Sometimes there are matches which end feeling like you’ve won when you’ve not won. And last night at Illingworth St Mary’s was one of those for Lightcliffe’s youngest cricketers.

The Gods of the Cup draw had not been kind pitching the U9s against a side who haven’t lost all season, and which contained two of the league’s top ten U9 batters and top ten U9 bowlers.

Captain Luke had won the toss and chose to bat first, but it was then a slow start for Lightcliffe against some quality balls. It took the quiet quality of Evie to start the scoreboard moving with an unbeaten 12 from 12. And it was a similarly important 12 from 12 at the end of the innings from the somewhat less quiet, but equally good quality, of Luke which closed the innings with 74 runs added but seven wickets lost – a net score of 239.

It didn’t feel like enough. And it wasn’t. But it was much, much closer than it could have been thanks to a show of strength which is a real testament to both Rob and Dave’s innings break team talk and the character of all eight young Villagers who refused to lie down.

The hosts started well, with Evie taking the only wicket of the first half of their innings. By that halfway point, Illingworth were well in charge and racing towards a net 300. They never got there. Or anywhere close as the tide turned. Nathan’s wicket off one of their best batters started a collapse that England’s middle order would be proud of. Over 13 will be one which Harry will remember for some time – and rightly so. First ball, wicket. Second ball, wicket. Third ball, wicket. A brilliant hat-trick, 15 knocked off the net score, and it wasn’t the end of the story.

Step up Bessie next over. Wicket second ball then two more to close the over and mean she’ll be on a hat-trick ball next time she bowls. The quality of the catching was also a real plus with safe hands across the side – including from one of the safest of them all, Bertie, with an incredible diving catch.

Luke came after Bessie and never one to not deliver and join the party, he added a wicket maiden over to the mix. Seven wickets had fallen in 16 balls. Against a side who in the rest of the season hadn’t lost more than six wickets in an innings.

By the end, Lightcliffe were 16 short. But it didn’t feel like that against a team who will undoubtedly be competing for the title in a few weeks’ time.

Thanks to umpire Dave, coaches Rob, Paul and Nick, and all the support from the boundary.