Liverpool and District Cricket Competition

History

Although many of the district's clubs had met regularly as far back as 1850, or earlier, it was not until 1892 that a Liverpool newspaper began publishing a weekly table and calling it the Liverpool Competition to create more interest in the game.

The eleven senior clubs making up the original table were Birkenhead Park, Bootle, Formby, Huyton, Liverpool, New Brighton, Northern, Ormskirk, Oxton, Rock Ferry and Sefton.

Neston were offered first team fixtures in 1908 and, in 1919, Hightown and Southport and Birkdale joined whilst Wallasey took over the fixtures of the Rock Ferry club who did not resume after the First War. Boughton Hall (later known as Chester Boughton Hall) were invited to join in 1923.

The Competition continued until 1947 when it was decided to admit a sixteenth club and Preston were voted in. Two years later, fixtures were standardised by all clubs agreeing to meet each other, and although there was no suggestion of a league, it was decided to regard the table as official.

Preston resigned at the end of the 1952 season to be replaced by St Helens Recs in 1953.

In recent years, the Liverpool and District Cricket Competition has changed radically. There was an expansion in 1996 that introduced clubs from further afield in Lancashire and North Wales but saw founder members Birkenhead Park, Chester Boughton Hall, Neston and Oxton resign to join the Cheshire County Cricket League for the 1998 season. Of the four, only Oxton had failed to be champions of the Liverpool and District Cricket Competition.

In 1999 a two division structure was introduced, and in 2000 the 1st XI Premier Division was awarded ECB Premier League status.

From the end of the 2004 season, promotion from and relegation to the Merseyside and Southport Cricket Alliance feeder league was introduced, but was then curtailed from the end of the 2009 season. At this time, additional clubs from the Alliance were 'invited' to join, to form a new three divisional structure.

Moorfield and Southport Trinity resigned to return to the Merseyside Competition and Southport League respectively for 2012. Birkenhead Park (returning) and Old Xaverians (Merseyside Competition) elected to replace them.

Following the demise of St Helens before the start of the 2012 season, St Helens Recs assumed the name St Helens Town. The Second Division ran with eleven teams.

Spring View from the Bolton and District Cricket Association joined the Second Division in 2013.

In 2014, Hightown merged with former Merseyside Competition outfit Crosby St. Mary's (formerly known as St Mary's Old Boys CC) and became Hightown St. Mary's. At the start of the 2014 season (as Hightown) they negotiated an unusual 'double relegation' from the Premier division into division 2, following the loss of several players to, among others, Southport & Birkdale CC. The club argued they would not be able to compete in Division 1 due to playing strength. The league agreed to the request and a severely weakened 1st XI won just one league game in Division 2 during the 2014 season. The following year, buoyed by the merger and the recruitment of several players, the club finished 7th with a total of 10 wins and are recruiting again for 2016.

For over thirty years Liverpool Competition legend Ian Cockbain snr played his club cricket at Bootle before retiring at the end of the 2008 season aged 50. During the winter of 2012-2013, he was persuaded by a friend to come out of retirement and join his club Formby, where Cockbain now lives, with a view to captaining the side in 2014 and, with his vast experience, hopefully take them from the First Division into the ECB Premier League for 2015, the year of the club's 150th anniversary. On the last day of the 2014 season, Formby were proclaimed champions, winning the division by twenty points and thus fulfilling the club's dream for 2015.

2nd XIs play in a similar three divisional structure but independent of the 1st XIs.

There is a two divisional structure for Saturday 3rd XIs and below, with another structure for those clubs preferring to play on Sundays. They have a Premier Division and two First Divisions, North East and South West.

1st XI Divisions for 2010

ECB Premier League: Bootle, Colwyn Bay, Highfield, Hightown, Lytham, New Brighton, Newton le Willows, Northern, Northop Hall, Ormskirk, Prestatyn, Wallasey.

First Division: Fleetwood Hesketh, Formby, Leigh, Liverpool, Maghull, Orrell Red Triangle, Rainford, Rainhill, Sefton Park, Skelmersdale, Southport and Birkdale, Wigan.

Second Division: Ainsdale, Alder, Birkenhead St Mary's, Burscough, Caldy, Moorfield, Parkfield Liscard, St Helens, St Helens Recs, Southport Trinity, Sutton, Wavertree.

1st XI Divisions for 2011

ECB Premier League: Bootle, Colwyn Bay, Highfield, Hightown, Leigh, Lytham, New Brighton, Newton le Willows, Northern, Northop Hall, Ormskirk, Rainford.

First Division: Alder, Formby, Liverpool, Maghull, Orrell Red Triangle, Prestatyn, Rainhill, St Helens Recs, Sefton Park, Southport and Birkdale, Wallasey, Wigan.

Second Division: Ainsdale, Birkenhead St Mary's, Burscough, Caldy, Fleetwood Hesketh, Moorfield, Parkfield Liscard, St Helens, Skelmersdale, Southport Trinity, Sutton, Wavertree.

1st XI Divisions for 2012

ECB Premier League: Bootle, Colwyn Bay, Highfield, Hightown, Leigh, Lytham, Maghull, New Brighton, Northern, Ormskirk, Rainford, Southport and Birkdale,

First Division: Ainsdale, Alder, Fleetwood Hesketh, Formby, Liverpool, Newton le Willows, Northop Hall, Orrell Red Triangle, Rainhill, Sefton Park, Wallasey, Wigan.

Second Division: Birkenhead Park, Birkenhead St Mary's, Burscough, Caldy, Old Xaverians, Parkfield Liscard, Prestatyn, St Helens Recs, Skelmersdale, Sutton, Wavertree.

1st XI Divisions for 2013

ECB Premier League: Bootle, Fleetwood Hesketh, Highfield, Hightown, Leigh, Lytham, Maghull, New Brighton, Northern, Ormskirk, Southport and Birkdale, Wallasey.

First Division: Ainsdale, Birkenhead Park, Colwyn Bay, Formby, Liverpool, Newton le Willows, Northop Hall, Orrell Red Triangle, Parkfield Liscard, Rainford, Rainhill, Wigan.

Second Division: Alder, Birkenhead St Mary's, Burscough, Caldy, Old Xaverians, Prestatyn, St Helens Town, Sefton Park, Skelmersdale, Spring View, Sutton, Wavertree.

1st XI Divisions for 2014

ECB Premier League: Birkenhead Park, Bootle, Fleetwood Hesketh, Leigh, Lytham, Maghull, New Brighton, Northern, Ormskirk, Rainhill, Southport and Birkdale, Wallasey.

First Division: Ainsdale, Colwyn Bay, Highfield, Formby, Liverpool, Newton le Willows, Northop Hall, Orrell Red Triangle, Rainford, Sefton Park, Wavertree, Wigan.

Second Division: Alder, Birkenhead St Mary's, Burscough, Caldy, Hightown, Old Xaverians, Parkfield Liscard, Prestatyn, St Helens Town, Skelmersdale, Spring View, Sutton.

1st XI Divisions for 2015

ECB Premier League: Birkenhead Park, Bootle, Formby, Highfield, Leigh, Lytham, New Brighton, Northern, Ormskirk, Rainhill, Southport and Birkdale, Wallasey.

First Division: Ainsdale, Colwyn Bay, Fleetwood Hesketh, Liverpool, Maghull, Newton le Willows, Northop Hall, Prestatyn, Rainford, St Helens Town, Sefton Park, Wigan.

Second Division: Alder, Birkenhead St Mary's, Burscough, Caldy, Hightown St. Mary's, Old Xaverians, Parkfield Liscard, Orrell Red Triangle, Skelmersdale, Spring View, Sutton, Wavertree.

1st XI Divisions for 2016

ECB Premier League: Birkenhead Park, Bootle, Colwyn Bay, Formby, Leigh, Lytham, New Brighton, Northern, Ormskirk, Rainford, Rainhill, Wallasey.

First Division: Ainsdale, Burscough, Fleetwood Hesketh, Highfield, Maghull, Newton le Willows, Northop Hall, Orrell Red Triangle, Prestatyn, Sefton Park, Southport and Birkdale, Wigan.

Second Division: Alder, Caldy, Hightown St. Mary's, Liverpool, Old Xaverians, Parkfield Liscard, St Helens Town, Skelmersdale, Southport Trinity, Spring View, Sutton, Wavertree.

1st XI Divisions for 2017

ECB Premier League: Ainsdale, Bootle, Colwyn Bay, Formby, Leigh, Lytham, New Brighton, Northern, Ormskirk, Rainhill, Southport and Birkdale, Wallasey.

First Division: Birkenhead Park, Burscough, Fleetwood Hesketh, Highfield, Hightown St Mary's, Newton le Willows, Orrell Red Triangle, Prestatyn, Sefton Park, Skelmerdale, Southport and Birkdale, Wigan.

Second Division: Alder, Caldy, Liverpool, Maghull, Northop Hall, Old Xaverians, Parkfield Liscard, Prescot & Odyssey, St Helens Town, Southport Trinity, Spring View, Wavertree.