The Grey Foxes is a competition where age is all important – not just that every player has to be over the tender age of 50, but by the fact that the older you are, the more runs you start your innings with. Doing the maths on Lightcliffe’s dates of births gave them a starting score of 10. The hosts more senior years meant they would start on 23.

So, after being put into bat by the visitors, that was the total they built from – but only slowly.

James Horne opened the bowling and conceded just three off his opening three-over spell. That spell included the first wicket, and it set the scene for a match where New Farnley struggled to keep the scoreboard moving.

It took 25.4 overs for the home side to score 57 runs – a run rate even slower than the movements of some of the 22 on the field as they try to get going in the morning.

And all that time, the wickets kept falling – a sublime 4-8 from 4.4 by John Wood, a majestic 3-14 from 5 for Michael Wood and a brilliant 2-4 from 5 for James Horne.

The innings break came, horlicks was served (I tell a lie, I believe it was just water…) and the chance for a few minutes much needed shade and a pep talk from the injured leading Grey Fox Villager Rob Burton.

Michael Brooke and James Horne opened the Lightcliffe response and decided to waste no time in taking on the 87 to win target. It was almost like one of the pair had a train to catch.

Brookey and Horney (James) had a 61-run partnership, which included an all run 4 followed next ball by an all run 3, before they both reached the retired not out score.

Mark Horne and David Heath were next in and, with the result now not in doubt, the only question was how fast it could be finished.

The answer – fast.

Batting 4, David at 62-years young, pushed Mark into an all run 4. And then, the adrenaline flowing as much as the sweat, Horney (Mark) pulled the next ball for 6 to seal the victory in some style.

It took just 7.4 overs to reach 91 without loss for Lightcliffe’s Grey Foxes, securing them the five points for a win and proving that the combined age of the Lightcliffe 11 of 597 years is very much just a number.