Keighley Cricket Club skipper Simon Bailey admits “off-field issues” have hampered his side this season in the Bradford Premier League, as well as performances on the field.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel, after a sensational 88 not out from Lucas Keslinke helped Keighley beat Scholes by one wicket on Saturday, taking them out of the Division Two relegation zone with a game to go.

A win for Keighley at home to Northowram Fields on the final day this Saturday will guarantee their survival at the expense of Heckmondwike & Carlinghow, which would be satisfying compensation following a difficult year.

Bailey told the Keighley News: “It’s been a good last three games, from the Lightcliffe match onwards, which has given us belief.

“We lost there but earlier in the year we’d have just rolled over and been bowled out for 120, but we fought back to score over 200, which got us crucial extra points.

“A day later we turned up against East Ardsley, and chased 260 down to win, and we knew we had to win against Scholes, then Lucas produced a masterclass.”

Keighley had looked dead and buried after a disastrous August where they lost all five of their games, but Bailey said: “A few people have mentioned how brilliant our team spirit has been over the last few weeks.

“The belief’s there and though believing in yourselves and actually producing are two different things, I think it’s just clicked recently.

“Most of the season we’ve been three or four down in no time and had to rebuild, whereas the last couple of weeks we’ve only been one or two down by drinks.

“That then gives players like myself, Jazzy (Ijaz Ahmed) and Lucas more freedom down the order.”

Bailey played a key role in last Saturday’s vital win over Scholes himself, taking 2-62 from his 14 overs of spin before scoring 27 in a crucial seventh-wicket partnership of 91 with the rampant Keslinke.

Simon Bailey (left) played a key all-round role against Scholes, which is something he prides himself on.Simon Bailey (left) played a key all-round role against Scholes, which is something he prides himself on. (Image: Richard Leach.)

The skipper reflected: “It’s always important for me to set an example, and I’ve always prided myself on being an old head in the team, not just the club captain.

“I want them all to look up to me and if my performances drop, I let the team and the club down.

“I know in myself that I’ve got to produce on an individual level.”

While survival would be a great achievement for Keighley given their predicament a fortnight ago, it has been far from the season they were hoping for.

Asked why his side have struggled this year, Bailey said: “We’ve had a bit of upheaval and stuff off the field’s gone wrong.

“We’ve also lost key players to other clubs and we’ve not been able to rebuild.

“Once you lose lads during the season, unless you’re paying big money, you’re not really going to sign replacements of the same quality.”

Pressed on what has gone wrong off the field, Bailey said: “It’s just in-house stuff really that we’d rather keep inside the club.

“It is what is though, you have fallings out and stuff like that, which does happen at clubs.”

It therefore sounds like staying up on Saturday would be a welcome tonic for everyone down at Lawkholme Lane.

When asked whether survival being in their hands going into the final day was always the objective over the last few weeks, Bailey said: “It was and it wasn’t really.

“As long as we had a chance going into the final day, we were okay, because we’ve changed the belief in the club over the last few weeks.

“We’ve just been playing for points, which is how we’ve worked out how we can survive.

“As a bowling unit, we go for every two wickets, and when we bat, it’s a case of getting to 125 for a point and going from there.

“I’ve just been down to the ground ahead of the Northowram match and I’m thinking, ‘please don’t rain on Saturday’, as that takes that point-getting and survival out of our hands.”