Morecambe Cricket Club looking for Meyler Cup final victory on home turf 

Morecambe Cricket Club will take on Leyland Cricket Club this weekend to determine the winner of the 2025 Meyler Cup.

MCC’s first team will go up against Leyland’s seconds this Sunday (August 17) as they compete for the trophy, and the side have a potentially crucial advantage.

The final is being held at Morecambe’s Woodhill Lane ground and will see the current Palace Shield Premier Division leaders go up against a Leyland side who are sixth in Palace Shield Division One.

That was the league that Morecambe were promoted out of last season, and across the two games played between the two sides last year, there was a win apiece.

For Morecambe, this will be their third final in four years. They have been on both the winning and losing side during that time, claiming victory over Fleetwood in 2022, but losing to Thornton Cleveleys last year.

The Meyler Cup begins with 22 teams from the Palace Shield’s Premier Division and Division One.

Morecambe received a bye in the first round, before defeating Withnell Fold in round two, Longridge’s seconds in the quarters and Penrith in the final four.

Leyland’s seconds overcame another high-flying local side in the semi final in Torrisholme, who sit fifth in the Premier Division.

Beyond Radio spoke to players and club stalwarts prior to Sunday’s showdown.

The club’s overseas amateur David Rhoda as well as long-time club servant Tommy Clough and players Alex Briggs, Ashton Ward and Andy Creech all previewed the game.

You can listen to their thoughts in full by listening to the Saturday Sport Show from August 9.

Rhoda (pictured below) has loved his time in England so far as the club’s overseas amateur and he has felt an instant connection with Morecambe.

“Morecambe has a lot of history, a lot of people who are homegrown,'' he said.

“It’s a family club with great cricketing roots, whether it’s on or off the field, there’s a great atmosphere.

“There’s so much heritage here in the buildings and the architecture, Morecambe is a prestigious town.

“My experience has been a great one so far.”

All five highlighted the importance of that home advantage and the experience of playing two Meyler Cup finals in the past.

Briggs (pictured below) said: “Any experience, winning or losing, is helpful, obviously we’ve done both in recent years and to be fair, we’ve got a pretty similar team to what we had four seasons ago and very similar to last year.''

“It’s not very often that you get the opportunity to host the final so it’s something we targeted as a group, to get there.

“Now it’s a case of performing on the day.”

As for what supporters can expect there to be at Woodhill Lane as the afternoon goes on, Clough said: “We’re hoping to have a couple of burger vans and a pizza fan for the day, to take the pressure off the people who do the teas.

“In general, it should just be a cracking day of cricket.” 

Away from the cup final, Morecambe have had a tremendous league campaign and are on course to return to the Northern League for the first time since 2021.

On the prospect of back to back promotions, Ward said: “Things are going really well, the lads are coming together and we’ve been on a great run in the league

“We’ve just got to keep our heads down.”

Creech added: “The club has got a really good buzz around it at the moment.

“I’ve been here for 15 or 16 years so to be part of a team that would put the club back where it belongs in the Northern League, I would be ecstatic.” 

Morecambe’s 1st XI v Leyland’s 2nd XI in the Meyler Cup final starts at 1pm on Sunday (August 17) at Woodhill Lane.

Road to the final

Leyland

1st Round - Bye

2nd Round - Beat Burscough by 3 runs. Leyland scored 155 all out as Carrington top scored on 47. Burscough looked comfortable at 130-5 needing 26 from 8 overs but Shackleton, Pallet and Shuttleworth all took wickets to win the game for Leyland by 3 runs, Burscough 152 all out.

Quarter Final - Beat Netherfield 2nds by 4 wickets. In a rain affected match , Netherfield scored a mammoth 268 from 40 overs as Yates made 81 and Medhurst and Royce made 50s. It looked set for them to go through however the rain came and reduced the target to 170 from 20 overs. Leyland 109-3 off 12 overs to then needing 7 from the last over, Tennant was run out from the penultimate delivery for a brilliant innings of 81 from 57 balls. Leaving two to win from obe ball, Shuttleworth hit a six to send Leyland into the semi final.

Semi Final - Beat Torrisholme by one wicket. Torrisholme made a really competitive score of 233 all out from 40 overs as Cookson made 93 not out. Leyland made a good start and gave themselves a chance needing 115 off 20 overs. Regular wickets fell though but Wright was still at the crease and brought up a magnificent 100 in the 39th over and 3 was required to win from the last over with 2 wickets left. Wright hit a single off a no ball to get the scores level but when Busby was bowled the drama wasn’t finished just yet but Shackleton held his nerve and hit a 4 to send Leyland to the final!

Morecambe

Round 1 - Bye

Round 2 - A comfortable victory at home to Withnell Fold needing 151 to win as Bland took 4-11 and Rhoda 3-19. Smith 76 not out and Rhoda 42 not out as they put on a 112 run partnership cruised Morecambe to the Quarter Finals by 9 wickets.

Quarter Final - Beat Longridge 2nds via a bowl out . Longridge set 173 to win as Morgan made 54 and Lewis Smith took 5-20. It looked set for another comfortable win as Morecambe were 78-1 off 13 overs but the rain came out and no more play was possible. A bowl out was needed to determine the winner. Lloyd Smith and David Rhoda hit the stumps as Morecambe won 2-1 to send them through to the semi final.

Semi Final - Morecambe beat Penrith by 24 runs. Morecambe collapsed from 103-2 to 145 all out, Smith top scored on 40 as Hall 4-20 and Zealand 2-16 the key bowlers for Penrith. In reply they never got going as Penrith were 27-5 and 52-8 as spinners Dixon and Rhoda and Lloyd and Lewis Smith rolled through the Penrith batters. A 45 last wicket partnership was in vain as Penrith ended 121 all out.