LCC have entered this competition for several years now and the chance to visit new grounds and compete against unknown opposition is a large part of the attraction.

Shepley are currently the Huddersfield League's number one Under 15 side with current and former county and regional players and the queue of visiting vehicles at our gates when your correspondent arrived to open up showed their intent.

Our visitors won the toss and chose to field first. Ten balls in and just a couple of singles scored and it was looking like a wise decision but after Sam Walker clipped a ball off his leg for a 6, we were up and running. With the score on 43 Sam was caught off a leading edge but at the other end skipper Monty Ramsden continued his fine form. Driving well and showing real power, Monty despatched the Shepley seamers over the fence 3 times and also hit eight 4s before retiring not out on 54 off only 27 balls.

With the score 78-1 off 7.3 overs, Ayaan Akram joined Lucas Arnot at the crease and the pair maintained Lightcliffe's great start. Ayaan too had pulled a 6 into the fence before he was bowled leaving Lightcliffe on 112 for 2 after 12 overs. Jack Anderson perished in the pursuit of quick runs with the score on 135 so Alex Gillgrass joined Lucas in the middle.
Lucas played a great knock, cautious initially before accelerating to a 50 not out retirement off 39 balls with a 6 and six 4s.
Further impetus was provided by Alex Gillgrass who made a quickfire 29 off 9 balls including a 6 and four 4s. Will Sweeten was the other not out batsman as Lightcliffe closed on 186 for 4 off the allted 20 overs.

Set a daunting target, Shepley got off to a good start, aided in part by wayward Lightcliffe bowling which was gifting the visitors extra runs and deliveries.
Shepley skipper and former Yorkshire player James Tate, 40 off 39, and Yorkshire wicketkeeper William Goldthorpe, 42 off 44 put on 85 for the first wicket. Goldthorpe went first, caught behind for the 2nd time by Ramsden, Ted Stead being the unfortunate bowler a couple of overs previously. When Tate soon followed to become Gillgrass' 2nd victim via a catch by Oliver Frearson, Shepley were 98-2 off 14.2 overs and requiring an improbable 89 off 34 balls.
Gillgrass then bagged a 3rd victim to another catch at the wicket by Monty and finished with 3 for 18 off 3 overs. As the run rate increased, Lucas Arnot's left arm spin proved too much for the Shepley side as he took 5 for 26 including 3 bowled and one thanks to Luke Barrowcliffe catch. Harry Dalzell then struck with his first delivery as Shepley closed on 145 for 9 as Lightcliffe won by 41 runs.

Lightcliffe travel to North Leeds on Monday evening for the Yorkshire semi-final at New Rover's fabulous Richmond Oval. Your correspondent has previously and mischievously described our opposition as "the IPL franchise just off the north Leeds ring road!!"
What is for certain is that New Rover will provide Lightcliffe's greatest challenge since our defeat to Wykeham (Scarborough) at this stage of the competition last year - their semi-final demolition of York CC proving that abundantly. Indeed, New Rover v Lightcliffe would have made a great final but only one will be there to play against Doncaster Town CC or Pannal CC of Harrogate.

Our lads will be well prepared as Indian professional Rajat Dey and former player Tom Burton will be leading the Friday evening net and fielding session ahead of the weekend's 5 senior fixtures.