The Palace Shield, officially known as the MHA Palace Shield for sponsorship reasons, is a

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

competition based in Preston and surrounding districts in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated ''Lancs'') is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to ...

, England. There are eight divisions in the main Saturday competition, three Sunday leagues, a Twenty20 competition and a junior competition.

Test Test(s), testing, or TEST may refer to: * Test (assessment), an educational assessment intended to measure the respondents' knowledge or other abilities Arts and entertainment * ''Test'' (2013 film), an American film * ''Test'' (2014 film) ...

cricketers such as

Andrew Flintoff Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff (born 6 December 1977), is an English television and radio presenter and former international cricketer. Flintoff played all forms of the game and was one of the sport's leading all-rounders, a fast bowler, middle-ord ...

and Simon Kerrigan began their careers in the Palace Shield, although it remains a competition for amateurs only. Richard Gleeson who played One Day International and Twenty20 Cricket for

England Cricket Team The England men's cricket team represents cricket in England, England and cricket in Wales, Wales in international cricket. Since 1997, it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), having been previously governed by Maryleb ...

also played in the competition. In 2024, changes were made to the competition which saw a coalition between the

Northern Premier Cricket League The Northern Premier Cricket League is a cricket league in the North West of England and was designated as an ECB Premier League in 2000. Prior to that date it was known as the Northern Cricket League. Because the Northern Premier Cricket Leag ...

(NCPL), the Palace Shield and the Westmorland Cricket League. It resulted in the NCPL becoming a two-division league, leaving the Palace Shield as an amateur competition and incorporating the Westmorland League into the pyramid in a more recognised fashion than previously. Division One and Division Two of the NCPL will have ten teams, as will the Palace Shield Premier Division.

Clubs

Teams for the 2025 season:

Palace Shield Premier Division (12 teams)

* Burneside * Eccleston * Fylde * Heysham * Lancaster * Kirkham & Wesham * Morecambe * Penrith * Preston * Rufford * Torrisholme * Westgate

Northern Premier Cricket League Division One (10 teams)

* Blackpool * Chorley * Fleetwood * Fulwood & Broughton * Garstang * Kendal * Leyland * Longridge * Netherfield * Settle

Northern Premier Cricket League Division Two (10 teams)

* Barrow * Carlisle * Carnforth * Euxton * Great Eccleston * Mawdesley * Penwortham * St Annes * Thornton-Cleveleys * Vernon Carus

References

External links

Palace Shield website
English domestic cricket competitions Cricket in Lancashire {{English-domestic-cricket-competition-stub