Away from LCC, several of our young prospects spent the winter netting at Headingley and The Adil Rashid Centre in Thornton with the ultimate aim of County Age Group Selection.

The first six weeks of the season saw them in a six match trial for West Yorkshire v North, East & Central and South Yorkshire, home and away.

In the Under 14 age group, Lucas Arnot was spared the full early season trial process by virtue of selection for the U14 performance squad. Over the last six weeks, Lucas has played in West Yorkshire regional fixtures alongside his clubmate Alex Gillgrass and last Sunday took 2 wickets with his left-arm spin as Yorkshire Under 14s defeated Derbyshire by 4 wickets at Worksop College.

Today, Lucas was scheduled to play at Kirkby Stephen CC v Cumbria in the Under 14 ECB Cup but this fixture was cancelled late on Wednesday evening due to the abysmal weather forecast. Lucas is scheduled to play against Lancashire this Sunday at Olicanian CC, Ilkley, in two T20 fixtures at 1030 and 1400hrs. Thereafter, Lucas is awaiting selection news for the next ECB U14 Cup fixture v Nortumberland at Scarborough CC's famous North Marine Road ground.

Also due to play today, should nature allow, is Jacob Carroll our Under 13 all rounder. Jacob has finished the regional phase 1 programme with a flourish claiming 3 for 23 in a 1 wicket win over South Yorkshire at Liversedge CC before taking 3 for 32 in the final fixture, a 3 wicket loss to East & Central.

These wickets have earned him a call up to the Yorkshire Under 13 team for the fixture today v Northumberland at Clifton Alliance CC. If the weather holds, good luck from everyone at LCC Jacob!! We know you deserve this opportunity.

For the fifth summer in a row, wicket-keeper batsman Monty Ramsden has earned a county call up following a successful regional programme playing alongside Lightcliffe teammate Sam Walker for West Yorkshire under 15s. Monty made the most of home comforts making 42 not out in a 10 wicket win v East & Central Yorkshire at Lightcliffe before a battling 30 was ultimately in a lost cause with a 30 run defeat v South Yorkshire at Ackworth.

Captaining West Yorkshire at Woodhouse Grange CC against East & Central, Monty caught an incredible 5 catches at first slip in a 9 wicket win. He followed this last week with his then highest score of 96 (off 88 balls with 14 x 4s and 2 x 6s) in a 152 run victory over South Yorkshire at Scholes CC, Holmfirth. Captaining the Bradford Junior League 48 hours later v Leeds & Wetherby, Monty was 98 not out in a 122 run partnership with Sam Walker on 45 not out when rain stopped play for the day. Monty did not have to wait long for his maiden century, making 102 (off 108 in 129 minutes with 19 x 4s) last Saturday for Lightcliffe 2nd XI at East Leeds.

Monty plays in two T20 fixtures on Sunday at Worksop College v Leicestershire before heading to Durham next Wednesday and Staffordshire away twice, the following week.

Good luck to Lucas, Jacob and Monty from all at LCC.