I spotted on LinkedIn that Hornchurch had won the European Cricket League to be crowned Champions of Europe.
It got me thinking about other club cricket competitions that could happen with a bit of blue sky thinking.
So, here are a few ideas… chip in with your own by leaving a comment at the end or getting in touch on our social media channels.
European Cricket League (Women)
The European Cricket Network (ECN) is a driving force behind showcasing cricket at grassroots in Europe through TV coverage, live streaming, news and stats.
Their events including the Euros of Cricket, won by England in October 2023 (above) when they defeated Netherlands by eight wickets, attract global coverage.
While the European club version has been running for years and includes the winners of the ECB National Club T20, the women’s competition is currently at international level; although with 10 countries involved last year, it’s got real momentum behind it.
A natural progression is a women’s club competition to mirror the European Cricket League which is the ambition in the coming years I have been told.
I imagine funding is a significant challenge for players/teams in terms of travel and other costs but wouldn’t it be fantastic to see a women’s side from Yorkshire play teams from across Europe?
Champions of Yorkshire vs World XI
Your starter for ten… the very first White Rose Trophy final that pitted Wakefield Thornes against Pudsey St Lawrence in 2016 to decide Yorkshire’s champion club was played at which venue?
Answer: Abu Dhabi.
Nowadays, perhaps with a leaner budget, the finale to decide Yorkshire’s top Premier League side is often held at Headingley (although New Farnley hosted in 2023).
The likes of Woodlands (above), Sheffield Collegiate or Castleford representing Yorkshire or England against other clubs from South Africa, India or Australia would be intriguing.
While this might seem fanciful, with a partner such as Barmy Army Travel, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility – especially as an off-season competition.
The FA Cup of Yorkshire club cricket
This idea is one I’ve talked about before and inevitably, it comes with a few challenges, namely the plethora of existing cup competitions (locally and nationally), plus the potential for chronic mismatches.
The Heavy Woollen Cup is perhaps the closest; once only open to those sides 18 miles from Batley Town Hall, now attracts the likes of Yorkshire Premier League North’s Woodhouse Grange who have entered for 2024.
It has quite a few different leagues in Yorkshire represented year-to-year but is still limited to the top sides of the top leagues by and large.
How about preliminary rounds and then if Interlink of the Dales Council makes it through to face say Pudsey St Lawrence then good luck to them? Or a satellite inter-league tournament for those below Premier Leagues?
Or, it could be a Champions League scenario (he says with negligible knowledge of football) where the champions of all leagues in Yorkshire are eligible to face each other.
The downside to all of this is that the season might have to run until November under floodlights but there you go… where there’s a will, there’s a way.
The idea of adding competitions to club cricket in Yorkshire might have fixture secretaries reaching for Paracetamol but there have been the likes of the Black Sheep Trophy in the past and the K3 Dental Cup pits Premier League in the North & South against each other.
So, what competition would you like to see? What would you like to see less of?
What do you miss?
Leave a comment below (I read them all) or share your thoughts to @cricketyorks on Twitter or on our Cricket Yorkshire Facebook page.
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How about the Champions of Yorkshire play the winners of The Lancashire Knock Out?
Great idea John, a Roses showdown…
I miss the Hepworth Cup. One year, Esholt cc tied THREE times on their way to the Hepworth cup final (twice against Otley cc, then again v Leeds Police) which they won.
Thanks Richard, hadn’t heard of the Hepworth Cup. That’s extraordinary…. three ties! I know of the Keighley Cup with teams from a few leagues. First round matches (before end of May) are:
Oxenhope v Bye
Silsden v Keighley
Denholme v Bye
Harden v Steeton
Oakworth v Bye
Crossflatts v Bye
Sutton v Bye
Haworth v Cullingworth