The first recorded match played by a Rufford Team was reported in the Ormskirk Advertiser and involved a home game against Preston Park Cricket Club, the date 2nd. June, 1883. This means that Rufford Cricket Club will celebrate its 120th. Anniversary in 2003!

Early games were played in Rufford New Hall Grounds near to the lodge before a wicket was created on Rufford Recreation Ground where matches were played up until the club's move to its present ground (Cousins Lane) in 1952.

Apart from the war years matches seem to have been played constantly through the years and Junior Cricket sides have been in evidence on and off through the decades.

Five years ago, following a General Committee initiative to attract more youngsters to the game, the club found coaches willing to run more Junior teams and we now have teams at U-11, U-13, U-15, and U-18 competing in the Southport & District Amateur Leagues throughout the season. Rufford are one of the few clubs in the league to have representation at every junior level and during the last few seasons have achieved some notable successes:

The weekly matches played are as follows:
1st and 2nd X1 Matches are played on Saturday Afternoons
U-18's Matches are played on Monday Evenings
U-15's Matches are played on Wednesday Evenings
U-13's Matches are played on Thursday Evenings
U-11's Matches are arranged with the opposition for an agreed time during the week

We have also been having Kwick Cricket Sessions for those below the Under 11 age range that are held at the club on Saturday mornings.

Over the years we have had several of our juniors selected to play for the Southport League representative sides and all of them have performed well in these games. The Junior Membership represents the future of Rufford Cricket Club and we are always on the look out for new players at both Junior and especially at Senior Level.

If you are interested in becoming a member please contact Jeff Gordon (Assistant Secretary) on 01704 821992 (evenings).

BACK ROW L - R Jack Ashcroft, Bill Moss, Mr. Glover, Douglas Leadbetter, George Caunce, Reg Iddon FRONT ROW L - R Jack Almond, Robert Southworth, Linton Ashcroft, Reg Hinchcliffe & Kenneth Lingard	Rufford Cricket Team 1930's
Back Row L-R Gerald Davies, Jim Sephton, Jack Wignall, David Almond, Danny Goodyear, Jim Chadwick Front Row L-R Scorer Unknown (Boy) John Forshaw, Norman Davies, Harry Caunce, Harry Le Marinel, Bill Golding.	Year ????
Back Row L - R H.Caunce, J. Chadwick, L. Ashcroft, H. LeMarinel, N. Davies, S. McGill, T. Mason (Scorer) Front Row L - R S. Parker, T. Lingard, J. Sephton, J. Wignall, J. Forshaw	Year ????
Centre Front - Ian Caunce Scorer - Guy Turnbull BACK ROW L - R ???? - Can you help? FRONT ROW L - R ???? - Can you help?	Sandhurst Shield Finalists, 1980
BACK ROW L - R R.Elliott, S. McGlone, N. McHuhen, G. Bullen, A. Thorpe, D. Wilson FRONT ROW L - R A. Dagnall, T. Taylor, C. Gordon, A. Upton, D. Brookfield, S. Wooldridge	Under 13's, 1998 (First Year)
BACK ROW L - R J. Davies, A. Chadwick, T. Caslake, R. Taylor, A. Jarvis, R. Iddon FRONT ROW L - R S. Turner, J. Highton, M. Golding, D. Blundell, J. Iddon	Under 15's, 1998