A top-strength Yorkshire League XI will do battle with the Bradford League at the 2003 Scarborough Cricket Festival to see which side can lay claim to being the best League outfit in the county.

This unique match is being sponsored by Pudsey St Lawrence president Keith Moss, the former Yorkshire CCC chairman, and will take place at North Marine Road on August 12.

The Bradford League begin their Centenary celebrations in the New Year and are determined not to let the Yorkshire League spoil the party.

Moss came up with idea of staging the match while watching the 2002 Festival and it has been enthusiastically taken on board by the Festival organisers.

"I thought a really competitive one-day game would go down well with Festival crowds and that it would be an ideal fixture during the Bradford League's centenary season," said Moss.

"Scarborough contacted the two leagues and they said they would be delighted to play the match.

"I believe the game will be good for several reasons. I am still very keen for Yorkshire cricket as a whole to succeed and for the leagues to be very strong and I also want the great Scarborough Festival to go on thriving in its 117th year.

"Last but not least, it will be most appropriate if the Bradford League side can demonstrate their strength in front of a big audience in their centenary year."

The Scarborough Festival will span eight days from August 10-17 and is being held earlier than usual in order to avoid a clash with the Walker Cup which is takes place at nearby Ganton Golf Club on September 5 and 6.

Updated: 10:55 Saturday, December 28, 2002