The ECB National Club Cricket Championship is a forty over limited overs knockout club cricket competition in England. The most successful clubs have been Scarborough, from North Yorkshire, with five titles and Old Hill, from Staffordshire, with four. The current holders are Shepherd’s Bush Cricket Club, from Middlesex
The competition was originally only open to "senior" cricket sides (sides playing in the senior county leagues) and in 1972 the National Village Cup competition was formed for village sides unable to enter this competition. In 1997 the ECB released a blueprint to the future of cricket written by Lord MacLaurin called "Raising the Standards", the report suggested counties created county board ran leagues, designed to raise the standard of club cricket and bridge the gap between Club and county cricket. This led to the creation of the ECB Premier Leagues. Preference for entry to the competition was given to clubs in ECB Premier Leagues, although lower-level clubs are able to take part if they can be accommodated.
The format has largely stayed the same from the initial season to the present day. All teams are split into 16 regional knockouts, with the 16 winners going into a national round.
Winners
Source:
Competition name Due to sponsorship, the competition has been known by the following names: PeriodName1969–1975 DH Robins Cup1976–1982 John Haig Trophy1983–1986 William Younger Cup1987–1990 Cockspur Cup1991–1992 Club Cricket Championship1993–1998 Abbot Ale Cup1999–2000 Club Cricket Championship2001–2002 Club Cricket Championship - sponsored by play-cricket.com2003 Club Cricket Championship2004–2008 Cockspur Cup2009–2012 ECB National Club Championship2013–present Rothesay ECB National Club Championship
See also Village cricket
References
External links ECB National Club Cricket Championship