Lancashire League (cricket)

The Lancashire League is a competitive league of local cricket clubs drawn from the small to middle-sized mill towns, mainly but not exclusively, of East Lancashire. Its real importance is probably due to the history of employing professional players of international standing to play in the League.

The Lancashire Cricket League was formed on 16 March 1892, growing from the North East Cricket League that had been formed 17 months earlier. Currently in membership are Accrington CC, Bacup CC, Burnley CC, Church CC, Colne CC, East Lancashire CC, Enfield CC, Haslingden CC, Lowerhouse CC, Nelson CC, Ramsbottom CC, Rawtenstall CC, Rishton CC, and Todmorden CC (actually in Yorkshire). In the early years Bury CC were also members but they withdrew after participating for just two seasons.

The early 1890s saw the sudden emergence of cricket leagues all over Lancashire, with the first in 1888 ‑ the Bolton Association. The North Lancashire League and the Central Lancashire League all started the same year as the Lancashire League in 1892. The Football League had set a trend in season 1888‑89 and also had its heart in Lancashire, and with professionals and regular friendlies and local derbies, the leagues quickly became very popular institutions, with games played at weekends when working people had rare leisure time.

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