The Upton side: John Winder, Joe Green, Sean Lynch, Richard Lee, Phil McGowan, Ben Shields, Faiz Ahmed, Rob Kalitkin, Will King, Dylan Sandison, Chris McArthur plus Ethan on loan from the Occasionals

As 2 pm neared on a bright May afternoon, the home skipper announced that Upton would be fielding first. The murmurs and body language in the home dressing room suggested that the decision did not meet with universal approval. As the real aim of Sunday cricket is to get everyone as involved in the game as possible and to try and entertain the crowds with an exciting finish, it could be said that the plan worked out reasonably well.

As usual Ormskirk had plenty of strong batting up the order. The Occasionals are made up of many experienced cricketers from all over Lancashire and Merseyside. A brief exchange during a lull in play prompted one of the Ormskirk players to remark that the average age of their squad was around 62. With Upton's growing Sunday youth policy, we only fielded two players over the age of forty, with six of the others still in their early teens. Such youthful enthusiasm should have given us an advantage in the field at least and all twelve can be proud of their efforts to stem the flow of Ormskirk runs.

After Will and Phil opened solidly and accurately with the newish ball, everyone got a chance to turn their arm over apart from Aussie Chris and Sean, whose increasingly desperate warming up hints were harshly ignored. Chris turned in a stunning performance behind the stumps, fashioning a run out with the help of Rob and the cool head of Faiz and then stumping the dangerous Ford shortly before tea. Against a powerful batting line up the emphasis was more on containment than penetration so we were unable to take all eleven Ormskirk wickets required. Ben Shields took the first one and there was further success for Joe and the skipper later on.

As we trooped off for a welcome tea after a decent workout in the outfield, we knew that opposition skipper Malcolm Gregg had set us another enticing target. Sometimes we have made it home and sometimes we have crumbled when faced with the wiles of his varied attack. As Sean and Joe got their eyes in, the uninitiated might have thought the game was in the bag. Joe hit five fours in his quick fire 39, setting a solid platform which gave us a sniff of victory.

Despite some hostile barracking from Phil Wood, Sean also started to motor through the gears, finding the boundary several times himself on the way to his first fifty of the season. The words "Get on with it, Lynch" had a magical effect, reminding us that sports psychology does not always have to be a complicated science. Sean received solid support from Richard and then Phil McGowan before his enforced retirement on 51. Ben played positively as the total crept closer before becoming the first of the canny Stevenson's four victims.

After Ethan's departure, youth gave way to relative experience as Faz (18) and Rob (15) kept the target in sight as the overs slipped by. Neither looked in much difficulty as a combination of sharp singles and a few powerful blows left the opposition skipper scratching his head a little.

Then came the masterstroke as Stevenson changed ends. Hurtling in from the top end, his inswinger was too much for Faiz and Will soon joined him, beaten by another snorter. As Dylan Sandison joined Rob, any number of results were still possible. In the end it came down to nine needed off the final over to be bowled by tormentor-in-chief Stevenson.

With the Ladies game already safely won, attention turned to the drama on the back pitch as expert advice was liberally proffered by a growing crowd of spectators who had spent a glorious afternoon in the sunshine. How they roared as Dylan clubbed the first one mightily through midwicket for four. Five off five. That soon became five off three before Dylan scrambled a single to put Rob back on strike. With just four needed, it was heart in the mouth time as he fashioned a lusty blow, flat batting the ball towards the midwicket boundary with a mighty crack. Unfortunately it was within range of Cheshire Over 60s star Peter Findlater, who nonchalantly held on low down. As the batsmen had crossed, it was left to Chris McArthur to fill the role of non-striker as Dylan got one final chance to go for glory.

Silence fell on Old Greasby Road as Stevenson thundered in. The ball arrowed in full and straight towards Dylan's pads. He connected superbly as the ball rolled away somewhere between midwicket and long on. Once again the visitors' fielding showed that the years had not robbed them of their agility. Dylan and Chris sprinted for all they were worth, completing two as the fielder pulled off a superb diving stop right on the rope. The throw sped in towards the bowler's end as Dylan hared back one last time. Sean had by now adopted a perfect umpiring position for this key moment. Stevenson calmly gathered the ball and took the bails off with the batsman just inches short. Sean raised his finger and both sets of players congratulated each other heartily on a superb afternoon's cricket played in a wonderful spirit.

As we make our way through another season and doubtless through some mismatches, weather issues and recruitment difficulties, we will remember this afternoon as everything we strive for in Sunday cricket. I hope that those playing only their first or second Sunday game will remember it for many years to come. Even those who have played rather more Sunday games would have no hesitation in putting it on the list of great games to remember.

Next week we welcome Frodsham to the UCG. We have enjoyed tight finishes against them in the past too. With many of the same players available for selection next week, let us hope the youngsters can continue to shine and make this a memorable 2018 season.

A big thank you as ever to Pete for the teas, the groundstaff for all their preparation work and all the supporters who came along to watch and help out as needed. Hope to see you all next week.