The game played at the excellent facilities of Farsley Cricket Club was played on a pitch uncovered to recent heavy rain and was dominated by the coin toss. When captain Chris Taylor gratefully chose to insert Hanging Heaton, Lightcliffe always looked the more likely to come out on top.

Take nothing away from the team however who had to use the facilities and it was truly an all-rounder performance with contributions from everyone, with no star billing (Man of the Match deservedly going to Heaton's James Stansfield for his unbeaten 88 first innings score).

There was a healthy crowd which saw wickets for five Lightcliffe bowlers, with Moin Ashraf's 3-32 being pivotal when removing both Heaton opening batsmen with only twenty on the board (both pouched by 'Cliffe's veteran glove-man Mark Horne).

Further wickets followed for Oliver Robinson, Suleman Khan (2), Josh Wheatley and Mahmood Rasool (2).

Only two Heaton batsmen managed to reach double figures as Joe Fraser (56) and James Stansfield (88no) put together the only stand of real significance of 78 for the third wicket.

This ended when Fraser pulled a long hop from left-arm spinner Suleman Khan into the safe hands of Robinson on the mid-wicket boundary in what perhaps was a key game changer.

Lightcliffe worked hard to pull back the run rate on their opponents and when David Stiff failed to thrive, a long-ish tail never made up the lost opportunity and set a par score, but always one capable of being reached on an improving pitch.

When Lightcliffe batted they were clinical. They cashed in as the Hanging Heaton bowlers who struggled to find any consistency.

Openers Chris Taylor (41) and Charlie Roebuck (32) set the tone with a stand of 64, before the latter was stumped by Joe Suggitt off the bowling of veteran John Carruthers.

Alex Stead started steadily before flourishing as he and Taylor added 69 before the skipper was trapped lbw (with more than a hint of bat involved) by his opposite number Mark Lawson.

Stead looked set for a half-century but was cursed by plans from Chairman Steve Hartley to organise late game collection buckets, when being given out lbw.

That wicket merely hastened the end. Oliver Robinson, survived a difficult caught and bowled chance when he blasted the ball back at Dawood, before smashing him for two huge sixes He finished unbeaten on 41 after striking successive fours off spinner Jamie Baulk to seal the game with Dave Hester unbeaten on 4 no.

Champagne moment of the game had occurred in the first innings when the exuberant celebrations of Jocky Wilson after taking an excellent catch at Long On (and the Lightcliffe contingent on the boundary) were dampened when it transpired the "wicket" of Stansfield had occurred from a "free hit" due to the previous delivery being a no ball!

As part of the presentations, Chris Taylor dedicated the triumph to committee man Robert Brooke whose funeral was last Wednesday.

Match Scorecard

Whilst the match (though thoroughly enjoyable)may have been slightly anti-climatic in nature, this didn't stop the celebrations which continued back at the White Horse Lightcliffe.

The substantial trophy took pride of place on the bar as the team, club members and local worthies engaged in banter, cabaret and reminiscences of club exploits.

Former Club Captain and Statistician Robert Horne revealed that even he was not a member the last time the club had won the cup, whilst stalwart Roger Stead reminded us of the two finals of 1972 and 1977 of which he was a member, when the team finished runners up. Top "vet" of the evening however had to be Bruce Deadman - the only member present to have been part of the last Cup Winning side of 1964.

Book your places for the club dinner in October soon - it should be a good one!