SCHOLES, whose first year in the All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League was 2015, have so far been the ultimate yo-yo club.

Promoted from the second tier as runners-up in their debut season, they were relegated in 2016 before winning what is now Championship Division One last season.

But having won two of their first three matches this year – against Bradford & Bingley and Farsley – maybe 2018 is the time when the yo-yoing will finally stop for James Stansfield’s side?

The skipper wasn’t categorical about surviving this season, but he did say: “I am fairly confident.”

Scholes only won five matches in the top flight in 2016, but only went down by 14 points, and Stansfield remembered: “We only won one match in the first half of the season and lost our spinner a third of the way through the campaign.

“This year we have a better balanced side, with four pace bowlers and two spinners, which gives us options, and our overseas player, Aditya Waghmode, is one of the best batsman that I have seen.

“Normally we go for a Pakistani because they are a bit cheaper and more readily available, but this time we decided to go for an Indian, and we had three to choose from. Aditya also bowls off-spin and is a good fielder for us in the covers.”

But Scholes’ decent early showing is not just about Waghmode, whose 87 underpinned their 96-run victory over Bradford & Bingley.

Stansfield said: “We also have Yassir Ali, a good opening bowler who swings the ball both ways, and Haris Mohammed, who is 19 and was underused by Birstall.”

Ali took 5-38 in the win over Bradford & Bingley and 6-38 in the success over Farsley, while Mohammed also chipped in with 3-46. In terms of batting, Scholes have Kasir Maroof, who made 96 against Farsley and put on 126 for the second wicket with young Sam Gatenby (50), the son of Cleck stalwart Ian.

Stansfield added: “The Farsley win was more of a surprise, and we opted to bat on a used wicket that was probably going to get slower and lower, and we put a score on the board (215-9) and just squeezed them in the field, dismissing them for 88.”

Fifth-placed Scholes are at Lightcliffe, who are 10th, tomorrow, while leaders and defending champions Hanging Heaton – the only team to win three out of three – are at seventh-placed Farsley.

Second-placed Methley, who are 12 points adrift of the front-runners, are at Woodlands (sixth), while third-placed New Farnley are at Townville, who are eighth.

East Bierley, who are already 15 points adrift of survival, host fourth-placed Pudsey St Lawrence.

Top match in Championship Division One is second-placed Gomersal at home to fifth-placed Wrenthorpe.