Huddersfield Cricket League

The Huddersfield Cricket League is the premier cricket competition in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.

The league has been in existence since 1891 with teams representing suburbs of Huddersfield and villages in the Huddersfield district area. There are now 41 teams in the league. Now there are teams from South Yorkshire and Saddleworth, as well as clubs that have joined the league from the now defunct Huddersfield Central Cricket League and former Central Yorkshire Cricket League.

A number of local players have come from the Huddersfield League to play for in the English County Championship, mainly for Yorkshire and have gone on to represent England. Other county players and international players have played club cricket in the Huddersfield League.

Member clubs

The league currently, as of 2021, is split into 7 sections, where club's first and second teams play.^[1]

Elland has had the most 1st XI competitions, leagues and various cups, with 42 trophies in the history of the league. Broad Oak with 32 trophies have had most success in 2nd XI competitions. ^[2]

Here are the clubs playing in the league during the 2021 season (they are linked to the locality where they are based):

Former clubs^[3]

Bradey Mills
Cawthorne
Friarmere
Halifax
Huddersfield
Kexborough
Linthwaite Hall
Lockwood
Meltham Mills
Micklehurst
Paddock
Primrose Hill

Notable players

Many Huddersfield Cricket League players have gone on to play First-class and Test cricket.

Almondbury

Eddie Leadbeater (1927–2011)^[4] – Yorkshire Warwickshire and England

Almondbury Wesleyans

Gurman Randhawa - Durham

Armitage Bridge

Broad Oak

Charlie Roebuck - Yorkshire
Steven Crook - Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Middlesex
Gurman Randhawa - Durham
Tony Palladino - Derbyshire

Henry Cooper- Northern Districts and New Zealand A

Cawthorne

Nathan Buck - Northamptonshire

Delph & Dobcross

Arron Lilley – Lancashire
Kyle Hogg – Lancashire
Michael Smethurst – Lancashire

Elland

Richard Blakey – Yorkshire and England
Ajmal Shahzad – Yorkshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and England

Emley Clarence

Matthew Wood – Yorkshire

Golcar

Arnie Sidebottom – Yorkshire and England

Holmfirth

Allan Lamb – Northamptonshire and England
Arnie Sidebottom – Yorkshire and England
Ryan Sidebottom – Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and England
Tom Craddock – Essex
Max Morley – Durham (Max is more commonly known for winning the ITV 'Love Island' television programme in 2015)

Honley

Arnie Sidebottom – Yorkshire and England
Craig White – Yorkshire and England
Matthew Wood – Yorkshire
Steven Crook – Lancashire, Northamptonshire, Middlesex

Hoylandswaine

Ryan Robinson – Durham
Alex Morris – Yorkshire, Hampshire
Zac Morris – Hampshire
Richard Wilkinson – Yorkshire

Kirkheaton

George Hirst – Yorkshire and England
Wilfred Rhodes – Yorkshire and England

Lascelles Hall

Arnie Sidebottom – Yorkshire and England
Matthew Wood – Yorkshire

Lepton Highlanders

Phil Mustard – Durham and England

Linthwaite

Barrie Leadbeater – Yorkshire (umpire)
Chris Schofield – Lancashire, Surrey and England

Meltham

Ryan Sidebottom – Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and England
Neil Carter – Warwickshire

Paddock

Chris Balderstone – Yorkshire, Leicestershire and England
Percy Holmes – Yorkshire and England
Willie Watson – Yorkshire, Leicestershire and England.

Primrose Hill

Ken Taylor – Yorkshire and England

Scoles

Peter Drysdale – Northern Districts

Shelley

Matthew Friedlander – Northamptonshire, Boland
Mohammed Azharullah – Northamptonshire

Shepley

Darren Gough – Yorkshire, Essex and England

Skelmanthorpe

Ronnie Irani – Lancashire, Essex and England

Overseas professionals

Most of the teams have had professional players who have come from overseas. A few notable ones include:

Barkisland

Tinashe Panyangara – Zimbabwe
Tim Seifert - New Zealand