There are some evenings when you wind your way through beautiful villages and picturesque countryside to get to cricket grounds. And there are some evenings you go through Heckmondwike, Batley and Dewsbury. Tuesday night was the latter as Lightcliffe’s young Under 13s side headed to Ossett for round 1 of the Gordon S Cooper Cup.

Under leaden skies and rapidly fading light, when Heavy Woollen was less a league name and more a dress code, the hosts won the toss and chose to field. It was a decision that meant Brodie and George were first together at the crease. But not for long as the youngest Horne suffered an unlucky first ball duck that left your author, and George’s taxi driver for the evening, fearing for the journey home. Thankfully, it was the low point and things got much better – but more of that later.

Brodie, as ever, was assured and steadfast reaching the retire not out score of 25 in 22 balls in the seventh over. His partners came and went cheaply though as a flurry of mid-order wickets threatened the derail the Lightcliffe innings, despite the scoreboard ticking over thanks to a series of extras.

Max and Freddie stemmed the flow and provided some stability. Max, whose toes were pelted by Ossett's seamers, produced some beautiful shots and was unlucky to be bowled when searching for the single that would have taken him to the retired not out total, while Freddie was steadfast at the other end finishing not out on 13.

The target set at the end of the 20 overs was 113 – higher than it looked like being at times, and it felt defendable. So it proved.

Ossett’s U13s started decently, amassing 16 runs without loss in the first couple of overs. But then the wickets started to fall – the first to Charlie, caught by Noah; then bowled by Noah; then George who definitely wanted to prove a point – and did so taking three wickets in his spectacular two over spell. The light continued to fade, and the skies were as dark as the mood of both coaches when the home team’s young players seemed to have forgotten they’d need to be ready to go into bat. It prompted a delay, a bit of shouting in the home changing room, and a chance for everyone to get even colder.

It was then time for the spinners to take over – and Henry, who definitely got the heavy woollen dress code, was first up and struck twice in one over. Dom took over at that end and struck with his second ball. The score was 50-8 in the 11th over, the result was inevitable, people (including Ossett’s scorer) started dreaming of warmth, light and the end of the game. But on it went. There was tight bowling from Max, the two Ollies and Freddie but it took until the 18th over for the next wicket to fall with Dom’s second over producing a run out. The only question left was how would it end – the end of the overs, the final wicket or the pitch black.

Talking of pitch black, credit to Nico – whose eye was as dark as the night after a weekend football injury – who took some great stops behind the stumps and was solid throughout. In the end though, it was the captain in the final over as Brodie’s spin took the wicket to dismiss the hosts for just 67 and a win by 46 runs.

There was much to learn for Lightcliffe’s young players, and for the travelling support – not least even more layers. And, the good news, we get to do it all again next week in round 2 as the draw will take us to Crossbank Methodists on Wednesday evening.

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