This year's 'TCA Under 13 Winter Bash' finally came to a conclusion on Thursday evening with a simply stunning evening of indoor cricket at The Cricket Asylum, Sowerby Bridge.
Lightcliffe's senior U13 team, 'The Lightcliffe Lads,' were almost joined on 'Finals Night' by their younger 'Lightcliffe Lightning' clubmates but the 11 and 12 year olds just missed out on runs scored after a 3 way tie for the 4th Finals Night slot.
Indoor cricket at TCA is a fast-moving and exciting format where wides and no balls gift 4 runs to the opposition with an extra ball only awarded in the final over of each innings. No balls also result in a 'free-hit' next ball and 5 runs are deducted for each wicket lost. Each completed run scores two whilst hitting the net also earns one or two runs, and 4 or 6 runs for a straight drive to the far net past the bowler. The format teaches young cricketers the importance of bowling straight and backing up in the field whilst hitting the gaps and running hard whilst batting.
The Lad's semi-final opponents were Walsden, a team full of both Lancashire and West Yorkshire regional players. It was a tense, low scoring affair with Walsden finishing on 86 off their 12 overs. The result remained in doubt until the last ball - with 3 ball remaining, George Leach straight drove a four and with 2 also added for completing a run 'The Lads' were 4 ahead. Will Eyre successfully defended the last 2 deliveries to secure an excellent win versus strong opponents in a low scoring affair. The 4 run win was to prove to be a comfortable margin of victory compared to the final to follow.
Awaiting us were a specialist indoor cricket club who take their name from their sponsor 'Northern Star'- they select their teams from cricket clubs across North Manchester and Bury and take part in nationwide indoor competitions. Contrast this to 'The Lightcliffe Lads' where 5 of our team can walk to our ground in less than 5 minutes and where each player (parent?!) paid £8 per match to play!
Northern Star Superkings batted first and posted a very competitive 145 in their 12 overs. Lightcliffe's chase was timed to perfection with all 6 batsmen contributing similar amounts. A wicket off the last ball of the penultimate over followed by a dot ball off the first ball of the final over looked like being pivotal as 'The Lads' now needed 18 off 5 balls, but with a really well run 2 contributing 6 runs (2 each for the runs and 2 for hitting the net) plus the crucial assistance of a wide (4 runs and an extra ball in the last over) LCC took the lead on the penultimate delivery. This left Will Eyre to successfully defend the last ball of the competition to secure victory for LCC, finishing on 146 to win by 1 run!!
I am reliably informed that our parents present were momentarily confused as they had all mistakenly read the Superking's total as 146 rather than it being the runs required!!!
You can't choose your family lads...................
This was yet another wonderful performance against quality opposition and was the 3rd successive TCA competition win for this superb squad of young Lightcliffe lads.
You can watch both semis and the final here: https://www.facebook.com/CRICKETASYLUM
The successful Lightcliffe Lads are pictured left to right: Will Eyre, George Leach, Oliver Barrowcliffe, Hari Singh, Gurdass Singh, Matthew Brearley.
Next Wednesday 28th April, our Under 11 Lightning and Lions squads will have the opportunity to make it a TCA Winter Bash double as they have both qualified for Finals Night. Both semi-finals are 'War of the Roses' clashes as Lightning will face regular foes Northern Star Seahawks at 6pm whilst the Lions tackle Prestwich Pirates at 7pm with the Grand final at 8pm - all matches can be viewed live on TCA Facebook page.