Lincolnshire County Cricket League
The Lincolnshire County Cricket League is the main club cricket competition run in Lincolnshire. The competition is open to all cricket clubs in Lincolnshire, although clubs in the south of the county can play in the South Lincs and Border Cricket League. The current format is 5 divisions of 50 teams with the top team in the premier league being invited to play in the Lincolnshire Premier League the following season. The 2019 Champions were Scothern Cricket Club.
Competition history
The competition started in 1963 as a way of merging all of the local Saturday cricket leagues from around the Lincolnshire county. Originally as just one division the first winners were Ross Sports Cricket Club. The league then expanded into 2 divisions in 1968, 3 in 1971 and 4 in 1972. In 1996 the league restructured to bring in 2nd XI clubs that were playing in more friendly leagues at the time such as the Humberside Alliance cricket league, this brought the total of divisions to 5.In 1999 as part of the full ECB Restructuring of cricket leagues in England and introduction of county premier leagues the league went through a full restructuring process. The 1st XI and 2nd Xi divisions were merged into one full 5 division structure and the Lincolnshire Premier League was formed by taking the top 5 teams from the premier division of the Lincolnshire League and the South Lincs and Border league.
In 2001 the Humberside Alliance league officially folded and the remaining teams created Division 5 which brought the number of leagues in the competition to 6. Unfortunately due to the loss of teams the league went back to 5 divisions after only 4 seasons.
Cleethorpes Cricket Club and Grimsby Town Cricket club were the dominating sides in the early years of the competition with the premier league won by one of those teams 14 times in the first 20 years, In 1983 however Cleethorpes took the decision to resign from the Lincolnshire league to play in the Yorkshire Cricket league citing a need to play better opposition. In 1993 Appleby and Frodingham Cricket Club Also quit the Lincolnshire league to join the Yorkshire league. The late 80s and 90s saw a change at the top of the premier league with teams in the Scunthorpe starting to win the league more with Normanby Park, Messingham, Alkborough and Belton Cricket club all winning the division for the first time.
The restructuring of the leagues at the turn of the millennium brought new teams to the top of the premier league with Owmby, Nettleham, Bracebridge Heath and Haxey all winning the title for the first time with each team going to represent the county in the Lincolnshire Premier League the season after.
The 2018 season brought a new change to the league as the league is trialing a 30 over competition with teams from the bottom 2 division competing as part of the ECB directive to get more people playing pub cricket. If successful the competition will be implemented across all divisions.
League Format
The Lincolnshire league currently has 48 teams split into 5 divisions. 12 in the Premier league, 10 in Divisions 1 and 2 and 8 in Divisions 3 and 4. A proposal is in place to change the leagues to 10 teams each from the 2019 season.Each team plays each other home and away with the premier league being 50 overs a side, the other divisions 45 overs a side. Bowlers can bowl a maximum of 15 overs in divisions 1,2,3 and 4 and 18 overs in the premier league.
There are also 3 cup competitions played in the county. The Georgre Marshall Cup is for the 1st XI sides, The Bob Welton cup for 2nd XI sides and the Supplementary cup which is being trialed by the lower divisions.
The format for the 2018 seasons is as follows
| League | Premier Division | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 |
| 1 | Alkborough Cricket Club | Appleby Froddingham 2nd XI | Caistor Town 2nd XI | Alkborough 2nd XI | Alford 2nd Xi |
| 2 | Barton Town Cricket Club | Broughton | Cleethorpes 3rd XI | Barton Town 2nd XI | Brigg Town |
| 3 | Bracebridge Heath Cricket Club 2nd XI | Cherry Willingham 2nd XI | Grimsby Town 2nd XI | Broughton 2nd XI | East Halton |
| 4 | Caistor Town Cricket Club | Cleethorpes 2nd XI | Hartsholme 2nd XI | Cleethorpes Town Laportes | Haxey 2nd XI |
| 5 | Cherry Willingham Cricket Club | Hartsholme Cricket Club | Hibaldstow | Cleethorpes 4th XI | Horncastle |
| 6 | Haxey Cricket Club | Holton Le Clay | Holton Le Clay 2nd XI | Lindum 3rd XI | Keelby 2nd XI |
| 7 | Lindum Cricket Club 2nd XI | Keelby | Normanby Park | Messingham 2nd XI | Louth 3rd XI |
| 8 | Market Rasen Cricket Club | Louth 2nd XI | Old Lincolnians | Nettleham 2nd XI | Scunthorpe Town 3rd XI |
| 9 | Messingham Cricket Club | Market Rasen 2nd XI | Outcasts 2nd XI | ||
| 10 | Nettleham Cricket Club | Scunthorpe Town 2nd XI | Scothern 2nd XI | ||
| 11 | Outcasts Cricket Club | ||||
| 12 | Scothern Cricket CLub |
Past Winners – Premier League
Past Winners – Division 1
| Year | Winners | Batting | Bowling | Keeping |
| 1968 | ||||
| 1969 | Hykeham | T. Blades | D. Smith | G. Midgely |
| 1970 | Cleethorpes | G. Sewell | P. Roberts | A. Arnold |
| 1971 | Scunthorpe Town | B. Bassindale | G. Mills | A. Arnold |
| 1972 | Saxilby | P. Ranby | D. Lawson | E. Palmer |
| 1973 | Hykeham | M. Thompson | T. Genney | R. Stacey |
| 1974 | Grimsby Town | D. Morland | P. Tillison | A. Binnington |
| 1975 | Scunthorpe Town | B. Reaney | B. Reaney | M. Clark |
| 1976 | Messingham | I. McDonald | C. Pinchin | A. Binnington |
| 1977 | Holton Le Clay | G. Carsberg | D. Allen | R. Scales |
| 1978 | Cromweel Drewery | A. Dolan | L. Smith | A. Peart |
| 1979 | Ruston Bucyrus | N. McDowell | T. Vamplew | N. Johnson |
| 1980 | Appleby Froddingham | N. McArthur | D. Cox | N. McDowell |
| 1981 | Alkborough | G. Sewell | R. Standerline | P. Hornsby |
| 1982 | Skegness | P. Ranby | P. Clarke | P. Westman |
| 1983 | Normanby Park | C. Hall | T. Genney | C. Hornsby |
| 1984 | Louth | C. Hall | T. Hussain | K. West |
| 1985 | Market Rasen | S. Phillipson | C. Knapton | P. Franklin |
| 1986 | Skegness | S. Phillipson | J. Dale | J. Roberts |
| 1987 | Broughton | K. Tomlin | P. Glentworth | C. Mumby |
| 1988 | Hykeham | W. Howlett | R. Standerline | A. Colebrook |
| 1989 | Skegness | R. Scott | M. Torr | P. Rushby |
| 1990 | Alford | M. Torr | M. Irving | A. Colebrook |
| 1991 | Alkborough | M. Torr | R. Smith | P. Rushby |
| 1992 | South Kelsey | D. Everatt | J. Dale | E. Chappel |
| 1993 | Belton | J. Bramhill | M. Bray | P. Rushby |
| 1994 | South Kelsey | E. Chapell | C. Collins | N. Beaumont |
| 1995 | South Kelsey | E. Chapell | D. Crookes | N. Beaumont |
| 1996 | Market Rasen | S. Waller | P. Bodsworth | O. Burford |
| 1997 | Owmby | R. Chandar-Nair | M. Wikson Jr | J. Marshall |
| 1998 | Skegness | M. Dawsom | D. Able | G. West |
| 1999 | Nettleham | R. Cook | M. Brown | M. Dodson |
| 2000 | Haxey | A. Sharma | N. Smith | M. Dodson |
| 2001 | Normanby Park Works | V. Grimes | J. Dixon | M. Wills |
| 2002 | South Kelsey | A. Osmond | L. Waghorn | S. Coupland |
| 2003 | Grimsby Town | P. Bassingthwaite | M. Dennis | M. Thompson |
| 2004 | Cleethorpes 2nds | N. Wilkinson | J. Dewhurst | A. Cook |
| 2005 | Cherry Willingham | J. Farrow | A. Portus | Nigel Dobbs |
| 2006 | Cherry Willingham | M. Singh | M. Spikings | H. Khan |
| 2007 | Horncastle | R. Chand | P. Chandraskaka | I. Andrew |
| 2008 | Cherry Willingham | C. Wathukarage | G. Priestley | P. Hewstone |
| 2009 | Cleethorpes 3rds | J. Drabble | R. Chand | P. Hewstone |
| 2010 | Cherry Willingham | I. Bellamy | G. Priestley | A. White |
| 2011 | Scothern | I. Dawson | S. Clixby | R. Baty |
| 2012 | Bracebridge Heath 2nds | A. McDowell | M. Rutherford | C. Stubbs |
| 2013 | Broughton | M. Hammond | S. Clixby | Nick Dobbs |
| 2014 | Scothern | P. Hughes | W. Ahmed | S. Bett |
| 2015 | Outcasts | S. Singh | D. Portus | D. Quibell |
| 2016 | Alkborough | O. Tonks | A. Williamson | J. Mansfield |
| 2017 | Outcasts | C. Elliott | I.S. Deol | M. Woolridge |
| 2018 |
Notes
Teams must pass inspection to gain promotion to premier league, hence why some teams won back to back titles.
Teams can't have same 1st and 2nd XI in the same league so promotions may be altered to suit this.
Past Winners – Division 2
| Year | Winners | Batting | Bowling | Keeping |
| 1971 | Alkborough | R. Flean | N. Brown | G. Cliffe |
| 1972 | Louth | A. Dewar | H. Driskell | F. Bourne |
| 1973 | Grimsby Town 2nds | M. Bielby | D. Marshall | R. Cooper |
| 1974 | Scunthorpe Town | R. Wheeler | K. Pickwell | R. Cooper |
| 1975 | Messingham | J. Dawson | C. Pinchin | V. Foster |
| 1976 | Alkborough | N. Lilley | D. Lawson | J. Robers |
| 1977 | Barton Town | S. Lewis | A. Akester | V. Foster |
| 1978 | Alkborough | P. Elwick | F. Graves | J. Robers |
| 1979 | Normanby Park | J. Brown | F. Graves | D. Clifton |
| 1980 | Holton Le Clay | N. Watson | P. Dugdale | R. Kearsley |
| 1981 | Nuform Sports | H. Andrews | J. Chapman | E. Chappell |
| 1982 | Barton Town | D. Grantham | A. Akester | V. Foster |
| 1983 | Cleethorpes | R. Oslear | H. Swain | E. Chappell |
| 1984 | Outcasts | J. Bramhill | C. Gore | I. Arminger |
| 1985 | Hykeham | J. Green | B. Creasey | I. Arminger |
| 1986 | Ruston Marconi | K. Tomlin | M. Powell | A. Burnett |
| 1987 | Claytons | J. Marshall | R. Graves | I. Arminger |
| 1988 | Ruston Marconi | K. Tomlin | A. Stokes | M. Wills |
| 1989 | Alford | C. Pell | M. Irving | I. Arminger |
| 1990 | Nettleton Mines | J. Casswell | J. Lee | D. Metheringham |
| 1991 | Appleby Frodinham 2nds | G. Barstow | V. Newman | A. Cook |
| 1992 | NPW / Cleethorpes 2nds | L. Brocklebank | R. Welton | M. Allison |
| 1993 | Caistor | J. Davies | M. Ellis | N. Bell |
| 1994 | Owmby | M. Wilson | D. Crookes | S. Skipworth |
| 1995 | Bottesford | S. Phillipson | R. Birch | J. Stephenson |
| 1996 | Brigg Town | M. Thomspon | J. Jacklin | S. Arkle |
| 1997 | Outcasts | J. Davies | M. Bellamy | M. Pratt |
| 1998 | Horncastle | P. Kime | K. Meech | M. Dodson |
| 1999 | Cherry Willingham | G. Swinbourne | A. Haith | P. Wilkinson |
| 2000 | Outcasts | M. Baker | D. Langford | G. Dunlop |
| 2001 | Hykeham | P. Bassingthwaighte | M. Deveraux | C. Keywood |
| 2002 | Caistor | D. Allenson | M. Powell | R. Bishop |
| 2003 | Barton Town | M. Daley | A. Clay | L. Brack |
| 2004 | Broughton | W. Reed | S. Raynor | S. Hollingsworth |
| 2005 | Hykeham | P. Bassingthwaighte | A. Clay | R. Smith |
| 2006 | Caistor 2nds | P. Chandraskaea | R. Farrow | M. Allison |
| 2007 | Outcasts | A. Torr | R. Evans | G. Oxley |
| 2008 | Alkborough | R. Johnson | R. Kirman | E. Chappell |
| 2009 | Louth | M. Conyers | N. Chapman | M. Robinson |
| 2010 | Messingham 2nds | I. Williams | A. Hardy | M. Robinson |
| 2011 | Market Rasen 2nds | G. Bierlein | G. Berlein | J. Naughton |
| 2012 | Scunthorpe Town | I. Dawson | R. Kirman | P. Bassingthwaighte |
| 2013 | Haxey | N. Wilkinson | J. Stanser | P. Bassingthwaighte |
| 2014 | Louth | I. Dawson | C. Laister | R. Binnington |
| 2015 | Cleethorpes 3rds | J. Taylor | A. Clark | T. Johnson |
| 2016 | Cleethorpes 3rds | I. Dawson | A. Osmond | C. Nash |
| 2017 | Market Rasen 2nds | I. Dawson | D. Peacock | C. Nash |
| 2018 |
Past Winners – Division 3
| Year | Winners | Batting | Bowling | Keeping |
| 1972 | Barton Town | B. Nixon | P. Townell | C. Hornsby |
| 1973 | Holton Le Clay | B. Nixon | I. McDonald | D. Lundy |
| 1974 | Messingham | H. Burtwhitle | C. Pinchin | M. Barker |
| 1975 | East Halton | G. Smith | A. Caruth | A. Arnold |
| 1976 | Ross Group | A. Hobbs | T. Genner | G. Dunderdale |
| 1977 | Broughton | C. Mumby | F. Graves | B. Skerratt |
| 1978 | St Johns | M. Simpson | D. Foster | D. Chambers |
| 1979 | Brigg town | G. Hunt | L. Arthus | A. Burnett |
| 1980 | Caistor Town | E. Allison | N. Harker | B. Marriott |
| 1981 | Outcasts | D. Ranshaw | N. Champman | B. Linnecor |
| 1982 | South Kelsey | P. Lamming | J. Steeper | A. Burnett |
| 1983 | Messingham | K. Tomlin | C. Pickles | A. Burnett |
| 1984 | Lincoln Claytons | A. Binninghton | R. Green | A. Burnett |
| 1985 | Ruston Marconi | K. Tomlin | P. Clarke | M. Corden |
| 1986 | Nettleham | A. Plant | P. Palmer | A. Plant |
| 1987 | Kirton Lindsey | A. Bramwell | M. Holt | G. Markham |
| 1988 | Alford | A. Bramwell | M. Irving | H. Willows |
| 1989 | Hykeham | P. Drew | G. Poundall | C. Keywood |
| 1990 | Brigg Town | S. Clarke | I. Rusling | C. Keywood |
| 1991 | Bracebridge Heath 2nds | I. Marland | J. Carrott | C. Keywood |
| 1992 | Keelby | W. Yates | P. Farrell | M. Dugdale |
| 1993 | Haxey | P. Palmer | G. S. Smith | S. King |
| 1994 | Market Rasen 2nds | D. Vickers | M. Kendall | C. Keywood |
| 1995 | Grimsby Town 2nds | D. Unsworth | J. Oxenforth | C. Keywood |
| 1996 | Belton 2nds | M. Burnett | J. Watson | C. Keywood |
| 1997 | Messingham 2nds | S. Kirman | C. Pinchin | C. Keywood |
| 1998 | Grimsby Town 2nds | D. Richardson | G. Silk | A. Pilgrim |
| 1999 | Messingham 2nds | G. Middleton | C. Mann | C. Keywood |
| 2000 | Market Rasen 2nds | D. King | A. Clay | A. Pilgrim |
| 2001 | Grimsby Town 2nds | J. Meddler | N. Martinson | D. Richardson |
| 2002 | Alkborough 2nds | S. Scarth | A. Clay | P. Goodhand |
| 2003 | Broughton 2nds | K Butterick | S. Raynor | P. Benson |
| 2004 | Immingham BWP | N. Gray | J. Danson | P. Goodhand |
| 2005 | Nettleham 2nds | B. Jacob | R. Smith | P. Cosgrove |
| 2006 | Scothern | N. Mann | M. Barton | S. Skipworth |
| 2007 | Holton Le Clay 2nds | N. Mann | S. Clark | N. Dobbs |
| 2008 | Louth 2nds | G. Mellors | L. Freeman | K. Blewitt |
| 2009 | Outcasts 2nds | J. Belton | P. Bradley | S. Barlow |
| 2010 | Keelby 2nds | J. Taylor | A. Smith | N. Beattie |
| 2011 | Washingborough | N. Beattie | P. Lunn | K. Blewitt |
| 2012 | Hibaldstow | M. Irving | W. Ahmed | K. Blewitt |
| 2013 | Alford | N. Calvert | B. Housam | M. Waller |
| 2014 | Cleethorpes 3rds | I. Hallam | A. Severn | T. Rollinson |
| 2015 | Hibaldstow | M. Bell | H. Cooke | A. Fisher |
| 2016 | Market Rasen 2nds | M. Knapton | G. Bierlein | T. Bradford |
| 2017 | Scothern 2nds | J. Barker | A. Stapleton | L. Graham |
| 2018 |
Note - League called 2nd XI Division 1 from 1996-2000