THIS week my Little Hulton team played Farnworth Social Circle in the GMCL Sunday League.

It was a rearranged fixture brought forward to assist our friends from FSC with their forthcoming fixture congestion.

The week did not start too well, though, as when I asked our club's administration officer for the league handbooks, he informed me they had been misplaced and he could not find them anywhere.

On the Thursday as I was scrolling through Twitter I noticed the GMCL had tweeted each club's ineligible players for third-team cricket.

Imagine my surprise when I got to the LHCC section and saw the players our administration officer had told me he had registered appeared not to be available.

In fact, according to this list he was not even available, and he had played two matches.

I spoke to him about it and he informed me there had been a mistake and he would deal with it.

On to the game, FSC won the toss and elected to field, a surprise to me as I would always bat first on such a bad wicket.

Little Hulton made a strong start with Billy Schofield playing an unusual role of blasting the ball to all parts.

A few wickets brought me in to bat with Ben Hamilton – a 12-year-old with much promise.

After a tentative start he began to hit the ball hard, moving the close-in fielders to the outskirts of the boundary.

I played the anchor role, encouraging him while also putting away the bad ball.

Harvey Westhead, who is only 13 years old, came on to bowl for FSC.

I had it in my mind to go after him, but he put most balls on a decent length and the uneven pitch did the rest.

His reward came in the last over, conceding only one run while taking two wickets.

I thought Little Hulton's score of 208 after 40 overs would be more than enough.

Two technically-sound openers batted first for Social – one of them, Aryan Soma, being only 14 – but even they struggled early on.

A non-attempt off my first over proved the catalyst for further mishaps as six chances went down.

After 23 overs they had taken the score to 108-0.

With the introduction of 15-year-old Harrison Calvert and 13-year-old Jack Stanley there was a shift in momentum back to Little Hulton.

Calvert got one to turn and lift with his leg spin, and his dad, the wicketkeeper, took the catch off the older opening batsman.

Meanwhile, Stanley set about the rest of the top order, clean bowling three and having another lbw with his part-time off spin.

In the meantime, Westhead had come to the crease for FSC and was joined by 14-year-old wicketkeeper Charlie Gibson.

Over the next 10 overs four young teenagers took part in a battle of guts, skill and determination which will hopefully be a prerequisite for their careers at a higher level.

The final over decided the match with Westhead hitting Stanley for the winning runs.

This was the reason I signed up to be captain – an enthralling match with youth playing a major part for both sides.