We start with the title being secured for our 3rd XI without a ball being bowled as the heavy rain that fell through the morning on a day when none was forecast put pay to any action.

With the game abandoned, 8 points was secured and that was enough to guarantee the team would top the table with 9 wins from the 13 games played so far this season.

The Trophy travelled to meet some of our players led by captain Gary Lewsley and was presented by the League to sit alongside the Rod Warhurst Cup which was won by the squad earlier this season.

Congratulations to the 31 players who have taken to the field for the 3rds this season and they will be hoping to end with a win on Sunday against Golcar.

Grey Foxes into Plate Final at Scarborough

The rain took longer to travel to Woodhouse Grange CC where our Over 50s were competing in the semi-final of the Grey Fox Trophy Plate Semi-Final against the brilliantly named Stick of Rhubarb (you’ll never guess their team logo).

It was a battle of relative youth (Lightcliffe started with 16 age-related penalty runs) v less youthfulness (our opponents began with 50 before a ball was bowled) and in that battle it was our young old Villagers who came out on top.

Michael Brooke, Bruce Lunn, Rob Burton and Mark Horne all retired not out as a score of 216 was posted in the 30 overs. In reply, despite that hefty starting number, it proved a struggle for the Rhubarbers to stick at the crease and force their way through – there were wickets for Mark Whiley, Rob Burton, John Wood, Babar Malik and Mark Jagger plus two from Michael Brooke as they were dismissed for 143.

The 73-run secures a place in the Plate Final next Sunday with a trip up the A64 heading our way with the Grey Foxes Finals Day played at the beautiful Scarborough CC.

U15s secure Bradford Junior Cup

We head from East Yorkshire to East Bierley now as the U15s gathered to contest the Laurie Boyden Cup in the Bradford Junior U15 Cup Final against Ilkley CC.

It was a 10am start, just as the heavy rain started to fall. Our young Villagers made a decent start which made the lengthy rain delay even more frustrating, but after an early tea was taken, the team led by captain Lucas Arnot picked up where they left off.

It was a quality display of batting in what was due to be a 40 over game but became 30 overs after the delay – Lucas got 55, fellow opener Jacob Carroll was unbeaten with 79 and Will Sweeten got a quick fire 35 before Alex Gillgrass made 17 from just 11 to close out the innings and post a score of 224.

Ilkley were something of an unknown quantity, but a steady fall of wickets meant they could never build momentum and the strength of the Lightcliffe bowling attack meant the dismissals were shared around – 2 for Lucas, 2 for Charlie Modgill, 2 for Will, 1 for Charlie Carroll, 1 for Seth Thompson and 1 for George Desighton.

In the end, our opponents were dismissed for 141 in the 29th over and the Cup was added to the collection at Till Carr Lane. Or at least it will be if anyone at the League can actually find it.

U11s secure Halifax Collinson Cup

Now, to the beautiful Booth CC where the U11s Collinson Cup Final which was due to be last Sunday, and then was due to be this Sunday at 12noon, actually started on Sunday at 2.45pm. In sunshine which belied the amount of rain that had fallen on a weather disrupted Finals Day, captain George Horne led out his team looking to add to their Bradford Cup victory just two weeks earlier.

It started in rocky fashion as opponents Friarmere ripped through the openers with quality bowling but Dom Naylor came in at 5 with the score on 11/3 and stemmed the fall of wickets, ultimately retiring not out with the score on 47/4. Isaac Thompson also retired not out with 25 from 30 and, together with an important 14 from Ben Smith at the end with further runs from Dom who returned to the crease, they set the target at 105 by the end of the 20 overs.

Given the quality of our opponents, it promised to be a tight match – and so it proved. The first wicket fell early, but two retirees built the score to 65-3. However, then a flurry of dismissals followed and it became 76-6. With 23 runs still needed, Friarmere’s captain Reuben returned to the crease and Lightcliffe conceded 12 runs from three balls. With the gap down to 10, Ollie Wood struck to get the final wicket needed to secure victory and retain the Cup won by many of the same players 12 months earlier.

And, not forgetting Saturday

There was a brilliant win for the 1st XI beating newly promoted Yeadon after dismissing them for 87 as they chased 160. The wickets included a classy 5-for Yusuf Malik, 2 for debutant Sam Walker and 1 each for Jordan Pickles and Finlay Hill.

And, there was a tense finish at home as the 2nd XI were beaten but came within 4 runs of Yeadon in an epic chase. Rob Burton’s 50 and Mark Horne’s 23 from 28 nearly got us over the line chasing 237.

Thank you to everyone for their incredible support around Yorkshire this weekend, and congratulations to our players - young and not so young - for their amazing achievements.