Cricketers continue preparations for 2025 as a new-look season looms

It is a time of change with a new look to the Northern Premier Cricket League and Moore and Smalley Palace Shield.

The NPCL has become a two-division set-up with the top 10 from last season forming division one.

Division two comprises the bottom three from the 2024 NPCL, along with Carlisle CC – who move across this year – and last season’s Palace Shield Premier Division top six.

The bottom six in the Palace Shield top flight have been joined by the top four clubs from division 1A for the campaign to come.

In all, five Fylde coast clubs will be in the NPCL next season with defending champions Fleetwood and fourth-placed Blackpool in division one.

St Annes’ 12th-placed finish saw them drop into division two, joining Thornton Cleveleys and Great Eccleston who were promoted after finishing second and fifth respectively in the Palace Shield Premier Division.

Their seasons begin with the NPCL’s redesigned 40 Over League Cup, which has separate league and knockout phases.

In the league stage, teams were assigned to four pools based on 2024 league standings.

From those pools, teams were randomly assigned six fixtures against sides from their own pool and the others.

Fixtures will be played on the first five Saturdays – April 19 and 26, May 3, 10 and 17 – and the Bank Holiday Monday of May 26.

Each pool winner and runner-up goes into the last eight, scheduled for July 6, with the semi-finals on August 17 and the final on September 7.

The league phase fixtures for the Fylde coast clubs are as follows:

April 19: Carlisle v Blackpool, Fleetwood v Carnforth, Great Eccleston v Settle, St Annes v Garstang, Thornton Cleveleys v Fulwood and Broughton.

April 26: Fleetwood v Longridge, Great Eccleston v Chorley, Kendal v Blackpool, Thornton Cleveleys v St Annes.

May 3: Blackpool v Barrow, Carnforth v Great Eccleston, Longridge v Thornton Cleveleys, St Annes v Fleetwood.

May 10: Fleetwood v Euxton, Great Eccleston v St Annes, Settle v Blackpool, Thornton Cleveleys v Netherfield.

May 17: Blackpool v Fleetwood, Kendal v St Annes, Longridge v Great Eccleston, Mawdesley v Thornton Cleveleys.

May 26: Blackpool v Mawdesley, Carnforth v Thornton Cleveleys, Euxton v St Annes, Fleetwood v Fulwood and Broughton, Penwortham v Great Eccleston.

As for the NPCL’s league season, both divisions have 18-match campaigns which start on May 24 and run until September 13:

May 24: Fulwood and Broughton v Fleetwood, Blackpool v Longridge, Penwortham v Great Eccleston, St Annes v Thornton Cleveleys.

May 31: Carlisle v St Annes, Fleetwood v Kendal, Garstang v Blackpool, Great Eccleston v Barrow, Thornton Cleveleys v Penwortham.

June 7: Blackpool v Netherfield, Great Eccleston v Thornton Cleveleys, Leyland v Fleetwood, St Annes v Carnforth.

June 14: Barrow v Thornton Cleveleys, Blackpool v Fulwood and Broughton, Euxton v St Annes, Settle v Fleetwood, Vernon Carus v Great Eccleston.

June 21: Chorley v Blackpool, Fleetwood v Garstang, Great Eccleston v Carnforth, St Annes v Mawdesley, Thornton Cleveleys v Vernon Carus.

June 28: Fleetwood v Chorley, Great Eccleston v Mawdesley, Kendal v Blackpool, Thornton Cleveleys v Carlisle, Vernon Carus v St Annes.

July 5: Barrow v St Annes, Blackpool v Leyland, Euxton v Great Eccleston, Mawdesley v Thornton Cleveleys, Netherfield v Fleetwood.

July 12: Fleetwood v Blackpool, Great Eccleston v Carlisle, Penwortham v St Annes, Thornton Cleveleys v Euxton.

July 19: Blackpool v Settle, Carnforth v Thornton Cleveleys, Longridge v Fleetwood, St Annes v Great Eccleston.

July 26: Fleetwood v Fulwood and Broughton, Great Eccleston v Penwortham, Longridge v Blackpool, Thornton Cleveleys v St Annes.

August 2: Barrow v Great Eccleston, Blackpool v Garstang, Kendal v Fleetwood, Penwortham v Thornton Cleveleys, St Annes v Carlisle.

August 9: Blackpool v Fleetwood, Carlisle v Great Eccleston, Euxton v Thornton Cleveleys, St Annes v Penwortham.

August 16: Fleetwood v Longridge, Great Eccleston v St Annes, Settle v Blackpool, Thornton Cleveleys v Carnforth.

August 23: Carnforth v St Annes, Fleetwood v Leyland, Netherfield v Blackpool, Thornton Cleveleys v Great Eccleston.

August 25: Fleetwood v Settle, Great Eccleston v Vernon Carus, Fulwood and Broughton v Blackpool, St Annes v Euxton, Thornton Cleveleys v Barrow.

August 30: Blackpool v Kendal, Carlisle v Thornton Cleveleys, Chorley v Fleetwood, Mawdesley v Great Eccleston, St Annes v Vernon Carus.

September 6: Fleetwood v Netherfield, Great Eccleston v Euxton, Leyland v Blackpool, St Annes v Barrow, Thornton Cleveleys v Mawdesley.

September 13: Blackpool v Chorley, Carnforth v Great Eccleston, Garstang v Fleetwood, Mawdesley v St Annes, Vernon Carus v Thornton Cleveleys.

The Lancashire Knockout draw has also been made, with Blackpool, Fleetwood and TC all handed home ties in the opening stage on May 18.

Blackpool welcome Liverpool Competition club Rainford, Fleetwood host Manchester Amateur League representatives Manchester Stallions, while TC entertain Clitheroe from the Lancashire Cricket League.

Elsewhere, Lytham CC also know their Liverpool and District Competition programme for 2025 as they look to improve upon last year’s seventh-placed finish in division one.

They start on April 26, though their 22-match league season finishes a week later than the NPCL:

April 26: Spring View v Lytham.

May 3: Lytham v Sutton.

May 10: Highfield v Lytham.

May 17: Lytham v Maghull.

May 24: Highfield St Marys v Lytham.

May 31: Lytham v New Brighton.

June 7: Liverpool v Lytham.

June 14: Sefton Park v Lytham.

June 21: Lytham v Old Xaverians.

June 28: Southport and Birkdale v Lytham.

July 5: Orrell Red Triangle v Lytham.

July 12: Sutton v Lytham.

July 19: Lytham v Spring View.

July 26: Old Xaverians v Lytham.

August 2: Lytham v Orrell Red Triangle.

August 9: Lytham v Highfield.

August 16: Maghull v Lytham.

August 23: Lytham v Hightown St Marys.

August 30: New Brighton v Lytham.

September 6: Lytham v Liverpool.

September 13: Lytham v Sefton Park.

September 20: Lytham v Southport and Birkdale.