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The online home of one of the best cricket clubs in the North-West.
We are a community sports facility located in the heart of Howe Bridge village, directly behind Howe Bridge Sports Centre.
The ground, Higham Park, is a hidden gem and provides the perfect place to spend your evenings or weekends whether it be watching your child play or practice, supporting one of our teams or just meeting up with friends to enjoy a quiet drink in fantastic surroundings.
Our recently refurbished pavilion can be hired as a function room, with full use of the licensed bar and kitchen (for more information, please click here).
Come and visit us, you won’t be disappointed…
We are always ready to welcome new players and their families to Atherton Cricket Club, regardless of any previous playing experience.
There will be a team to suit players of all levels, from those with minimal playing history to those who are seasoned campaigners looking to challenge themselves or embark on a new part of their cricketing career.
Cricket is unique in providing a fabulous family environment, where everyone can get involved and really become part of a community club.
For more information about the teams that we run and how to get involved click here
Atherton Cricket Club has a great reputation throughout Lancashire for its thriving junior section, offering cricket training and playing opportunities for boys and girls aged 9 to 15, extending to 18-year olds by 2022.
Following the introduction of the ECB All Stars scheme we have been able to expand our age range to include 5 to 8-year-olds (for more information, please click here). This 8-week program is designed to introduce children to the 3 main areas of batting, bowling & fielding with new drills being covered each week.
All our teams are coached and managed by ECB Level-2 qualified coaches and we are bringing in a Level-3 coach to give that extra level of expertise and help develop our juniors.
All this is done under the supervision of our Child Welfare Officer who ensures the children’s safety is our top priority.
The earliest record of cricket at Atherton was in 1872 when, rather significantly, the club was known as Atherton Cricket Club – just as it is now. However, in the early 1900’s its name changed to Howe Bridge Cricket Club. At the time, the Club’s benefactors were the pit-owning Fletcher family.
Following nationalisation of the collieries, the club became part of the Atherton Collieries Joint Welfare Association (A.C.J.W.A.) and took the name Atherton Collieries. The wheel of history, however, turned a full circle in 1965 when “Collieries” was dropped from the title and the club returned to its original name.
The club’s first ground was off Lovers Lane on land known as “The Old Chain”, and the first century for the club was scored by former president, Tom Boardman, against Whittlebrook in 1926. Following the end of the First World War in 1919, an old army hut was acquired and converted into a pavilion, used until the present pavilion was opened in 1974.
As you can imagine, the financial cost of providing and improving our existing facilities is significant and like all community sports club we constantly battle to balance the books.
We are therefore enormously grateful to those who support us by becoming Social Members or Vice Presidents. These people come from all walks of life, but they are united by wanting to support Atherton Cricket Club despite not playing.
They include: Parents, spouses and family members of current players, former players who have moved away or finished playing but still hold fond memories of Higham Park and like to continue supporting, local sports fans who come along to spectate and use the bar and people in the local area who recognise the Club’s value to the community.
Sadly, the number of Social Members/Vice Presidents has been declining in recent years and we are appealing for support from new or former members to turn this situation around.
On top of the satisfaction of supporting the Cricket Club, Social Members also enjoy unlimited access to our facilities across the summer
Coming to a match ? All of our members can enjoy discounted Bar Prices throughout the duration of their membership.
Hold your party or event with us. A Membership also allows the Hire of our Function Room at a discounted rate throughout the year.
We know the club is warmly thought of by so many people who check our progress over the season. We would ask these people to consider signing up as a member to keep the Club in good health.
We run 3 senior teams, designed to cater for cricketers of all abilities and age ranges.
Our 1st XI and 2nd XI compete in the Anthony Axford Bolton Cricket League, primarily on Saturdays but each team also has its respective cup competitions, The Hamer Cup and The Birtwistle Cup, which are played on Sundays.
Our 3rd XI, also known as the Development Team, plays in the West Lancs Sunday League, which also has its own cup competition to. This team gives the perfect opportunity for younger players to gain experience in a longer format of the game but also allows those that can’t play on Saturdays to get a regular game and ensure they stay part of the cricket family.
While, Atherton Cricket Club is proud to be sponsored by and associated with so many wonderful and generous local business, this does not mean we do not have opportunities for new businesses to come on board and support our fabulous community club.
The Club are therefore looking to add more local businesses who are interested in sponsorship opportunities ahead of the 2021 season.
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