A new name is set to engraved on famous trophy

Wrenthorpe's Gary Fellows is one of the dangermen

A new name will be inscribed on the famous old trophy at the conclusion of Sunday's Solly Sports Heavy Woollen Cup final at Hanging Heaton.

Both Wickersley and Wrenthorpe are playing in the final for the first time and both clubs are eager to add their name to the distinguished list of clubs who have lifted the Heavy Woollen Cup over the past 124 years.

For Wickersley the achievement of reaching the final crowns a remarkable first season on the competition and Neil Peacock, secretary of the South Yorkshire League club, insist that he doesn't know to this day who actually entered the club.

"I don't know who it was, but when I took over as secretary earlier in the year I received notification of the draw and we have just taken things from there.

"We have loved every minute of the experience so far and we are all looking forward to the final. It should be a great day for everybody."

Wickersley are very much the dark horses of the competition and cannot be under estimated as they have won the South Yorkshire title seven times in the last 12 years.

.They have overcome Buttershaw St Paul's Birstall, New Farnley Delph & Dobcross and Idle to reach the final and have done so scoring a stack of runs.

In the first round they made 327-8 against Buttershaw St Paul's - a score only bettered in this season's competition by today's rivals Wrenthorpe who made 328-2 while beating holders Barnsley.

Since then they have made 210 against Birstall, 243 v New Farnley, 231-4 v Delph & Dobcross and 192-8 against Idle in the semi-finals. They have amassed 1,203 runs for the loss of 40 wickets. That is an average of 30.07 runs per wicket.

But on Sunday they come up against a Wrenthorpe side wiith an even more formidable batting record. They have scored 840 runs for the loss of 17 wickets, an average of 49.4 runs per wicket.

Wrenthorpe have only batted in four of their five ties - the second round clash with Baildon was decided by a bowl out.

Wrenthorpe, the Central Yorkshire League champion, have been seen as tournament favourites in most people's eye since their ruthlessly destruction of Barnsley in the third round.

The South Yorkshire side were chasing a hat-trick of Heavy Woollen Cup win and when they reduced Wrenthorpe to 7-2 they must have though the treble was very much on. What happened next was one of the highlights of this and many other Heavy Woollen Cup competitions.

Former Yorkshire player Gary Fellows, undoubtedly a key man in Sunday's final, joined Eric Austin in an unbroken third-wicket stand of 321. Fellows made a quite stunning 160 not out while Austin made 124 not out. Wrenthorpe went on to win by 157 runs and since then have seen off Undercliffe and their old rivals Townville with ruthless efficiency.

Wrenthorpe, who have won the Central Yorkshire League title twice in five years, have a side packed with quality. Besides Fellows and Austin the batting is also bolstered by the considerable presence of former Northamptonshire player David Paynter and opener Paul Carroll.

The bowling also packs a punch too with the new-ball pair of Sri Lankan Dinusha Fernando and the wily left-arm paceman Neil Gill, supported by the seam of skipper Kevin Watson and Fellows plus the spin of John Storey and Paynter.

But Wickersley have quality and experience too. Young opener Alex Bailey has made a big impact in this competition and has scored over 300 runs, including a century against Delph & Dobcross in the quarter-finals.

The experienced Haider Jahangir has impressed with both bat and ball during Wickersley's march to the final, while perhaps the biggest threat to Wrenthorpe's formidable batting line up is the pace of Pakistan Test all-rounder Mohammad Zahid. He is a potential match-winner with bat and ball.

It promises to be an absorbing contest. With conditions set fair for a match which starts earlier than normal at noon, the ingredients are in place for a close encounter.