SUNDAY was certainly a day to remember for four of Crossflatts Cricket Club’s hottest junior prospects, with three of them playing a starring role in back to back games.

The club’s third team played their first-ever competitive game, as they started their Halifax League Division Three Conference North East season with a heartbreaking one-wicket home defeat against Bradshaw.

Home skipper Graeme Love won the toss and elected to bat.

Father and son combination Craig and Thomas Durn strode out to bat to open together for the first time and they didn’t disappoint.

The pair put on an opening stand of 39, with 12-year-old Thomas top-scoring with a classy 29.

His dismissal was greeted with a spine-tingling round of applause from the Ryshworth Park crowd.

It was an emotional moment for Thomas’ father Craig, who enjoyed standing at the other end while his son stroked the ball to the boundary on six occasions.

Craig, who has played for his home town club since 1995, said: “I got to play my first ever game for Crossflatts CC with my son Thomas in the same team and not only that, we got to open the batting together.

“It was Thomas’ first ever competitive senior game and it finished with him as the Crossflatts top scorer with a classy 29 runs and I had the best seat in the house to watch.”

He added: “It was an amazing experience to play in the same team and bat together and I’ll never ever forget it.

“I’m very proud of my boy, who didn’t hesitate to open the batting against two decent opening bowlers and he showed exactly what he’s about with a solid and classy innings.”

Despite the efforts of 38-year-old Durn Snr and 12-year-old Durn Jnr, their side collapsed from 80-6 to 94 all out so they had it all to do with the ball.

Seamer Charlie Hall (2-24) lead the attack beautifully but Mason Scott bludgeoned 31 off only 18 balls to help his side close in on victory.

Flatts’ young side kept fighting until the end and 12-year-old Harry Hinchcliffe, son of second team batsman Ben Hinchcliffe, picked up his first senior wickets (3-5 off three overs), including two wickets in two balls.

His U13s team-mate and birthday boy Rhys Mazey bowled with a miserly line and length and was rewarded with 2-18.

Sadly for Crossflatts, the away side hit the winning runs with only one wicket remaining to secure the points.

But at least Hinchcliffe, Durn and Mazey had the comfort of a 36-run home win over Oakworth in the Upper Airedale Junior Cricket League Under-13 South Division earlier in the day.

Title favourites Flatts amassed 108-1 from their 20 overs, with Hinchcliffe (26 not out) and 11-year-old Archie Brooksbank (25 not out) both shining.

Birthday boy Mazey celebrated his 13th birthday by taking 1-4 off his three overs as his side bundled out the away side for 72.

Durn also chipped in with 1-11 and Brooksbank capped off his day with 1-7.