The Story of the 2026 Season

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The 2026 season was another remarkable chapter in Lightcliffe Cricket Club’s story, with success stretching from our youngest players through to our Over 50s.

Back in Bradford League Division 1 following promotion, the 1st XI overcame a challenging start to finish an impressive fourth, while the 2nd XI also secured fourth place in the Premier Division. The 3rd XI enjoyed an outstanding campaign, completing a League and Cup double by retaining the Halifax Sunday League Division 1 title and lifting the Rod Warhurst Cup, while the 4th XI continued to provide valuable senior cricket opportunities for players of all ages.

Our juniors once again delivered on the biggest stages: the U15s became back-to-back Yorkshire Vitality T20 champions and added the Bradford Junior Cup, the U11s completed a superb Cup double by winning both the Bradford Ernest Jones Trophy and retaining the Halifax Collinson Cup, while the U11 Development team won their league.

There was history at both ends of the age spectrum too, with our new girls-only Lightcliffe Roses playing their first match and, in their first season in the competition, our Over 50s Grey Foxes winning the Yorkshire Grey Fox Trophy Plate at Scarborough.

More than the trophies, 2026 was a season that showcased the strength of the whole club – senior and junior, boys and girls, established players and the next generation of Villagers coming through.

This is the story of our year…

Senior Teams

Lightcliffe’s two senior Saturday sides both demonstrated that promotion in 2025 was only the beginning, with the 1st XI and 2nd XI each finishing fourth in their first seasons at a higher level.

Alongside impressive team performances came outstanding individual seasons and further evidence of the strength of the club’s pathway from junior to senior cricket.

1st XI

After winning promotion in 2025, the challenge for the 1st XI was to re-establish themselves in Division One of the Bradford Premier League – and they did so in impressive fashion.

Across all competitions, the Villagers played 23 matches, winning 11 and losing nine, with three ending without a result. More importantly, their return to Division One proved a highly successful one, with Lightcliffe finishing fourth in the table in their first season back at that level.

Captain Alex Stead had spoken before the season about consolidation being the priority, but a fourth-place finish represented considerably more than simply survival and provided an excellent platform on which to build for 2027.

At the heart of the season was an outstanding all-round contribution from overseas player Hasan Raza.

In 17 appearances, Hasan scored 762 runs at an average of 58.62, hitting seven half-centuries and one century, with a highest score of 109 not out. He was equally influential with the ball, finishing as Lightcliffe’s leading wicket-taker with 39 wickets at 19.33, including two five-wicket hauls and best figures of 6-54.

There was another excellent season with the bat from Jordan Laban, whose 679 runs at 45.27 included three half-centuries and a century, with a highest score of 111. Between them, Hasan and Jordan contributed 1,441 runs to the Lightcliffe cause.

Niall Lockley was third in the run-scoring charts despite appearing in only 13 matches, scoring 401 runs at 33.42, including three half-centuries and a best of 79. His strike rate of 121.15 also underlined the attacking influence he brought to the side.

There were valuable contributions throughout the order. Yusuf Malik scored 349 runs, including two fifties, while Jordan Pickles made 286, Finlay Hill 251, captain Alex Stead 226 and wicketkeeper Monty Ramsden 206.

Yusuf enjoyed an equally impressive campaign with the ball. His 35 wickets came at an outstanding average of just 13.94, with two five-wicket hauls and best figures of 5-20. He finished the season particularly strongly, recording five-wicket hauls in successive matches. It means he topped the First Team Qualifying Averages for the Bradford Premier League for 2026 – a huge achievement.

Leo Flanagan and Jordan Pickles both took 22 wickets, with Leo producing best figures of 5-61, while Finlay Hill’s 12 wickets included another five-wicket haul. Andy Walker, forced to miss much of the season through injury, added 11 wickets at an economical 4.00 runs per over.

Perhaps just as encouraging as the statistics was the continued role played by cricketers who have progressed through Lightcliffe’s junior section.

Monty continued to establish himself behind the stumps, while the season brought 1st XI opportunities for another generation of young Villagers. Isaac Morley earned a call up to the 1st XI at the end of the season following a prolific summer for the 2nd XI, while 16-year-old leg-spinner Sam Walker also stepped up towards the end of the campaign, playing his first 1st XI game alongside dad Andy.

Twelve months after celebrating promotion, a fourth-place Division One finish represented another significant step forward for the 1st XI. With a strong core of established players complemented by an increasingly impressive group of home-grown youngsters, there was plenty in 2026 to suggest the progress can continue.

2nd XI

The 2nd XI faced much the same challenge after being crowned Division One champions in 2025: stepping up into the 2nd XI Premier Division and proving they could compete with the best sides at that level.

They responded with another excellent season.

Across all competitions, the Villagers played 24 matches, winning 15 and losing just seven, with two no results. In the league they matched the achievement of the 1st XI by securing an impressive fourth-place finish in their first season following promotion.

The batting was led by a quite exceptional campaign from Isaac Morley.

The 17-year-old amassed 936 runs at an average of 52.00, including three centuries and five half-centuries, with a highest score of 116. His performances throughout the summer ultimately earned him a deserved opportunity in the 1st XI.

He was closely followed by Rhys Jowett, who enjoyed an outstanding season of his own. Rhys compiled 806 runs at 44.78, hitting six half-centuries and a century, with a highest score of exactly 100.

Together, Isaac and Rhys scored a remarkable 1,742 runs, with four centuries and 11 half-centuries between them.

There was considerable depth beneath them too.

Will Leach scored 423 runs, including two half-centuries, while Michael Brooke contributed 416, including a century. Despite playing only 12 matches, Regan Broadbent made a major impression with 406 runs at 40.60, including two fifties and a century, with a highest score of 102.

Captain Rob Burton added 323 runs at 32.30, including three half-centuries and an unbeaten best of 83, while Sam Walker scored 299, Lucas Arnot 271 and Ivan Stark 179.

If the batting numbers were impressive, the performances of Lightcliffe’s two leading bowlers were every bit as eye-catching.

Sam Walker took 56 wickets at just 15.25 apiece. He claimed no fewer than five five-wicket hauls, with best figures of 5-21, performances which resulted in his elevation to the 1st XI before the end of the campaign.

Alongside him, Lucas Arnot took 49 wickets at 18.22, including two five-wicket hauls and best figures of 5-24. Between them, Walker and Arnot accounted for an extraordinary 105 wickets.

Ivan Stark added 21 wickets, Redford Holdsworth 17, while the captain and James Horne both took 14. Rob’s wickets came at an excellent average of 18.86, including best figures of 3-7, while James’s averaged 22.71.

Oliver Barrowcliffe chipped in with 13 wickets and Marcus Kelly produced one of the individual bowling performances of the season with a five-wicket haul.

Hugely important too was the contribution of Mark Horne, taking the gloves for the 2nd XI after stepping down as 3rd XI captain in 2025. His competitive edge as wicket keeper was crucial with 12 catches and 3 stumpings and his experience was part of the glue which made the 2nds function so well as a team this season.

The campaign ended in fitting fashion at Till Carr Lane against newly-crowned Premier Division champions Woodlands.

Lightcliffe recovered from 77-6 to make 194, thanks largely to Regan Broadbent’s 62, James Horne’s 45 and an unbeaten 24 from Ivan Stark. The bowlers then took over, with Rob returning superb figures of 3-7 and Oliver taking 3-20 as Woodlands were dismissed for 115.

A 79-run victory over the champions was a fitting way to conclude a campaign in which Lightcliffe had comprehensively demonstrated that they belonged at Premier Division level.

Once again, the 2nd XI also fulfilled its vital role in providing the bridge between junior and 1st XI cricket. The progress of Isaac and Sam into the first team was arguably as important as any league position and demonstrated how effectively the club’s player pathway continues to operate.

Twelve months after winning promotion, a fourth-place Premier Division finish and 15 victories across the season represented another significant achievement for Rob Burton and his side.

For both Saturday teams, therefore, 2026 was a season that reinforced the progress being made. Both stepped up a division, both finished fourth, and both combined experienced senior players with an exciting and increasingly influential generation of home-grown Lightcliffe cricketers.

The challenge for 2027 will be to build on that progress once again.

3rd XI

It was a superb 2026 for Lightcliffe’s 3rd XI as Gary Lewsley’s side completed a Halifax Sunday League Division 1 and Rod Warhurst Cup double.

The league title, ensuring the team went back-to-back, was secured in early September, with the Villagers having won nine of their first 13 league games, while across all competitions they recorded 13 wins from 17 matches.

The Cup triumph came with an emphatic 79-run victory over Upper Hopton, Lightcliffe making 205/8 before dismissing their opponents for 126.

There were standout individual performances throughout the side. Kiefer Hanman led the batting with 546 runs at 49.64, including five fifties and a best of 94, while Jack Anderson scored 430 runs, including an unbeaten century.

With the ball, Michael Wood topped the charts with 23 wickets at 11.96, including 5/8, ahead of captain Gary Lewsley’s 20 wickets at just 6.80.

In all, 31 players represented the 3rd XI during a season that demonstrated both the strength and depth of cricket at Lightcliffe.

4th XI

It was a challenging  season for Lightcliffe’s 4th XI, who finished eighth in Halifax Sunday League Division 3 and were relegated.

The Villagers recorded two victories during the campaign, including a nail-biting one-run win over Slaithwaite and an impressive 85-run victory against Outlane, while a number of close contests gave the club’s younger players further experience of senior cricket.

Bruce Lunn led the way with the bat, scoring 320 runs at an average of 53.33, including four half-centuries, while Richard Buckland contributed 225. With the ball, James Lunn was the standout performer with 17 wickets at 16.35, followed by Neil Wood with nine and Zach Challis with eight.

Despite results not always going their way, the 4ths continued to play an important role in providing opportunities and a pathway into senior cricket at Lightcliffe.

Over 50s

Lightcliffe’s Over 50s enjoyed a memorable first season in the competition, culminating in victory in the Grey Fox Trophy Plate Final at Scarborough’s iconic North Marine Road.

After progressing through the summer and beating Stick of Rhubarb in the semi-final, Rob Burton’s side defeated Bradford Buddaas by 53 runs in the final, posting an unassailable 160 before Mark Whiley’s 4-15 helped seal the trophy.

Michael Brooke led the season’s batting with 150 runs at an average of 50.00, while Mark Horne made 85 at 42.50.

With the ball, John Wood topped the wicket-taking with eight wickets at 11.38, including a best of 4-8, with Whiley and Michael Wood taking five apiece. Michael, Babar Malik and Mick Wood all retired not out in the final as the Grey Foxes capped a hugely enjoyable inaugural campaign with silverware.

Junior Teams

Another hugely positive year for Lightcliffe’s junior section saw dozens of young players representing the club across a full programme of age-group cricket, with strong performances, individual milestones and team successes throughout the season.

The standout achievements came from the U15s, who were crowned Yorkshire Vitality Club T20 champions for the second successive year and won the Bradford League Cup, and the U11s, who won the Development League and won both the Cups they entered.

While teams across the age groups continued to compete strongly and, just as importantly, provide a pathway into senior cricket – underlining the strength, depth and future potential of the club’s junior set-up.

U9s

 

Our youngest competitive cricketers represented Lightcliffe well in 2026 with 21 young Villagers getting the chance to play in the Halifax Junior Cricket League and Bradford Junior Cricket League.

It was 5 wins from 8 games in the Halifax league and 2 wins from 3 matches which took place in the Bradford league.

U11s

 

2026 has been an outstanding year for our U11s with two Cup victories and one League win.

Entering Halifax Junior Cricket’s U11s Development League for the first time, giving opportunities to some of less experienced players, the squad of 22 topped the table winning 7 from 8 and securing the League title. They also reached the semi-finals of the Collinson Cup.

In the hardball teams, with 22 players representing the club, it was 9 wins from 10 in the Halifax Junior Cricket League finishing second and just 1 defeat in the Bradford Junior Cricket League to also finish second.

In the Cup competitions, the squads shone winning the Bradford Junior Cricket League’s U11 Cup and retaining the Halifax Junior Cricket League’s Collinson Cup.

U13s

 

It was a busy year for the U13s with the number of games giving lots of opportunities for those in younger age groups to have the opportunity of playing at this level. In total, 31 cricketers took to the field for our U13s this season.

In the Halifax Junior Cricket League, the squad won 6 from 12 finishing fourth; in the Bradford Junior Cricket League they finished fifth with 1 win from 11; in the Heavy Woollen Junior Cricket League it was 5 wins from 11 finishing fifth.

U15s

 

It’s been another amazing year for our U15s as they won the Vitality Club T20 Yorkshire Cup for the second year running and also the Bradford Junior Cricket League’s U15s Cup.

28 young Villagers represented the age group in 2026 across three leagues. In the Halifax Junior Cricket League, it was 5 wins from 9 games finishing fourth in the league table; in the Bradford league it was 1 win from 7 finishing 7th; in the Heavy Woollen league it was 1 win from 5 finishing 9th.

U18s

 

With 24 players representing the Club at this age group in 2026, our U18s competed in the Halifax Junior Cricket League and Heavy Woollen Junior Cricket League in 2026.

In the Halifax league, they played 8 and won 5 finishing third in the league while they reached the final of the Collinson Cup.

In the Heavy Woollen league, they played 10 and won 6 finishing second in the league.

Roses

 

New for 2026 was our Roses training on a Friday evening – and the group quickly grew to over 20 coming together week-in, week-out to learn about our sport, develop friendships and have fun.

By September, 13 of our girls came together for their first competitive match – a friendly at Pudsey Congs CC.  They didn’t win, but that didn’t matter and we can’t wait to see where their cricketing journey at Lightcliffe takes them in years ahead.