PREVIEW: North Wales clubs’ prospects in the 2025 Liverpool & District Cricket Competition

The action starts on Saturday, April 26, for the 2025 Liverpool and District Cricket Competition season.

With Colwyn Bay returning to the Premier League and Northop Hall building an outstanding squad for their Division Two campaign, exciting times no doubt lie ahead.

COLWYN BAY
2024: First Division champions

Colwyn Bay return to the Premier League as the 2024 First Division champions.

The Bay were last in the top flight in 2023, when they finished bottom.

The Penrhyn Avenue club have fluctuated between the Premier and First Division in recent seasons, but in 2025 will be determined to retain top level status.

Great news for the Bay is the return of Sri Lankan left-arm spin king Dulanjala Mendis in 2025.

Mendis took a magnificent 84 wickets for Bay last season as the club snatched the First Division title on a dramatic final day. He was fifth highest wicket-taker in the LDCC overall.

Bay have also signed talented young bowler Charlie Collins from Northop, while Josh Brown and Will Spillane look capable of rising from the seconds to make an impact for the firsts.

Departures from Penrhyn Avenue include spin legend Paul Jenkins, who returns to Northop Hall after 22 successful seasons with the Bay, where he amassed 1,118 wickets.

Left-hand bat Will Evans, who piled up almost 2,500 runs in three seasons at the Bay, has gone back to Mochdre, while paceman Patrick Glover has rejoined Menai Bridge.

Quick bowler Jamie Moorhouse has switched allegience to Bangor.

George Johansen will captain the first team this season and alongside the new signings has a healthy group of local talent to call on.

Relegated from the 2nd XI Premier Division last year, Colwyn Bay seconds will look to rebuild in Division One.

NORTHOP HALL
2024: 6th Second Division

Some exciting new faces have landed at Smithy Lane.

The biggest name is undoubtedly left-arm spin master Paul Jenkins, who is a Northop Hall player again for the first time since 2002, when he left to join Colwyn Bay for 22 seasons.

Jenks, 53, claimed 152 wickets over five years with the Hall before his move to the Bay, where he won the Welsh Cup and Liverpool Competition First Division title twice.

A Wales Minor Counties international, he reached 1,000 victims in the LDCC in 2021 and his current career total stands at 1,270, in excess of 1,100 of them for Bay.

As a Jenkins triple bonus, Paul’s promising sons Finn and Adam also join the Hall from Northop.

Jac Kennedy is back at Smithy Lane after a spell with Northern. Owen Skillander signs from Hawarden Park and former skipper Carwyn Johnson rejoins from Skelmersdale.

A Northop Hall junior, prolific batsman Kennedy departed for Northern in 2022 in what has been a highly successful spell, contributing 2,800 runs in three seasons at the top of the order.

With over 100 appearances for the 1st XI already under his belt, Johnson departed the club at the end of 2023 but returns to take the new ball in an exciting attack.

Skillander is a talented top-order batsman who is also a highly-regarded coach.

With this outstanding crop of players joining the club on top of the quality already there, Northop Hall must surely be in for a big season.

And stepping up from the 2nd XI Second Division, Northop Hall seconds should benefit from a strengthened squad and a string of young talent at Smithy Lane.

PRESTATYN
2024: 12th Second Division

Last season was about as low as it could get for Prestatyn as they finished bottom of the Second Division.

New first team skipper Adam Tidswell will be looking to inspire the Beach Close side to better things.

Jack Cheetham will lead the 2nd XI.

News is awaited on any new signings.

LIVERPOOL AND DISTRICT CRICKET COMPETITION 2025

1ST XI ECB PREMIER LEAGUE
Birkenhead Park
Bootle
Colwyn Bay
Formby
Leigh
Newton-le-Willows
Northern
Ormskirk
Rainford
Rainhill
Wallasey
Wigan

1ST XI SECOND DIVISION
Ainsdale
Caldy
Fleetwood Hesketh
Norley Hall
Northop Hall
Parkfield Liscard
Prescot & Odyssey
Prestatyn
Southport Trinity
St Helens Town
Wavertree
Whitefield (Roby)

2ND XI FIRST DIVISION
Spring View
Northop Hall
Liverpool
Orrell Red Triangle
Wavertree
Highfield
Old Xaverians
Ainsdale
Bootle
Southport Trinity
Colwyn Bay
New Brighton

2ND XI SECOND DIVISION
Sutton (St Helens)
Caldy
Parkfield Liscard
St Helens Town
Norley Hall
Fleetwood Hesketh
Hightown St Marys
Whitefield (Roby)
Prestatyn
Rainhill
Maghull
Prescot & Odyssey

FIXTURES – SATURDAY, APRIL 26

1ST XI ECB PREMIER LEAGUE
Formby v Colwyn Bay
1ST XI SECOND DIVISION
Northop Hall v Ainsdale
Prestatyn v Fleetwood Hesketh
2ND XI FIRST DIVISION
Ainsdale 2nd XI v Northop Hall 2nd XI
Colwyn Bay 2nd XI v Wavertree 2nd XI
2ND XI SECOND DIVISION
Whitefield (Roby) 2nd XI v Prestatyn 2nd XI