Denis Leng, the Bradford League bowler who played for Ireland, dies aged 85

Have you heard about the player who was born in Pudsey and played six times for Ireland?

Well-known Bradford League cricketer Denis Leng, who has died aged 85, achieved the feat between 1966 and 1968.

The medium pacer, who took 615 Bradford League wickets at 17.43, made six appearances for Ireland - including two against the Australian tourists in 1968.

Leng played for six different clubs, Brighouse, Windhill, Idle, Baildon, Farsley and Bankfoot between 1956 and 1976.

He had two spells with both Idle and Farsley and as his record shows, he was a consistent performer. His most successful season was 1973 when he took 66 wickets for Farsley in Division Two, while his best haul in Division One was the 64 wickets he took for Idle in 1959.

Leng, who also spent time playing for Calverley in the Aire-Wharfe League, was a regular spectator at Baildon in recent years.

The much-loved husband of Margaret, father of Duncan, Philip and Liz, granddad to James and Emily, and great grandad to Aurelia, Harrison and Charlie, passed away following a long fight with dementia and other long-standing health issues