Among them, most notably, last season's Premiership bowling prize winner, Zeeshan Qasim.

With a bright and early start, there was plenty of time on the long drive over to reminisce of our enjoyable T20 finals day outing last summer. At a ground we've had little success at in recent league outings we were looking to turn this around and get off to a good start.

The day took an unexpected turn when young gun Leo Flanagan tweaked a hamstring just before the warm up was about to start. Deemed unfit, Rhys Jowett's warm up for the 2nds was cut short and after returning to collect a misplaced bat he began the journey over to Keighley.

Skipper Alex Stead won the toss and chose to bat on what looked like a decent batting surface. Lockley set the season running in his typical fashion with a couple of powerful blows. Then Qasim started to fire up and nipped one back to take the top of Steads off stump. After a suspiciously long time, Jowett pulled up in the Keighley car park to see Lockley uprooted by a Qasim yorker to leave LCC 25-2.

Laban and Overseas Rajat Dey steadily rebuilt to 52-2 before Qasim struck again with 2 quick wickets dismissing Dey and Malik leaving us 58-4.

Laban and Jowett rebuilt again and just as we started to get on top, a drinks wicket struck with Laban bowled for a hard grafted 26.

The runs continued to flow as Jowett was joined by Pickles before Jowett was struck on the pad. The umpire shook his head then raised his finger and Jowett trudged off for a well made 28.

Pickles played some lovely strokes before being dismissed for 26 to a sublime diving 1 handed return catch to Gareth Lee.

With Speak bowled by Qasim and a suicidal Russell run out LCC looked a little short at 158-9.

The tail wagged with Holdsworth whipping Qasim over mid-wicket for 6, much to the delight for the travelling Holdsworth contingent. Not to be outdone, Walker then followed suit and whipped Lee over mid-wicket for 6. Walker, much to his dismay, was then dismissed with a hotly debated bump ball return catch to Qasim. Qasim finished the innings with an outstanding 6-44.

LCC battled well with multiple players chipping in for a competitive 183 all out.

Fueled by bellies full of boiled potatoes, LCC took to the field for the second half looking for early wickets.

We didn't have to wait long until a leading edge from Gomwe looped to Russell. Who, not full from tea, swallowed another hot potato at cover 2nd ball of the innings.

Walker continued to spoil debuts and rip through Keighley's new look top order in a fantastic opening spell. Lee nicked off to Speak for 10. Massheder trapped LBW for 0 2nd ball. Hastings clean bowled through the gate by an inswinger playing an expansive drive.

Despite a couple of drops in the usually reliable LCC slip cordon Keighley looked in trouble at 49-4.

Scott Etherington launched a fightback with a number of boundaries and put the pressure back on LCC. Dey had other ideas and his significant movement through the air with the ball swinging both ways started to cause problems for Etherington. With three inside edges on mistimed drives and an inswinger that whistled six inches over the top of the stumps in one over it felt like a matter of time until the breakthrough.

That feeling soon became a reality and in his next over Rajat picked up his first wicket for LCC. A lovely inswinger crept through the gate and Etherington was clean bowled for 37 leaving Keighley 79-5.

Bailey was trapped LBW for 12 by Dey shortly after and Keighley were looking to their star player and earlier hero with the ball. However their hopes were short lived when Qasim slapped one to Stead at mid off for 0.

Dey then set about the lower order and with a couple of quick wickets wrapped up a superb maiden 5fer to cap an impressive debut.

At 100-9, the game appeared dead and buried. Lockley informed Lucas Keslinke that he cleared the Keighley rugby stand last season and offered a refreshing beverage in return for matching this feat. Soon after it looked like Lockley might have to get his wallet out as Keslinke dented Walkers excellent bowling figures with some big blows.

Russell was brought on to finish the job. Keslinke launched another. Lockley heart in his mouth as the ball sailed towards the rugby stand. Fortunately it fell short and a very well taken catch on the boundary at long on by Laban sealed the win.

A great team performance and good away win to start the season.

Full scorecard >>

Match Report by Ben Speak