Cherry Tree are hoping their forthcoming T20 Birtwistle Cup is more 2024 than 2025 as they bid to marry challenging in the cups with a promotion bid from the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League’s Championship division.
Two summers ago, the Blackburn club reached the quarter-finals, winning three of their five games in Group 2 North.
Last season didn’t match that, with them only winning two games and missing out on the last eight. But confidence is high ahead of this summer’s edition, which begins on Friday.
“We’ve got a decent squad,” said club captain Andreas Sudnik.
“It’s been a decent start to the season for us, and it will be something where we want to win games to keep that momentum going.”
There’s no doubt – and this will ring true for a lot of clubs across the NWCL – that this competition is down the pecking order when it comes to priorities for this summer.
Promotion is clearly the main goal for Sudnik and co, who have so far played six, won three and lost two added to Saturday’s abandonment at home to Baxenden when they were well placed at 145-3 after 30 overs before rain.
“We certainly have aspirations to get into that top two places in the league this year, 100 percent,” continued Sudnik.
“We finished one and a bit wins behind second place last year, so that tells you a story that we were there and thereabouts. And the last four games, we had three of them rained off.”
Sudnik’s confidence for the league comes despite a “bit of a rebuild”.
They have lost the Elwood brothers Charlie and Owen, to Baxenden and Brinscall respectively, but former professional Ross Bretherton is back with them as an amateur.
With the mention of a rebuild, that will increase the importance of T20 cricket for the club this year, who can use the competition as somewhat of a development tool.
They are in Group 2 North again this year, alongside Barrowford, Baxenden, Oswaldtwistle Immanuel and Salesbury.
Each team plays each other once, with the top two teams from each of the four groups heading through to the quarter-finals ahead of Finals Day on Sunday July 26. Read are the defending champions.
Cherry Tree kick things off at home to Oswaldtwistle on Friday (6.15pm).
Sudnik is sitting out the T20s this year, with Mark Hadfield taking over captaincy duties for a side who have Mini Bhada as professional and Australian all-rounder Hudson Walshaw as overseas amateur.
“We’ll have some young lads in the team, and it’s one of those where you go, ‘Ok, can they step up, let’s have a look at them’. If they’re good enough, they’ll play more down the line.
“We have got quite a big squad to be fair.
“We’ve done well in the T20s in recent years, so fingers crossed that can happen again for us.”
And in terms of off the field for Friday T20 nights at the club, Sudnik added: “We are generally a well-supported club, which is great. If it’s nice weather, we have a barbecue and a band on, and a lot of people come down and watch.”
Cherry Tree are also into the second round of the Hamer Cup having won their first-round tie away at Lostock on Sunday just gone.
Thursday May 21: Group 1 North – Earby v Padiham, Read v Foulridge, Ribblesdale Wanderers v Barnoldswick. Group 2 North – Baxenden v Barrowford, Cherry Tree v Oswaldtwistle Immanuel. Group 1 South – Atherton v Little Lever, Brinscall v Farnworth Social Circle, Walkden v Farnworth. Group 2 South – Kearsley v Blackrod, Lostock v Eagley, Tonge v Astley Bridge. All matches, 6.15pm start.
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Captain Jack Welch says Atherton are planning a few changes to try and reverse their fortunes in T20 cricket as the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League’s Birtwistle Cup prepares for lift off.
T20 cricket generally evokes a good feeling, with sun and sixes galore.
Unfortunately, for Atherton, it has been anything but since the NWCL’s inception in 2023.
In the three completed seasons of the shortest format, they have finished bottom of their group on each occasion. In all, they have won only two of 15 matches in that time.
Things clearly need to change, and that’s what Welch and the rest of the Atherton hierarchy are looking at ahead of their latest Group 1 South campaign, which begins for them at home to Little Lever this coming Friday night (6.15pm).
“We were obviously disappointed with last year,” said Welch.
“As a team, we thought we were better than where we finished, but we only had ourselves to blame for that. We’re obviously hoping to bounce back this year.
“The main thing which let us down last year was our fielding and our ruthlessness. At times, we’d be in winning positions and would let teams off the hook.
“But we haven’t been good enough for a while.
“T20 is something we’ve struggled with in the last few years, so we’ll probably make a few changes and see where it takes us.”
Also in Atherton’s group are Brinscall, Farnworth, Farnworth Social Circle, Little Lever and Walkden. The group actually kicks off on Thursday when Brinscall host Social Circle.
Atherton head into this campaign with a new professional. Former West Indies Test player Shayne Moseley hasn’t returned to Higham Park for 2026. He has been replaced by Indian all-rounder Raghavendra Pratap.
Bajan all-rounder Jamaine Bullen, however, remains as overseas amateur.
“The new pro got a hundred a couple of weekends ago (in our win) against Brinscall and looked really good,” said Welch. “We’re looking forward to seeing more of that from him throughout the season.
“He’s a batting all-rounder, but his bowling’s really good. He bowls seam.”
Despite recent disappointments in this competition, Welch wants his players to enjoy their Friday nights.
“Promotion is the main aim for us, definitely. We want to get back up as quickly as possible,” he said. “So there’s a bit less pressure on the T20s, and it allows people to enjoy it a bit more.
“It also gives you the chance to try a few things, change the order and change your bowlers, give people chances and what have you.”
Along with enjoyment on the field, Welch is hoping there is likewise over the other side of the boundary rope over the next month or so.
“We’ve had things like food and music, those kind of things, in the past,” added Welch.
“But one thing we have, which is quite big for us, is that junior training takes place before we play our T20 home games on a Friday night. So it’s always busy, there’s a good crowd on, and it’s generally a good atmosphere.
“It’s a good opportunity for the juniors to watch, the families as well, and hopefully we can put on a bit of entertainment for them.”
Atherton have so far won two and lost two league games in the Championship added to an abandonment on Saturday, away at Eagley.
