The future of Lightcliffe Cricket Club off the field has rightly been the focus of the club over the winter. The fabulous crowdfunding effort in deep mid winter seems an age ago whilst the new clubhouse continues to take shape to replace the iconic wooden structure which served LCC well for over a century.

But throughout the winter, the county cricket club's Pathways programme has been in full swing at both County Age Group and Regional level. Additionally, the net programmes for the Bradford, Halifax and Heavy Woollen Junior Cricket Leagues have been comprehensive with over 20 young Lightcliffe cricketers being involved at the varying levels. Six have been selected at regional level and will be playing home and away matches versus the East and Central, North and South Yorkshire regions. With fixtures commencing this Sunday, the boys will be hoping to impress enough to gain County Age Group (CAG) selection later in the summer.

Our youngest regional cricketer in 2023 at Under 10 level is Yusuf Akram who is following in the footsteps of his elder brother Ayaan who played for West Yorkshire Under 11's two summers ago. Yusuf will make his regional debut this coming Sunday away v South Yorkshire with an 11am start, although the venue is still tbc in this wettest of springs. With a 35 overs per side match, this fixture will be almost twice as long as any match Yusuf has previously played!!

At Under 11, Jacob Carroll has retained his place in the West Yorkshire squad who commence their summer against the North at Liversedge CC this Sunday at 11am with a 40 overs fixture. Jacob, who is a left arm seamer and left handed batting all rounder, is not selected this Sunday with all boys in the 14 strong squads likely to miss one match each at every age group.

Lucas Arnot has also retained his regional place as he steps up to the under 12 age group. After a strong season in 2022, with a century apiece for both West Yorkshire and the Halifax League, Lucas is expected to open the batting versus the South at Sowerby St Peters CC, 11am start, 40 overs. Lucas also bowls left arm finger spin and will be hoping that his selection for the Best of Region XI last summer can be followed by County Age Group selection this.

Lightcliffe have two West Yorkshire representatives at Under 13 level. Having been selected as a right hand bat/right arm seaming all rounder in 2022, Sam Walker has transformed into a leg spinner over the winter, and has impressed enough at the West Yorkshire Winter Pathways nets to retain his place in the 2023 squad. The Lightcliffe junior coaches are excited to see how Sam's wrist spin develops throughout 2023. Sam is joined by Monty Ramsden in the West Under 13 squad. A right handed batsman/right arm seam bowler, Monty is also the emergency wicketkeeper when required and will captain a West Yorkshire side including Sam versus the North this Sunday at Cumberworth United CC, Denby Dale in a 45 over match commencing at 11am. Monty will be hoping to score enough runs to gain County Age Group selection for the 3rd summer in a row.

Having reached his final summer of regional cricket at the Under 15 age group, George Leach has again been selected for West Yorkshire. A powerful stroke player with the bat, George is now back to his pacey best with the ball too and will hope that he can regain a County Age Group place he had a few summers ago. This Sunday, George will be playing against the North at Undercliffe CC in a 50 over contest, start time still tbc.

Trying to ensure cricket is not too much of a distraction in his GCSE year, LCC first team wicketkeeper batsman Finn Brookes has already been selected for CAG this summer at Under 16s. Finn is the only Lightcliffe player to have played a fixture thus far this season, as Yorkshire Under 16s played a 2 day match against an EPP (Elite Performance Pathway) XI at Worksop College last week. Finn made 30 before being dismissed in the final over chasing runs to set a target. Finn will be keeping wicket this Saturday when the 1st XI host Heckmondwike and Carlinghow CC as the Bradford Premier League season makes a belated start. The Under 16 county programme commences post GCSE exams at the end of June with 16 fixtures currently scheduled - good luck from all at LCC to all the boys but especially Finn in both his GCSE exams and in his county fixtures which follow. He sets a fine example for the younger boys to follow which will hopefully lead to many of them following in his footsteps and pulling on the county shirt in the summer of 2023.

Pictured last Saturday at LCC, seated, from left to right are Sam Walker, Monty Ramsden, Lucas Arnot and Yusuf Akram. Finn Brookes is standing behind his younger teammates.
Inserted top left is Jacob Carroll and top right, batting for West Yorkshire last summer, is George Leach.