Norden Cricket Club

Norden Cricket Club, known as Greenbooth Cricket Club until 1920, are an English cricket club currently playing in the Central Lancashire League.

They are currently branded Norden (J.W. Lees) CC as part of a sponsorship deal with a brewery and play their home fixtures at Stag Park, Norden, Rochdale, Greater Manchester.

They have an indirect link to Norden F.C., refounded in 2002 by a group of members of the cricket club.

Greenbooth Cricket Club was formed in 1875 with no permanent home. By 1876 matches were played in a field near a local mill, whose owner was later the club's president. A small pavilion was built.

In 1881 the club moved temporarily to Pithouses in Norden village, but the following year matches were instead held at a new venue, Woodhouse Lane, where a square was laid at a cost of £18 - 6s - 8d. A wooden pavilion followed 4 years later. This ground is now known as Stag Park.

In 1888, the club employed its first professional player, George Hammond of Bury. The remainder of the team continued to be amateurs. In 1892 Greenbooth Cricket Club played its first competitive matches when it entered the Bury and District Cricket League. However, the club's participation in the league ended after one season.

In 1895 they joined the South East Lancashire League, and a new professional and coach was employed, a John Redfern from Linthwaite. His salary was £2-2s-0d (2 guineas) per week, which caused the players' annual subscription to be raised from three to four shillings. In 1896 the club transferred to the Middleton and District Cricket League, with John Redfern still employed as a professional player. However, in 1898 no professional was employed.

In 1899 the club won their first championship, the Middleton and District League, with a new professional fast bowler, G. E. Broadley from Accrington. The Middleton and District League was renamed as Lancashire Cricket Council in 1904.

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