What a difference a day makes. The 3rd XI side turning out for the second of its two games in two days featured 8 changes from the day before with only Faddi Lak, Hanaan Nazir and captain Ricky Chaggar remaining. Summer signing Jamie Rigby, returning from injury, made his NLCC debut while Jamie Winter and Jacob Preston ended their temporary absences from the NLCC set-up and Alex Rode came in for his 3rd XI debut. Father and son duo Simon and Finlay Vallance (as featured in the photo accompanying this article) made their 3rd XI debut together while John Jackson made a welcome return to the NLCC playing staff with son Tom getting the train across from Sheffield Uni to join him in the side.

Knaresborough captain Blackburn, who was leading a young looking side, won the toss and elected to put North Leeds in.

First Innings
NLCC got off to a solid start with openers Rigby and Lak giving the Knaresborough opening bowlers, one of whom was an U12, due respect. Under orders from their captain no risks were being taken and a run rate of around 2 an over was a solid start. However, as Jamie Rigby starting to find his flow he got the faintest of edges behind and was on his way for 15, Jamie Winter replacing him at the crease. After starting with a couple of textbook leaves of the kind not often seen at 3rd team level Jamie started to attack but with his score on 8 was held at mid-on, the fielder taking the catch well above his head.

North Leeds found themselves on 38-2 with Faddi Lak and Tom Jackson at the crease. With an inexperienced batting lineup to come behind them the pressure was on this pair to make some progress for the side. Tom started with a couple of signature glides down to third man to get himself going while Faddi began to back himself, his trademark aggressive footwork allowing him to push the ball into the vacant midwicket area. As the batmen became set they were both driving very well, neither afraid to take the aerial option and the score began to race along. Faddi passed 50 first with Tom following soon after, his second 50 in two thirds matches.

With the score already past a competitive total Tom holed out, not quite getting a proper connection to another big shot and was on his way for 59. In came Jacob Preston for his first game in two years. After poking hesitantly at his first few balls Jacob decided to hit his way into form and started to go after the Knaresborough bowling. With Jacob blazing away Faddi continued to push into the 90s but, with his score on 93, Faddi called for a very marginal single and was undone by a direct hit. Despite the excellent contribution he’d made for his team his disappointment at missing out on a centaury was obvious.

With the end of the inning approaching Alex Rode joined Jacob with the score already passed 200. Shortly after depositing a huge 6 over the hedge Jacob was bowled for 39 and in the last few overs Alex, Hanaan Nazir and Finaly Vallance pushed the score through to an imposing run a ball 240 as NLCC secured maximum batting points.

Second Innings
A pair of Jacksons opened the bowling with John Jackson leading off. Knaresborough knew the run rate was a stiff ask and a tight opening over immediately started to build the pressure. NLCC made early breakthroughs to further strengthen their hand. First, Tom Jackson removed one of the openers LBW before two excellent pieces of work behind the stumps from Jamie Rigby saw stumpings taken off both Tim and John Jackson. With big swinging J Keane trying to win the game exclusively through leg-side hoiks there was still a danger but one big swing too many saw him bowled by Tom to leave Knaresborough 4 down as the opening bowlers completed their spells.

Next into the attack were a pair of U15s, Hanaan Nazir and Finlay Vallance. Nazir, now the relative veteran in his third game, was straight in with his looping leg-spin while Finn, after a couple of balls feeling his way in, started to make excellent use of the slope on the pitch to cramp the Knaresborough batsmen. With Finn managing to move the ball away through the air before jagging it back in off the pitch the only surprise was the it took 4 overs for his first wicket to come, clean bowling the Knaresborough number 5.

The mixture of seam and spin was proving too much for the Knaresborough batsmen to cope with and Hanaan picked up two wickets of his own, the first thanks to another excellent stumping by Jamie Rigby with the second coming to a catch by Tom Jackson, who dodged round the umpire well to claim it.
With Finn having completed his 6 over spell with debut figures of 6-1-14-1 Knaresborough were 7 down and heading for defeat. To the concern of North Leeds though the weather, which had been getting chillier all afternoon, darkened further and a few drops of rain began to be felt in the air. Needing to finish the game quickly Ricky Chaggar brought himself on and kept the spinners Hanaan and Tom operating from the other end. After taking some tap the day before the skipper’s confidence was boosted as his first over became a double wicket maiden.

Although the end was seemingly in sight the last two Knaresborough batsmen put up a frustrating resistance, holding out for 8 overs until Ricky found a wicket with the last ball of the 33rd over, giving North Leeds a 155 run victory and a maximum 20 points, also maintaining the 100% start NLCC have made to the season.

On a day where it was an achievement just to field a competitive side such a comprehensive victory is notable and I am indebted to every player who turned out. Among a number of excellent performances two stand out – Tom Jackson with another 50, 3 wickets and exemplary fielding and Faddi Lak for his 93. In the immediate aftermath of the game I was minded to give the man of the match to Tom but after further reflection I have changed my mind and Faddi takes it. I had asked my senior batsmen at the start of the game to bat sensibly and take us through to a competitive total. Although Faddi did not quite manage to carry his bat to a well deserved centaury, by the time his was out, calling for a single that wouldn’t even have gone to his tally, the batting work had been done, it was an innings of composed maturity worthy of a ton and definitely wroth a man of the match.