Local cricket clubs find out their 2023 league rivals and fixtures

Even though Christmas is around the corner, local cricket teams are starting to prepare for the 2023 summer season, with some of them having found out their fixture schedule last week.

The Northern Premier Cricket League and The Moore & Smalley Palace Shield have confirmed their fixture lists.

Elsewhere, the teams in each division of the Westmorland Cricket League have recently been confirmed.

In the Northern Premier Cricket League Division One, Garstang Cricket Club will be hoping to carry their champions status from this year into the next. Their title defence begins on April 22 against Netherfield, who finished fifth last season. Kendal are also in that league too, and finished ninth in the previous campaign.

Another thing to look forward to for Garstang is a visit to Darwen Cricket Club in the first round of the Lancashire Knockout Cup. Darwen is now where Garstang’s ex-pro Punit Bisht, formerly of Delhi Daredevils, plays his cricket. A date for the fixture is yet to be announced.

Lancaster were relegated from the NPCL in 2022 in 11th place in a 12-team league, and will be playing in the Moore & Smalley Palace Shield Premier Division in 2023, looking for an immediate promotion. Their campaign begins on April 22 away at Great Eccleston.

Morecambe, winners of the Meyler Cup last season, are in that division too despite a late push for promotion in 2022. They will host Vernon Carus on the opening day of the 2023 season.

They are joined by Carnforth, the second placed team in the PS Division 1A last season, thus gaining promotion, and Torrisholme.

The structure of the Westmorland Cricket League was confirmed last week: https://westmorlandcricketleague.pitchero.com/2023-teams-by-division-73771.

Westgate won the John Scott Cup and Westmorland Cricket League Division One last season and now have a place in the Moore & Smalley PS Division One, which is the prize for the two top teams of that league.

Morecambe 2nd XI are a new entry in the Westmorland Cricket League Division One, having been relegated from the PS Division 1B last season.

Matches in the top three divisions of the WCL are set to start on 15 April with exact fixtures confirmed in February.