Lancashire’s Over 60s made a superb start to the 2026 National Inter County Championships with a determined run to the National Cup semi-final at Club 147, Leicester. The Red Rose side battled through a demanding weekend, showing resilience, quality and proper county spirit as they secured impressive wins and carried Lancashire deep into the opening finals event of the national campaign.
Lancashire’s Over 60s produced a proud and hard-fought run at the 2026 National Inter County Finals at Club 147, Leicester, showing grit, quality and real Red Rose spirit as they fought their way through a demanding weekend to reach the National Cup semi-final. The Over 60s weekend also marks the start of the National Inter County Championships for 2026, with the main events now set to begin this week at Richardson’s, Hemsby, where counties from across the nation will battle it out in the headline competitions.
Strong start for Lancashire at the National Inter County Championship
Over the course of two intense days, Lancashire showed they could mix it with the very best on the national stage, coming through big matches and refusing to let disappointment define their campaign.
The weekend began on Saturday morning in the Championship last 16, where Lancashire were drawn against Derbyshire. There was no gentle introduction to finals weekend, but Lancashire settled well and delivered a controlled, determined performance to secure a 7-4 victory. It was an ideal start — professional, composed and packed with the kind of resilience needed to survive and thrive in knockout county action.
West Midlands end Championship hopes
That win sent Lancashire into the Championship quarter-final against West Midlands, another heavyweight test. This time Lancashire were unable to build on their earlier momentum, with West Midlands producing a strong display to take the match 7-2. It brought Lancashire’s Championship journey to an end, but importantly it did not end their weekend.
Lancashire respond with Cup quarter-final win over Kent
With the National Cup still to come on Sunday, Lancashire had another shot at making a deep run — and they were not about to let it pass them by.
Sunday morning brought fresh focus and a new opportunity, and Lancashire grabbed it. In the National Cup quarter-final, they faced Kent with a place in the last four on the line. Lancashire responded superbly, turning in one of their standout performances of the weekend to defeat Kent 7-4. It was a result built on discipline, nerve and big-match bottle — exactly the qualities required when the stakes rise and the pressure starts to bite.
Staffordshire edge semi-final battle
That victory booked Lancashire’s place in the National Cup semi-final, where they met Staffordshire at 12:30pm on Sunday. Once again Lancashire competed strongly, but Staffordshire proved just too sharp in the crucial moments and took the tie 7-4. It was a painful way to fall, one match short of the final, but it should not overshadow what Lancashire had achieved across the weekend. Reaching the last four of a national competition is no small feat, and Lancashire earned that place through hard work and proper county character.
What made Lancashire’s campaign especially impressive was the way they responded after their Championship exit. Some teams would have faded after a quarter-final loss, but Lancashire regrouped, reset and came again. That response said everything about the side’s mentality. They showed togetherness, determination and the ability to deliver when there was still something significant to fight for.
Lancashire’s route to the National Cup semi-final was clear and deserved: first a 7-4 win over Derbyshire in the Championship last 16, then after falling to West Midlands in the Championship quarter-final, they returned on Sunday to beat Kent 7-4 in the Cup quarter-final before bowing out 7-4 to Staffordshire in the semi-final.
Momentum builds ahead of Richardson’s, Hemsby
It was a weekend that may not have ended with silverware, but it certainly ended with pride.
For Lancashire Over 60s, Leicester 2026 was a reminder that this county remains a force at national level. They stood tall, won key matches, and carried the Red Rose deep into finals weekend. A semi-final place in the National Cup is an achievement worth celebrating — and with the wider National Inter County Championships now moving on to Richardson’s, Hemsby, Lancashire’s strong start gives the county plenty of momentum heading into the main week of action.