Clitheroe cricket club

[1][2] Clitheroe cricket club had its origins in the Alhambra CC which was formed in 1860, the first organisation to call itself the towns club. The Alhambra club was so named because a circus with that title was accustomed to install itself on the field that became the cricket ground, believed to be behind the Wheatsheaf Inn on Whalley Road. It was in 1862 that the Alhambra club joined with the local junior club – the Rifle Corps – to form Clitheroe Cricket Club. This followed a meeting at the Brownlow Arms (now the Yorkshire bank building) where the title of Clitheroe Cricket Club and a code of rules were agreed upon.

Early Photo of Clitheroe cricket club circa 1904.

A new ground was secured in Chatburn Road, not the present field, but one immediately below. The club did so well in gathering subscriptions, that after a year or two they were able to aspire to a real playing pitch, not a rented meadow, which was laid in the next field. This has been the clubs home ever since.

In the early days fixtures were against Great Harwood, Settle, Leyland, Haslingden, Bacup, Rishton, Church, Whitefield Stand (Manchester), Cob Wall (Blackburn), Eagley, Whalley, Skipton, Keighley, Sabden, Gargrave, Egerton and Calder Vale. Wickets were pitched early at 11.00am and consisted of two innings. Cricket at the time were friendly games but nevertheless, keenly fought. Then in 1892 the idea of league cricket with points and a championship at stake came about, due mainly in an attempt to increase crowds and revenue. Clitheroe reluctantly joined with other clubs to form the Ribblesdale League.

In 1920 the Chatburn road site was purchased by the Southworth family, who bestowed it to the club forever. In the unhappy event of the clubs extinction, the ownership of the field passes to the citizens of Clitheroe as a recreational area. The first pavilion was erected in 1862, in the form of a big tent. There were two more wooden pavilions before the present facilities were completed in 1981.

Ribblesdale League

• 1st XI -

League Champions – 1899, 1901, 1904(tied), 1907, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1986, 1994, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

Ramsbottom cup Winners – 1965, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1993, 2006, 2016

Twenty20 winners - 2006, 2016

• 2nd XI-

League Champions - 1922, 1953, 1960, 1961, 1984, 1986, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2015, 2016

Div. 2 Winners - 1968, 1971, 1981

Lawrenson Cup Winners - 1978, 1983, 2012

• 3rd XI –

Div. 3 champions – 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1997, 2001, 2014, 2016

Recent years have seen increased interest in junior cricket at Clitheroe and the club recognised the need for a more structured coaching programme. This needed to be delivered by appropriately qualified coaches, equipped with the latest resources and teaching aids. Consequently over the past ten years a concentrated effort has been made to increase the number of ECB qualified coaches, in addition to adopting all the relevant Child Protection legislation and appointment of Child welfare and Protection Officers. Coaching is held every Thursday during the season.

In 2017 the club had over 150 junior members and 9 teams playing in the Lancashire League from under 9's to under 19's; The under 19's group, captained in 2017 by 1st XI opener Charlie Dewhurst, became county champions for the 3rd time, having previously achieved that honour at u13's and u15's level.