View on Zencastr Join Tom and Jamie for a cursory look back at the momentous end to the 2025 season, and a slightly more enthusiastic look ahead to the coming Ashes. Who will win? Who will have a good series? Why does Tom hate his country so much, and why is Jamie so bad at the "sit around naming guys" game?

The most eagerly awaited Ashes series since the last one is almost upon us - and the question on everyone’s lips is whether England have what it takes to win in Australia for the first time since 2010/11. With the first Test due to start in Perth in the wee small hours, Merseyside Cricket Online surveyed a number of local cricket figures to get their predictions and thoughts ahead of the series.

The most eagerly awaited Ashes series since the last one is almost upon us - and the question on everyone’s lips is whether England have what it takes to win in Australia for the first time since 2010/11. With the first Test due to start in Perth in the wee small hours, Merseyside Cricket Online surveyed a number of local cricket figures to get their predictions and thoughts ahead of the series.

View on Zencastr Join Tom and Jamie for a cursory look back at the momentous end to the 2025 season, and a slightly more enthusiastic look ahead to the coming Ashes. Who will win? Who will have a good series? Why does Tom hate his country so much, and why is Jamie so bad at the "sit around naming guys" game?

Look back on the Love Lane Liverpool Competition season just gone with Merseyside Cricket Online... features:Full souvenir coverage of Ormskirk's historic win at Lord's and the all-Comp Lancashire kno

Here is how you can get your digital hands on a 40-page ebook celebrating a historic summer of cricket. The Merseyside Cricket Online Story of 2025 features highlights from Merseyside Cricket Online's coverage of the season's biggest moments - including Ormskirk's win at Lord's and the all-Comp Lancashire Cup final. It also features full results from all three 1st XI divisions - and My 2025, a new and exclusive series of articles featuring a handful of the people who make local cricket tick. To get yours, click here!

Here is how you can get your digital hands on a 40-page ebook celebrating a historic summer of cricket. The Merseyside Cricket Online Story of 2025 features highlights from Merseyside Cricket Online's coverage of the season's biggest moments - including Ormskirk's win at Lord's and the all-Comp Lancashire Cup final. It also features full results from all three 1st XI divisions - and My 2025, a new and exclusive series of articles featuring a handful of the people who make local cricket tick. To get yours, click here!

Words by HENRY ECCLES Phill O'Brien, Chairman of Wavertree Cricket Club In mid-September, Phill O’Brien was walking down the path that ran alongside Wavertree Cricket Club when he bumped into a woman walking her dog. Unaware that she was speaking to Wavertree’s chairman, she mentioned the work the cricket club had done replacing the wall that used to block the community’s view of the ground with a much more open fence.

Mattie McKiernan made more than 1,100 league runs... is he in the Team of the Year? (yes) For nearly six months, the finest cricketers in the region have scrapped and strived for a place in this... the ECB Premier Division Team of the Year. The rules are simple, but worth repeating: One player from each club, in a balanced XI, with a 12th player from the bottom side.

Liverpool's Finn Hulbert bowled his side to promotion... has he made the team of the year?Picture by ANGUS MATHESON This week's squabbling over England's Ashes squad was merely a preamble to this, the Merseyside Cricket Online Division One Team of the Year. The rules are simple, but worth repeating: One player from each club, in a balanced XI, with a 12th player from the bottom side.

Ainsdale's Dilanka Auwardt took 106 wickets in the league... is he in the Team of the Year?Picture by ROGER GREEN It's that time of year again... with no cricket until April, what better way to spend the next few months than arguing about the Merseyside Cricket Online Division Two Team of the Year? The rules are simple, but worth repeating: One player from each club, in a balanced XI, with a 12th player from the bottom side.

Jamie Barnes celebrates getting Penzance skipper Brad Wadlan It was possibly the first knee-slide ever attempted on the main square at Lord’s, and it will probably be the last. But Jamie Barnes can be forgiven for getting lost in the moment. He had just taken the key wicket of Penzance captain Brad Wadlan, the last specialist batter standing in Ormskirk’s way, with their opponents still 94 runs short of their target.

Jamie Barnes celebrates getting Penzance skipper Brad Wadlan It was possibly the first knee-slide ever attempted on the main square at Lord’s, and it will probably be the last. But Jamie Barnes can be forgiven for getting lost in the moment. He had just taken the key wicket of Penzance captain Brad Wadlan, the last specialist batter standing in Ormskirk’s way, with their opponents still 94 runs short of their target.

Toby Bulcock (right) takes it all in after Ormskirk win the ECB National Club Championship Winning the ECB National Club Championship was a career highlight for all of Ormskirk’s players on Saturday - including the one man who has touched similar heights before. Toby Bulcock was the star when Cumberland won the Minor Counties Championship in 2015, taking 7/45 across two innings in a 10-wicket win over Oxfordshire in Carlisle.

Calum Turner on his way to 111 for Ormskirk at Lord's Calum Turner skipped his brother’s wedding to play at Lord’s - and made amends with a unique gift. “I've offered him my man of the match medal,” he said, after his superb 111 led Ormskirk to victory in the ECB National Club Championship. On a sticky wicket, he was the only man to consistently time the ball, scoring heavily square of the wicket and occasionally climbing into a straight drive worthy of the grand setting.

Ormskirk in the Lord's dressing room after their win On Friday, the day before the ECB National Knockout final, Ormskirk’s players were settling into the visitors’ dressing room at Lord’s when there was a knock on the door. “We were getting comfortable, putting our bags in, and a tour came in with 20 people,” captain Gary Knight recalled. “The guide said, oh sorry, excuse me, do you mind if we do the tour?

Words by HENRY ECCLES Lancashire's Ellie Threlkeld in action (Photo by Ashley Allen - ECB/ECB via Getty Images) It’s 118 days since Ellie Threlkeld led Lancashire to their first professional trophy - now they have the chance to double up. Having seen off Surrey in the Vitality County T20 in May, the Red Rose side take on Hampshire in the Women’s One-Day Cup final today.

Ormskirk are national champions, the first Love Lane Liverpool Competition side ever to claim the honour, after battling to a 25-run win over Penzance at Lord's. Opener Calum Turner made his sixth century of the season as Gary Knight's side, asked to bat first under threatening skies, posted a lopsided 217, bowled out in the last of their 40 overs.

Follow all the action from Lord's as Ormskirk stake their claim to be the first National winners in the Love Lane Liverpool Competition's history... first ball at 11am.

Follow all the action from Lord's as Ormskirk stake their claim to be the first National winners in the Love Lane Liverpool Competition's history... first ball at 11am.

Ormskirk are champions, Birkenhead Park are down, Liverpool, Ainsdale and Northop Hall are promoted. Congratulations or commiserations to all, as appropriate. But there is still plenty to play for in the final round of fixtures... Premier Division – Relegation Battle Premier Division relegation battle Sep 20 Points Wins BatP BowlP HtH Wigan NOR A 184 4 50 49 26 Colwyn Bay BOO H 160 3 51 44 24 …

Ormskirk celebrate winning the Love Lane Liverpool Competition title “It will be a great day in the history of Ormskirk Cricket Club - but it could be the greatest.” Gary Knight has learned a lot in his five years as captain, including apparently how to write a killer intro to a cup final preview. Maybe winning the Love Lane Liverpool Competition every year is getting old, and he’s setting his sights on adding a few cricket journalism awards to the trophy cabinet.

Penzance CC celebrate winning the Cornwall Premier League 2025 They’ve dominated their league in recent years thanks to a big-scoring top order and a destructive seam attack. Now they are looking to become the first club from their region to win the ECB National Club Championship. Ormskirk might feel like they’re playing in a mirror when they line up against Penzance on Saturday.