Picture courtesy of Otley CC. Otley’s Cross Green home.
Otley Cricket Club’s first team have just completed the three-peat in the Airedale Wharfedale Cricket League Premier Division, with outgoing captain Josh Atkinson confident of going well again in 2027.
Batter Atkinson is handing over the leadership duties to seam bowler Charlie Parker after four seasons in charge down at Cross Green.
Confidence comes from their consistent excellence over recent seasons. Not only have they won the title in 2024, 2025 and 2026, but they preceded that with a trio of second-placed finishes.
Also, Atkinson has spoken of some disruption at the start of the summer just gone, which left him feeling somewhat “apprehensive” before a ball was bowled.
Ahead of next summer, things should be more settled.
“We went into the year having lost one of our young lads, Jake Ross, to our rivals, Burley-in-Wharfedale,” said Atkinson. “He’s a good up and coming all-rounder, and it was far from ideal.
“We also lost our seasoned pro, if you like, in Stephen Brown. He’s an off-spinner who bats in the top five. He went to Moorlands because he lives over in Mirfield.
“We also had quite an unsettled side for the first four or five weeks, with a lot of weddings and things like that. But, to be fair, everybody stood up for us.
A couple of young lads in Alex Ross and Josh Foster came in and did really good jobs with the ball.
Picture courtesy of Otley CC. Outgoing captain Josh Atkinson at the crease for the Airedale Wharfedale Premier Division champions.
“The top five with the bat, which is Alex Atkinson, myself, George Huntley, George Myers and Ben Morley, all scored runs throughout the year, and we have that strength in depth.
“We have lads batting at nine, 10 and 11 who could easily bat in the top six if needed.
“Again, with the ball, Charlie (Parker) and Damon Reeve, they opened and were just frighteningly good.
“When the change bowlers came on, the opposition were often four or five down.
“Whatever situation we were in, we just found a way.”
It was interesting to hear Atkinson reference this year’s success as perhaps more satisfying than the others because of that unsettled nature mentioned above.
They won 16 of 22 matches, losing only four times and finished 33 points (10 for a win) ahead of second-placed Saltaire.
So too was it interesting to hear how the club’s hierarchy look to compile a high-quality squad, one which also tasted T20 success in mid-July.
“We don’t pay players here,” said Atkinson. “We’re all close mates who have played a good standard of cricket, ie the Bradford Premier League or in the Yorkshire Premier League North.
Picture courtesy of Otley CC. Flying high! The home of the three-time first-team champions who aim to go for four in a row in 2027.
“What we do is kind of delve into that pool of players where lads might be getting to an age where they want to take a bit more of a relaxed view on the game.
“It’s not as intense as playing Premier League cricket on a Saturday and then the ECB cup competitions and the Heavy Woollen on a Sunday.
“Because we don’t pay players, it’s not a problem if they want to go to the odd wedding or go on holiday.
“Striking that balance where we give you that side of things back but when we cross the line on a Saturday we play hard and to win, it’s worked well for us. Our recent success speaks for itself in that regard.”
Overseas wise, Otley fielded Sri Lankan all-rounder Imthiyas Slaza in 2026 and are potentially looking at recruiting an Australian as they aim for four in a row.
More widely, Otley have a range of senior, junior and women’s teams.
Their third team, captained by 18-year-old Adam Hughes, won their league title.
They have “around 140-150 juniors ranging from Under 9s to 18s”, according to Atkinson, who also name-checked the excellent work of Claire Bassindale in leading a women’s and girls programme headed by two senior teams.
“What’s happening with the juniors and the women’s and girls stuff, it’s just brilliant to see,” said Atkinson.
Picture courtesy of Otley CC. Charlie Parker, second from right, is congratulated by his team-mates having taken a wicket during the summer just gone.
For league clubs up, down and across our great county, success off the field goes hand in hand with what happens on it.
So, for Otley and their counterparts, the winter is clearly a key time.
“We try and drive quiz nights and bingo nights and stuff like that through the winter to keep people interacting and obviously to keep money coming into the club,” said Atkinson.
“The money which goes behind the bar keeps the cricket club going.
“So, there’s definitely a huge focus on what we do in the winter, and it’s a great place to be.”
And on the hopes for first-team success once again in 2027, Atkinson – no relation to club chair and team-mate Alex – added: “The main thing is that we’ve kept the same side. Nobody is leaving, which is fantastic.
“Alex Ross, who I mentioned previously, will step up to the first team and be one of our front-line spinners.
“If we get another spinner in terms of an overseas, we’ll have a really strong spin-attack. Then there are a couple of other lads who will no doubt step up when needed as well from the second team.
“So I don’t see any reason at all why we shouldn’t go close again.”
