Division One bowling averages five times in the eight seasons he has been playing in the Bradford League while Safraz has been a key figure in Woodlands' rise to prominence. He helped them to the treble of the Bradford League title, Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup and Black Sheep Champions Trophy last season.

Newly-promoted Manningham Mills have re-engaged wicketkeeper batsman Afsar Nawaz Khan who was a key figure in their promotion-winning side last season. He contributed 644 runs at an average of 49.54.

South African fast bowler Ethi Mbhlati will be looking to build on the reputation he established last season as he again spearheads the Bradford & Bingley attack.

Arun Lal is back at Undercliffe for a second season after scoring 425 runs at an average of 30.38 last year and taking 38 wickets at 18.50 apiece, while Yeadon will again be boosted by the presence of Aamer Sajjad who first made his mark on the Bradford League with Bankfoot in 2005.Sajjad, who plays his First Class cricket for Lahore, made 617 runs at an average of 47.46 last term.

Gomersal have opted for aNew Zealand opening bowler as their new overseas professional. They will be hoping that Garrick Sutherland can spearhead a promotion push.

Esholt have opted for England-based batsman Shahzaib Khan to fill the overseas berth in their line up.