PAUL Barker has set the bar high for Keighley on the eve of the new All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League season.

"The place is buzzing at the moment," said the new club chairman of their Lawkholme Lane headquarters, "and I want both teams to finish in the top two, or at worst in the top four."

Both are tough but achievable ambitions. The first team, who finished next to bottom in the parallel second-tier Championship A Division last season, have in essence been relegated, and start in the third-tier Championship Two at home to Hopton Mills on Saturday.

The second team, who were sixth in their Championship A Division, make the short trip to Bradford & Bingley in Championship One.

Both Keighley sides enjoyed victories over Aire-Wharfe League neighbours Harden last Saturday.

The first teams met at Lawkholme Lane, with Keighley totalling 224, being all out in the last of their 50 overs.

Louis Horsfield scored 60 and new overseas player Travis Nightingale 48, while several other batsmen made twenties.

Harden, who had Gomersal's Richard Wear – brother of Keighley's first-team skipper Andy – guesting for them, replied with 165, Andy Wear taking 4-17 and James Rogers and Matthew Haines each picking up two wickets.

In the second-team clash at Cuckoos Nest, which was played as a 35-overs-per-side match, Harden were dismissed for 137, Owen Narey and Jack Rogers – James' older brother – each picking up three wickets.

Keighley knocked off the runs for the loss of only four wickets, with Joe Williams, who has signed from Low Moor, hitting 46 and Martin Walker 32.

After the matches, there was a race night at Lawkholme Lane, which hopefully boosted both club finances and morale.

Barker, who filled in for the second team at the age of 46, added: "Our first-team youngsters are a year older and the aim is to get promotion.

"That is also the case of our second-team youngsters, who will be bolstered by the experience of people like Greg Wilkinson, who has been signed from Idle."

The first team will be without Callum Jones this weekend, while Danny Murphy is a second-team absentee.

Australian Nightingale is an improving and aggressive 21-year-old left-handed batsman who plays for Bayswater Cricket Club in the Victorian Sub-District League.

Since making his senior debut, he has already passed 1,000 career runs at an average of over 25, and has also played for the league representative side.

Keighley has already hosted representative cricket this season, staging the Yorkshire Academy v University of Bradford clash.