Lancashire's last ball win in Under 18s cup.

 Posted by Tony Hutton

 In the Under 18s fifty over cup quarter final at Castleford cricket club yesterday Yorkshire Under 18s, fresh from their victory over Durham in a three day game, faced a confident Lancashire side who had overwhelmed Derbyshire in their three day clash at Belper last week. Derbyshire were bowled out for 240 in their first innings with paceman Harry Birkman taking 5-39 and slow left-armer Charlie Barnard 4-52. When Lancashire batted the top four all had a field day. Keshana Fonseka made a modest 58, his opening partner Harry Singh a massive 270 not out, Matty Hurst 156 and Arav Shetty a mere 69.

This all added up to final total of 592-4 declared, to which Derbyshire had no answer being bowled out for 101 in their second innings. Barnard with amazing figures of 8-22 being the main destroyer, as Lancashire cruised to victory by an innings and 251 runs. However, yesterday's game was a much closer contest and early on Yorkshire were on top having dismissed all Lancashire's high scoring top four with the total on only 51. 

The junior Roses match in action at Castleford.

Charlie McMurran, the Yorkshire opening bowler, had dismissed three of them and George Booth the other. However, the visitors' recovery was led by a man who has played league cricket on both sides of the Pennines in Cian Dickinson, who played for Scarborough cricket club while at college in the town, but is now back with Bradshaw cricket club in Lancashire. Yet another in the long line of Bolton cricketers.

Cian Dickinson with Craig White, his coach at Scarborough College.

Initially Dickinson got good support from Alfie Dobson who helped him put on 116 for the sixth wicket. It took Yorkshire's seventh bowler, Lachlan Doidge from Bingley, to break the partnership with the score on 191-6. Yorkshire perhaps thought they could get rid of the tail quickly, but even when Dickinson was finally dismissed for 93, at just about a run a ball, stubborn resistance from Corey Flintoff and Charlie Barnard helped Lancashire to a final total of 242.

With the hot sunshine throughout the game Yorkshire no doubt fancied their chances in good batting conditions, but they got off to the worst possible start losing both Harrogate openers, Isaac Light for 1 and Harry Allinson for 10. Skipper Yash Vagadia played himself in, but was then clean bowled by a beauty from Corey Flintoff, which his dad would have been proud of. 

We then had a long partnership between the left hander Noah Kelly, from Driffield, and Alex Cree, from Methley. Both seemed to find the fielders with regularity and much of the scoring was restricted to singles. The pair had put on 66 before Cree, losing patience, fell over to be stumped by Hurst off Dickinson for 33. Harry Finch, who had bowled well with 3-34, immediately showed more urgency as Yorkshire were dropping behind the required rate. A quick fire 22 helped the cause, but after becoming Barnard's only victim at 157-5, next man Noah Priestley from Todmorden, looked like Yorkshire's best hope.

Noah Kelly

Kelly too at last began to accelerate and Priestley's 30, including a six and three fours, took Yorkshire's target back to a run a ball from the last few overs. However the pressure got to them both and Kelly was caught behind for a most valuable 90, before a fine spell from the returning Harry Birkman decided the match. His final over proved decisive and with four required to win from the last ball of the game he got his second wicket of the over to leave Yorkshire just short on 239-9. Birkman completed his ten overs with fine figures of 4-40.

Another good day's cricket with lots of talented youngsters in both sides. It will be interesting to see how many of them develop into regular county cricket players in the future, if indeed such a thing still exists.