We enter the Vitality ECB National Cup at Under 13 and Under 15 level to experience new grounds from different leagues and looking for quality opposition to test our boys.
The Under 15s had already found a test beyond our means, both of availability during half-term holidays and in the quality of North Leeds based IPL franchise New Rover whose collection of county players were too strong for our young Villagers.
The draw for the 1/4 final of the Yorkshire section took us to the The Kirby Solicitors County Ground in Harrogate, a town ground with a hugely impressive set up - a two story clubhouse overlooking both their immaculate cricket grounds, busy 1st XI nets being overseen by their player-coach and terracing around the county ground.

Our opponents had won every fixture this season including a 133 run victory at Skipton CC In the previous ECB cup round round where 167 for 2 played 34 all out!! The boys were aware this would likely be our toughest challenge of the season so far.
Your correspondent had teased our hosts in the lead up to the match saying how much we were looking forward to playing on the county ground. Unfortunately, they assured me there was no chance but also assured that the 2nd ground was "a road" so when we won the toss, we took the opportunity to test this out.

Two balls in and Monty Ramsden had crisply on driven then pulled fours and the tone was set for our innings. Three of our top four retired - Sam Walker hit 5 fours in his 30 not out, Lucas Arnot 7 in his 33 not out and Ayaan Akram 5 and a six in his 32 not out. Monty was the one who "missed out", his innings ending caught on 18 with four boundaries - "How could that not be a no ball; the shot was like a tennis serve" mused an onlooking and on form Mr Sweeten.
Only Oliver Frearson really missed out and he may have fallen victim to the visiting Lightcliffe umpire who believed he had hit the ball and ground. However, Alex Gillgrass with 18 and then Jack Anderson, 16 not out, and Luke Barrowcliffe, 18 not out, continued the momentum as we closed on 188 for 3 from our 20 overs - a super display of stroke play all around the wicket.

Perhaps a sense of injustice pumped Oliver up for he bowled with tremendous pace from the Pavilion End, castling the home skipper Suraj Patel in his 2nd over. At the other end, it was great to see Luke Barrowcliffe showing no ill effects as he returned from his broken hand - his 1 for 2 could have been so much better had a sharp chance been held at short extra cover and had the batsman not been given the benefit of the doubt by the visiting Lightcliffe umpire. Ted Stead continues his impressive form (resulting in a call up for West Yorkshire Under 12s) with the ball with another 2 wickets showing what can be achieved by bowling at the timbers. Gillgrass, also called up to WY U12s, showed he is getting back to his best with the ball and had a chance grassed which should have been snaffled. Will Sweeten, standing tall in the delivery stride, produced his best bowling of the summer so far. whilst WY Under 11 left arm seamer Jacob Carroll almost bowled 2 maidens, his only runs conceded being a five due to some poor backing up from a run out attempt!
As the sun disappeared and the light dimmed, skipper Ramsden ensured we avoided having to return to Harrogate on another evening to conclude the cup tie, by turning to spin with Walker's leggies and Arnot's left arm finger spin. Lucas only bowled 8 deliveries, taking an astonishing 4 wickets for 2 runs to seal a comprehensive 113 run victory.

This was probably the best performance this young team has produced thus far, given the quality of the opposition - they were rightly delighted in the changing room post match, as the photograph shows. The coaches, often hard on the boys when they underperform, admitted they were "bursting with pride" but also added that the boys have "set their own standard now."
It is a level they may have to achieve again as we host Richmondshire CC (from Richmond in North Yorkshire) with Nephew of Wes/cousin of Finn Joe Brookes almost certain to feature at Wakefield Road, match date tbc.
But perhaps the most pleasing comments came from the great Uncle of one of Lightcliffe's team at Harrogate. He knows his cricket as his son played for Yorkshire juniors with Harry Brook and Matt Fisher and benefitted from a cricket scholarship at Sedbergh College and has played for Otley CC since.
He said "that was the best junior team display I have ever seen from a club side. Lots of teams have multiple talented players but to have 11 who could all, on their day, retire or take multiple wickets and perform so well as a unit in the field is remarkable."

https://lightcliffe.play-cricket.com/website/results/6011458

Those at Harrogate did not believe the evening could bet any better, but it did!
News filtered through that the boys not selected to go to Harrogate had beaten Cleckheaton in a Bradford Junior League Under 13 fixture!!
The main contributors in our 94 for 7 were under 12s Ethan Wood, 16, and Caleb Waterhouse, 10, and under 11s Luca Mullaney, 21, and George Deighton 12.
In reply, Cleckheaton made an excellent start before Luca made the breakthrough with the assistance of a great catch on the boundary edge by Harry Betts. Then Sonny Gordon took 3 wickets to bring Lightcliffe right back into the contest.
Charlie Carroll and Jacob Wood applied further pressure with tight bowling before Betts, Waterhouse and Seth Thompson all took a wicket each as Cleckheaton ran out of overs closing on 92 for 8 - Lightcliffe winning by 2 runs!!

https://lightcliffe.play-cricket.com/website/results/5975976

Last evening we had 22 boys, representing not just Lightcliffe Cricket Club but our village. Nearly all are playing for their local club and can walk to the ground. The two tremendous wins against clubs drawing from much wide catchment areas is a source of pride for Lightcliffe Cricket Club, and hopefully for our local community.
We hope to see many of you wander through Lightcliffe Stray, perhaps calling off at Lightcliffe Tearooms before watching some quality local cricket from our splendid new clubhouse, which is just a couple of weeks away from opening.

If Carlsberg did Thursday evenings..........................