Having become accustomed to glorious sunshine, the 1XI made the short trip to a cold and blustery Westercroft View on Saturday morning where Northowram Fields were looking to end Lightcliffe's unbeaten start to the season.

As the sun began to burst through, the home side won the toss and elected to have a bat on what appeared to be a decent batting surface. With a fast, dry outfield and short boundaries this would be a good test of the bowling units discipline.

The prospects appeared to get even tougher as, to everyone’s surprise, three umpires were striding out onto the field along with the players.

After a brief consultation, the third umpire was informed he was in fact an hour early to umpire the 1pm start over the wall at neighbours Shelf Northowram Hedge Top.

With just the two umpires now in position, the game got underway. It wasn't long until they were called into action.

Sanders still scrambled from the earlier fiasco offered no shot to a trademark Walker inswinger that was hitting middle half way up. The first break through was made second ball of the game as, already in a sore spot at 0-1, Holdsworth added to the pain as he clean bowled Cockburn.

Walker then got some late bounce that Hussain was unable to get on top of and offered a gentle return catch. A smart grab from Malik at gully saw the end of the dangerous Abbas and Northowram were in trouble at 31-4.

Bickle then launched a counter attack with some lusty blows and quickly moved to 36 before Pickles tickled his timber. Lister had battled hard and started to put his foot down but the wickets continued to fall around him.

The runs flowed and Lightcliffe were put under pressure at the back end of the innings. Lister was eventually dismissed, caught in the deep, for a well crafted 71. Holdsworth then quickly took the last wicket as NFCC finished their innings 195 all out off 46 - Walker with 4-34 and Holdsworth with 3-37 the pick of the bowlers.

After a good spread, finished with a spot of cheesecake, the Lightcliffe batsmen made their way out to start what could be a tricky chase on a pitch offering some indifferent bounce.

The home side got the early breakthrough they were hoping for as Stead flailed at a wide one which was gleefully accepted by Hussain in the slips.

Your match day reporter asked Stead for his thoughts shortly after his dismissal in the changing rooms: "I wanted to set the tone early but now my phone is going to be ringing off the hook with Laban pestering me to open the batting. I’ve already got three missed calls, I won’t make this mistake again".

Meanwhile, on the field Lockley went about his work in his usual fashion.

With blistering ball striking, not only were the spectators in the ground in danger but the players over the wall at Hedge Top were ducking for cover. He was dismissed clean bowled by an Abbas yorker in the ninth over but the damage was already done, ending up with a brutal 60 off 26 balls with seven 4s and five 6s.

One brought two as George Leach, straight out the car from Sedbergh, was adjudged to have been caught at backward point off Abbas. "I think that may have bounced", exclaimed the (always impartial...) chairman from the boundary. However the finger went up and he had to go for a solid 21.

At 92-3 the game was precariously positioned and Malik joined Dey at the crease.

Dey showed his class and quickly started where Lockley had finished. Northowram simply had no answers as Dey took the bowling attack apart with a mixture of touch and power. He then finished the game in style depositing a full toss over the clubhouse. Finishing with 80 unbeaten in just 50 balls - his first 50+ of the season to go with thre 5fers in an impressive start to his time with The Villagers.

All in all, it was a ruthless batting display which saw the target chased in just the 26th over. For the loss of only 3 wickets. Another strong performance which sees the first team now sat in third in the table, four off the top and with a 27 point gap to Keighley in fourth.

Match Report by Ben Speak