JCT 600s. Back left to right: Gharib Razak, James Stansfield, Tom Glover, Andrew Bourke, Phil Slater, Chris Thompson.. Front: Babar Butt, Glenn Roberts, James Smith (Capt), Ahsan Butt, Haroon Rashid

Final

Cleckheaton Crusaders v JCT 600s

The JCT 600s won the inaugural Thompson Davis Floodlit Twenty/20 when they defeated the host club Cleckheaton by eight runs in a thrilling.

The result was in doubt right up to the first ball of the final over when Cleckheaton's Ian Wardlaw was caught by the JCT 600s' skipper James Smith off the bowling of Ahsan Butt.

Cleckheaton needed nine from the last six balls to overhaul the JCT 600s' score of 131 with their last pair at the wicket.

It was a dramatic end to a fine game of floodlit cricket which was a fitting climax to a tournament that was a credit to the Cleckheaton club.

The tone for the final was set right from the start when opener Gharib Razak (East Bierley) sent the first ball from Ian Wardlaw racing to the cover boundary. When Haroon Rashid (Brighouse) repeated the dose it meant that 11 runs had come from the opening over.

Cleckheaton hit back hard with their impressive left arm opening bowlers Craig Wiseman removing both openers and the JCT 600 dangerman James Smith for a duck.

When Wardlaw dismissed Ahsan Butt (Manningham Mills) and Andrew Bourke (Pudsey Congs) smashed leg spinner Tom Pringle's first ball - a full toss - to Ian Wood who took a superb catch on the long on boundary - the JCT 600s were 38-5.

Andrew Bairstow

Wicketkeeper Andrew Bairstow (Pudsey Congs) who had missed the semi-final win over Morley Marauders, steadied the ship in partnership with Phil Slater (Bradford & Bingley). They put on 57 - the biggest partnership of the match - before Ian Wood had Slater well caught by wicketkeeper Mally Nicholson.

Bairstow departed soon after for a very good 41, leaving former Cleckheaton man James Stansfield (Hanging Heaton) to take charge in the closing overs. He finished unbeaten on 21 as the JCT 600s were bowled out with one ball of their 20 overs left. In the scramble for late runs Chris Thompson (Bradford & Bingley) and Tom Glover (Pudsey Congs) were dismissed by Zaman while Glenn Roberts(Pudsey Conmgs) was run out.

Zaman and Wiseman were the pick of the bowlers and each finished with three for 11. Wiseman's control at the start and Zaman's accuracy at the end meant that the JCT 600s were never able to cut loose.

Cleckheaton skipper John Wood quickly made his intentions clear when his side started their innings. He bludgeoned a straight six off Tom Glover (Pudsey Congs) in the first over and raced to 24 bef ore he was clean bowled by Thompson. The pace bowler had earlier removed Mally Nicholson to a catch by Slater.

Third-wicket pair Ian Nicholson and Mohammad Zaman looked in confident form. They appeared to be seizing control as they added 48 before both were dismissed in quick succession.

Nicholson was bowled by Slater for 19 and Zaman (23) lofted a ball from left arm spinner Roberts into the hands of Stansfield.

Craig Thornton continued to attack the bowling but wickets started to tumble. Ian Wood and Rhys Jowett were run out, Pringle was brilliantly caught by Bairstow diving down the lefgside off Smith, and Edward Walmsley was trapped lbw by Ahsan Butt. With the pressure mounting Thornton was caught by Slater off the bowling of Smith for 25 and then Wardlaw was dismissed in the final over to finally settle the outcome.

The final demonstrated the excitement that can be generated by two well-matched sides playing Twenty/20 cricket under floodlights.

It is a format the players clearly enjoyed and the spectators who watched the game were treated to a compelling contest - one that will surely be repeated now that Cleckheaton have again led the way in embracing cricket inovation.

The JCT 600s team manager Babar Butt said afterwards: "This is really good and something we want to do more of. We need to get more teams involved in staging tournaments like this

"It is exciting, it is what the players want to play and the spectators clearly enjoyed it. It is good to see so many people, and particularly youngsters, watching. I think Cleckheaton have done a wonderful job and opened a few eyes."

Match Two

Morley Marauders v JCT 600s

Bradford & Bingley all-rounder Phil Slater produced a devastating nine-ball spell of bowling to speed the JCT 600 in to Thursday's final of the inaugural Thompson Davis Floodlit Twenty/20 at Cleckheaton.

Slater claimed the first hat-trick of the tournament as he destroyed the hopes of the Morley Marauders with figures of five for two as the JCT 600s set up a final showdown against Cleckheaton Crusaders.

Slater's fast and straight bowling enabled the JCT 600s to bowl out Morley Marauders - who were boosted by the prtesence of Derbyshire batsman Chris Taylor, former Pudsey Congs overseas Mohammad Azhar Ullah and Wrenthorpe all-rounder David Paynter - for just 40.

Paynter was the top scorer with 20 but it was a disappointing effort by Morley who were dismissed almost before the lights had timew to warm up. Pudsey Congs paceman Tom Glover had started their decline by taking two for 10 in four accurate overs.

The JCT 600s - a representative side drawn from the JCT 600 Bradford Leagvue - eased to their target in seven overs with East Bierley's Gharib Razak making 15. Left armer James Russell claimed the two wickets to fall ay a personal cost of 17 in three overs.

Chris Thompson prepares to bowl for the JCT 600s	Under lights. The scene at Cleckheaton for the second match

Match One

Cleckheaton Crusaders v Littleborough Lightning

Hosts Cleckheaton clinched their place in Thursday's final with an emphatic nine-wicket win over Lancashire visitors Littleborough Lightning on Tuesday.

The star of the show was leg-spinner Tom Pringle who took four for 13 in four overs as Littleborough were dismissed for 99 in the final over of their innings. Last man Matthew Bood (22no) was their top scorer.

Cleckheaton eased home with more than seven overs to spare with Mally Nicholson making and unbeaten 42 and Mohammad Zaman (38no). Cleckheaton finished on 104-1.

The result, plus the fact that a good crowd turned up to witness the first floodlit venture, will have delighted Cleckheaton and joint hosts Morley.

Cleckheaton will play the JCT 600 on Thursday at 8pm. Admission is £2 for adults and free for children.

Inspirational Pudsey St Lawrence all-rounder James Smith will be leading the JCT 600s after all. Smith was originally omitted from the squad when he was selected to play a trial game with Sussex 2ndXI against Glamorgan last week and Pudsey Congs' Glenn Roberts was named as replacement captain.

But Smith was called into the 13-man squad when it was revealed that Esholt's Richard Whitehurst - as he has done in previous Twenty'20 competitions at Cleckheaton - had opted to guest for the Morley Marauders.

Babar Butt, manager of the JCT 600s, said: "When I selected the original squad we were concerned that James would be away with Sussex, but there was a mix up over the dates and when we realised he could play he was the natural replacement for Richard Whitehurst."

Although the competition rules for the tournament featuring Cleckheaton Crusaders, Littleborough Lightening and Morley Marauders allow for one overseas player and two guests in each squad, team-manager Butt has opted against having either.

He has gone for a squad of in-form players who he feels will be able to adapt to the Twenty/20 format.

Three players have been selected for the senior representatibe side for the first time. They are the Manningham Mills all-rounder Ahsan Butt, Bradford & Bingley's talented youngster Chris Thompson and Pudsey Congs batsman Andrew Bourke.

James Stansfield (Hanging Heaton) and Phil Slater (Bradford & Bingley) are experienced all-rounders with the ability to score quick runs, just like wicketkeeper Andrew Bairstow who clinched his selection with his unbeaten 61 as Pudsey Congs defeated Cleckheaton in Sunday's Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup final.

Butt said: "I believe we have picked a well balanced squad with a mixture of young and experienced players who should be able to adapt to playing Twenty/20 under the lights. It should be an exciting event."

Each team will play in coloured clothing and a white ball will be used. Matches are played over 20 overs a side starting at 8pm on each of the evenings. The teams have 1hr 15mins to bowl their 20 overs. Teams face a six run penalty for each over not bowled within the allotted time. This will be added to the batting team's score. The last over must have started before the 1hr 15min mark.

Free hits will be awarded for no balls given for over-stepping and the 30 yard circle - similar to the one employed in the Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup - will be in force. Teams will be allowed only two fielders outside it for the first six overs and five for the remainder of the innings.

The competition is the brainchild of Cleckheaton Cricket Chairman Dave Worrall, who has pioneered a number of innovations at his club in recent years. Cleckheaton were the first side to play in coloured clothing in a Sovereign Health Care Priestley Cup tie and they have promoted highly successful Twenty/20 competitions in each of the past two seasons.

Worrall said: "We believe this is exciting and will provide excellent entertainment. We hope it will prove popular with all the family.

"We believe floodlit cricket is another step forward and it is an innovation we have been wanting to try because it has been so successful at first class level.

"Due to the help we have received from our sponsors we are able to stage this exciting new tournament and we hope it will be followed by more in the years to come.

Cleckheaton are also staging a Sportsman Dinner in their clubhouse on Friday, September 7 to round off the event. There will be a guest speaker and a comedian to provide entertainment.

Captains Matt Taylor (Morley Marauders) and James Smith (JCT 600s) toss up watched by umpire David Sharp