The first team was led by Dom Cowley , Dom has played for the club since an 8 year old, the club also welcomed back former junior Tom Hudson from a very successful stint in the Bradford League and particularly with Pudsey St Lawrence, Harry Dixon also returned after a year in London.All former North Leeds juniors .

Second team will be again captained by James Burnett, supported by Carlos Prowse as VC, with the team now playing 1st team sides it’s going to be an interesting year and show it proved in the first game against Skipton 1sts. The side will be using a youth and experience policy, with the likes of young Archie Ralphs, Tyj Kapote and Tom Alldred and the experience of NLCC stalwart Andy Stevens and Michael Shelton. Long Term member and former junior Hammed Ahmed skippered the 3rd team on Sunday with the support of Duncan Ralphs as VC, this side will be our development team with some seniors to support ( Anil Chana this Sunday )

Against this background the season commenced .On Saturday the 1st XI made 187-8 with returning Tom Hudson making 45 and Callum Carson 30 they beat Bilton by 44 runs, Old Timer Barry Singleton chipped in with 2-31, Tom Hudson 4-44 and F. Khan 2-14 as the 1st XI opened their campaign with a win for the first time in a few years!

The Second team were in a close and entertaining encounter at the Homestead. Skipton 1’s made 191ao (37 overs) with 6-32 for Joel Morley and then sneaked home by 1 wicket!! Heath making 54 and M. Shelton steering the ship home from number 9 with 43*!

On Sunday the hat trick of wins was complete . After winning the toss and batting first against Otley the 3s made 215-6 from 40 overs , 58 from Heath, 37 from W. Arshad and 50* from former 3rdf team skipper Anil Chana on his return to 3rd team duties. Then in reply Tij Kapote (4-10) and new skipper Hammad Ahmed (5-16) skittled Otley for 47 in a 168 run win and took the full 20 points! .

An exciting year beckons at the Homestead with the Waddilove Cup Final being held at the club and big improvements being carried out in the net area with the creation of a junior oval for the 5’s, 7’s, 9’s and 11’s, named in the memory of Tom Coupe one of our juniors who sadly passed away last year

Members of the junior section have been supporting fund raising events taking place in Tom‘s memory. The first is a team of over 40 people running the Leeds Half Marathon on 12th May and the other a team of 15 of Tom’s school friends walking the Yorkshire 3 Peaks on 24th June. Both teams are raising money for Martin House who took Tom in and looked after him after he died to prevent him having to go to the hospital mortuary and the RNLI who Tom supported and admired.

Toms family have asked the club to send the following links
https://www.justgiving.com/companyteams/ThomasCoupe

to the club members and the wider North Leeds Community to drum up some support for these incredible teenagers some of whom are NLCC players and were Tom’s team mates- Ali Mohamed, Matthew Robinson, Louis Holmes and James Ternent have all played for NLCC , the first two right to the end with Tom.

The Club are very proud of the efforts and thoughtfulness of these incredible young men and very proud of its wider community and its place within it .

It’s going to be a memorable and emotional season at the Homestead this weekend success hopefully just being the start .

Picture Sue Alldred