Exciting news for centenary year!

Ben Rhydding Cricket Club would like to confirm that, as suggested in another release earlier this week, it’s league future will be in the Theakston Nidderdale & District Amateur Cricket League for the 2021 season and beyond. While this is subject to confirmation from the Airedale and Wharfedale Senior Cricket League and the YCB, the Club are hugely excited to share the news, which it feels represents a new chapter in its 99-year history after it was unanimously voted in by members at an EGM in February. The Club feels the time is right to experience a change of pace and offer local cricketers in the area an alternative style and feel for cricket from the 2021 season onwards. The N&DACL could not have been more welcoming since our initial conversations and the Club has is convinced that this is the right move at the right time for its current and future members. The Club's first XI will start no lower than Division Four of the N&DACL and the Club is confident of progression both on and off the field as we enter this new chapter.

It means BRCC will play its first season in the N&DACL during its Centenary year, 2021, for which the Club has a calendar of exciting plans including the welcoming of the Lashings touring side to our Coutances Way ground. Neighbouring clubs have enjoyed the ‘Lashing experience’ in recent seasons and BRCC are excited to have their taste of the big day. A number of further events will be announced in due course. The news does bring to an end a 19-year stint in the AWSCL from which the Club takes only happy memories. BRCC enjoyed quite a journey with the league, joining in 2001 ahead of a bold and hugely successful transformation to the club in which a full junior section and hugely successful ladies section were formed. New practice facilities, an outdoor viewing area and vast improvements to the Club’s cricket facilities were also achieved. We look forward to joining the N&DACL next season a far better club than the one that joined the AWSCL all those years ago.

The club's junior section will continue in the Airedale & Wharfedale Junior Cricket League. On the field, the Club’s most successful period in the AWSCL came at the turn of the decade when the first team enjoyed back-to-back promotions and competed in the 2012 Waddilove Cup final, losing out to Collingham by one run in what was surely one of the greatest finals in the competition’s history. The second team has been a success throughout its time in the AWSCL and enjoyed promotion alongside the first team in 2011. We thank the League and colleague clubs within the AWSCL for the friendship and fond memories BRCC has enjoyed during a seminal two decades in its history. We leave the AWSCL on exceptionally good terms and look forward to a bright future. Yours in cricket,

The BRCC Committee