Winter News from Cheshire Women's Cricket League

Here's an update from the Cheshire Women's Cricket League...

Leigh will seek a third Cheshire Women's Cricket League title in four years when they kick off the 2025 season against Nantwich on 27th April.

Runcorn, Elworth, Brooklands, Oxton and Macclesfield 2^nd XI will all make their debut in the league's hardball division 4 this year. The first three are promoted from the division 5 softball competitions, while Oxton make a return having previously withdrawn from the league while a Division 2 club.

Leyland have exercised their automatic right to be promoted from Division 2 to Division 1, as have Didsbury 2^nd XI for a move from Division 3 to Division 2. Nantwich 2^nd XI declined the opportunity to be promoted and so remain in Division 3.

Additional promotions that were approved, all from Division 4 to Division 3, came from Macclesfield, Oakmere 2^nd XI and Heaton Mersey & Cheadle.

The Hawarden Park team will be relocating to Northop Hall CC and remain in Division 2.

The shock news to emerge over the winter was the resignation from the league of four times league champions Appleton.

There are only three CWCL clubs in the draw for this year’s National Knockout Cup. All have a bye to the second round, where Lindow travel to Llandudno, Leyland host Ramsbottom and Stockport Georgians will be at home to Hightown St Mary’s.

Whalley Range and Didsbury 2^nd XI will go straight into the National Knockout Plate.

There is also an exciting new competition arranged by Lancashire CCC, known as the Thunder Premier Cup. The eight competing teams will all be allocated members of the professional Lancashire Women squad and the Lancashire Thunder Academy squad for the duration of the competition. The competition culminates in a final at Old Trafford on September 21. So will that final involve any Cheshire Women's League clubs? There must be a good chance as five of the eight teams accepted into the league come from our first division: Didsbury, Leigh, Leyland, Lindow and Stockport Georgians. Lancashire League clubs Edgworth, Ramsbottom and Sefton Park complete the line-up.