Young 17s agonisingly short in Bridge defeat

Lightcliffe u17s 101-8 lost to Sowerby Bridge 102-6 by 1 run Monday 11th June 2018 Halifax Junior Cricket League Under 17s

Lightcliffe Under 17s, came agonisingly close to causing an upset in their first game for a month, as the youngest team to represent the under 17s for over a decade lost by a single run.

With a thin squad this season heavily reliant on the club’s ebullient Under 15s, the team looked even more youthful consisting of six under 15s and five under 13s, but the side did themselves proud.

Captain James Lunn ran things efficiently and found Ben Mear having recovered a little of his bowling mojo with an early wicket.
Another bowler back on form was Anthony Ellwood who discovered his flight to produce a classical off-spinner clean bowled.

Pick of the bowling however in his first game at this age group was 13 year old Toby Morley. His leg spin caused endless problems and his 3 wickets (one thanks to a catch by William Leach) were thoroughly deserved.

James Bancroft coped well as wicket keeper, despite the dusty low-bouncing Sowerby pitch, which Noah Hemingway also used to his advantage to claim a sixth wicket for the team and restrict the home side to a par 102 total.

Lightcliffe’s innings did not get off to the best starts as the side lost two early wickets, Joe Pyrah especially unlucky to see a defensive block trickle slowly back to dislodge a single bail.

Bradley Atkinson continued his good form with a solid 16 and another 17’s debutant 11 year old Ben Ward found the boundary twice before also succumbing bowled played-on to his stumps.

Sowerby Bridge played the game in the right spirit and rotated their bowling. Despite a healthy helping of extras, the innings stalled although Ethan Lumb’s effort to keep things moving with a top score of 18 and a couple of Lunn’s classical strokes gave the team a breath of hope.
Lightcliffe’s man of the match Morley nearly succeeded. Needing 10 from the final over and with all fielders on the boundary edge his self belief and positive running saw netted him 14 runs in total.

Crucially however he and Bancroft could manage only a single from the last ball, to lose by a single run.

Nevertheless the team put down a marker for what can be achieved with the right attitude.

Thanks to Sowerby Bridge, who always produce some exciting encounters for the Juniors.