Westmorland Cricket League announces teams for 2024 season 

Ten new teams will join the Westmorland Cricket League for the 2024 season.

The league, which is set to start up the next campaign in April, announced the teams for each division last week.

Appleby Eden, Kirkby Stephen and Lindal Moor will join next year’s first division which features 14 teams overall.

The other sides in the division are Arnside, Bare, Burneside, Carnforth 2nds, Holme, Kendal 2nds, Morecambe 2nds, Sedgwick, Shireshead & Forton, Silverdale and Warton.

Appleby Eden rejoin the WCL having played in the league previously from 1960 to 1967. 

They and Kirkby Stephen have both left the Eden Valley League to join the WCL, while Lindal Moor join from the Cumbria League.

Penrith’s 2nds, who were members of the League in 2018 and 2019, are re-joining in Division 2 after five years away.

For the first time since Bentham CC folded, the WCL will have two clubs from Yorkshire, with Settle’s 2nd team entering Division 2. 

With Ingleton winning Division 3 and thus gaining promotion, there will a North Yorkshire derby next year. 

There are 16 teams in Division 2 next year, the others being Ambleside, Burneside 2nds, Cartmel, Coniston, Heysham 2nds, Kirkby Lonsdale, Milnthorpe, Morecambe 3rds, Netherfield 3rds, Sedgwick 2nds, Shireshead & Forton 2nds, Trimpell and Westgate 2nds.

Two new sides, Appleby Eden 2nds and Lindal Moor 2nds, will play in Division 3 along with Arnside 2nds, Bare 2nds, Bolton le Sands, Carnforth 3rds, Galgate, Holme 2nds, Leven Valley, Morecambe 4ths, Sedbergh School 2nds and Shireshead & Forton 3rds, Silverdale 2nds and Windermere.

Each team in every division will play 22 games with the aim of there being 4 Saturday divisions with 12 teams in most, if not all, divisions in 2025.Division 4, a Sunday division played on a regional basis, will have three new teams: Kirkby Stephen 2nds, Settle 3rds and Millom 3rds. 

The other teams in Division 4 will be 

Appleby Eden 3rds, Burneside 3rds, Coniston 2nds, Heysham 3rds, Ingleton 2nds, Kendal 3rds, Kirkby Lonsdale 2nds, Milnthorpe 2nds Netherfield 4ths, Sedbergh School 3rds, Shireshead & Forton 4ths, Ulverston 3rds, Sedgwick 3rds and Westgate 3rds.

Anyone interested in becoming an umpire, something the WCL are asking for due to additional matches, should contact League Secretary Tim Mansfield or Umpire Appointment Secretary Peter Gladstone.