In the 2025 edition of the ECB National Club Championship, Sunday 13 April is Preliminary Round 1 as clubs begin to lock horns in their respective groups.
In this preview, we’ll look at which Yorkshire cricket clubs are playing and their early-season battles.
After group stages and regional finals, we move to the national stages with the final held at Lord’s on Saturday 20 September.
Group 1
This is a stellar group in terms of Yorkshire club cricket pedigree with Yorkshire champions Richmondshire and Woodlands; the Bradford Premier League making it to the final 16 in 2024.
After Malton & Old Malton and Stamford Bridge duke it out on 13 April, the main event is Preliminary Round 2 on Sunday 27 April.
Beverley Town, Chester Le Street, Darlington, Doncaster Town, Hetton Lyons, Hull Zingari, Marton, Malton & Old Malton, Pudsey St Lawrence, Richmondshire, Scarborough, Stamford Bridge, Wakefield Thornes, Woodhouse Grange, Woodlands, York
There are six Sunday home games for: Woodhouse Grange vs Doncaster Town, Darlington vs Scarborough, Richmondshire vs Beverley Town, Wakefield Thornes vs Hetton Lyons, York vs Marton and Pudsey St Lawrence vs Hull Zingari.
While writing this, I had the dawning realisation that Scarborough have resigned from the YPLN which presumably means Darlington will get a bye. Judging by comments on the remaining strength of teams at Scarborough, it seems unlikely they’ll play this match – or even be allowed to.
Group 2
This is another talent-packed representation of Yorkshire Premier League cricket with a blend of Yorkshire Premier League North (YPLN), North Yorkshire & South Durham Cricket League (NYSD), Huddersfield Premier League, Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League (YCSPL) and North East Premier League.
Barnard Castle, Benwell Hill, Bridlington, Burnopfield, Castleford, Clifton Alliance, Driffield Town, Harrogate, Moorlands, Norton, Seaham Harbour, Sessay, Sheffield Collegiate, South Northumberland, Tickhill.
Snapshot observation? Where are New Farnley? Champions of the Bradford Premier League and not in the top club competition in the country? It can only mean the league and other domestic cups are a priority.
After Seaham Harbour’s home game with Bridlington in Preliminary Round 1 on 13 April, the full programme kicks off a fortnight later, in line with other groups.
On 27 April, there are home matches for: Burnopfield vs Harrogate, Clifton Alliance vs Sheffield Collegiate, Driffield Town vs Barnard Castle, Norton vs Benwell Hill and Sessay vs Moorlands.
To my mind, this is always a fascinating competition because of the strength of the teams, allied with the fact that there’s both a familiarity and a freshness.
Some teams won’t have faced each other before and then squads will have changed since 2024 with new signings.
It is a marker of true strength to go beyond your local league bragging rights and start defeating the cream of the crop from Premier Leagues nationwide.
In Group 2, Tickhill made it to the national rounds but since the turn of the century, there has only been a handful of Yorkshire champions – Sheffield Collegiate (2000), York (2012) and Richmondshire (2018).
Teams at the top of club cricket tend to juggle priorities as they come thick and fast, particularly early-season. League, cups and then national representation. Make no mistake, everything has to go your way to progress deep into the National Club Championship and it’ll be fascinating to see upsets along the way as things play out.
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How will Scarborough be eligible for Village Cup in ’26 ? l don’t know the full criteria for this comp , but surely they don’t fit the rules on population etc ?
Hi Glyn, thanks for the comment. Well spotted, yes, the village of Scarborough! Maybe back in Viking times. 😁 That paragraph has magically disappeared.
Enjoy your cricket this summer.