The first recorded cricket match involving the club was on 25th July 1868, when a match against Arden Hall, then a sort of stately mill owner's home in the Plantation Road area, took place at the present ground off Back Lane. Indeed, exposed and windy Back Lane has been Baxenden's home throughout its 124 year history. It is not known how the team fared but they must have been good, because on 22nd August that same year they took on a team by the name of Young England no less. No result is recorded for this game either.

From then on there are newspaper references to various games against teams from Haslingden and the Rossendale Valley towards the turn of the century and beyond. Details of' leagues or competitions are strangely absent but by the 1920's Baxenden were playing in the N.E. Lancashire league. The club joined the Ribblesdale Junior League in 1923 and were soon prominent members. The Junior League championship was won in 1927, 1937 and 1951, the first two after play‑offs. R. Horrock's 114 wickets in 1937 is still the most taken in a season in the Junior League. In 1953, following the split caused by the formation of the Northern League, Baxenden were elected to the Senior League, having been unbeaten in the Junior League for 21/2 years. Tom Barnes was appointed professional staying four years before joining Blackburn Northern for a further two years and returning to Baxenden as amateur and captain. Tom is something of a legend in the league with over 1000 wickets to his credit. Apart from Tom Barnes, the club has had only another ten professionals in its 40 years in the Senior League. It has been well served by its paid men, if paid is the correct word. Jack Simmons made his first venture into the professional ranks at Baxenden at the age of 19 and helped skipper Tommy Barnes to the club's first championship in 1962. Roland Gee from Bolton was an excellent slow left‑hander. And for seven years the revered gentleman and marvellous allrounder Ikrahim Elahi graced the Ribblesdale League grounds. His 961 runs in 1976 is still the club record and his 10‑25 against Read in the same season is another club best which will be hard to beat. Paul Allott helped Baxenden to its second championship in 1980 whilst first achieving a Lancashire first team place which he continues to hold with distinction. The batting was led by Kevin Lace who won the league batting prize. And in more recent times Graham Bushell after several seasons with Read became an honest‑to goodness professional for five years at Baxenden within the finances of the club never giving less than 100 per cent and staying to be an amateur captain, when the West Indian Ken McLeod took over as the club's eleventh professional. The club were honoured when Ken McLeod was selected for the League Cricket Conference XI to play the West Indian tourists at Trowbridge, Wiltshire in 1991.

The midweek version of the Ramsbottom Cup was won in 1956, the final being played over two nights at Ribblesdale Wanderers ground. Since the trophy became a one‑day affair in 1956, it has eluded the club.

The 2nd XI has won the Division 2 championship twice and twice, in 1975 and 1977, won the Lawrenson Cup. Back Lane has seen many changes over the years. No cricket was played there during the Second World War. The very successful Howard Bulloughs F.C. played soccer on virtually the whole ground. Fortunately several individuals returning from the war persuaded and cajoled twenty or so people all over the world in whom the ground was vested to cede their shares to the club. This mammoth task completed, they then set about getting the ground fit for cricket again. Once more they succeeded, for which single mindedness the present management are eternally grateful. In later years houses were built on one and a half sides of the ground and the club took advantage of the availability of services to become one of the first to erect a new pavilion incorporating a clubhouse and bar, showers etc. Bar revenues play a major part in keeping the club going? The club has during its years of full membership provided officers of' the league in the personages of Gwyn Wilson, who was Umpires Secretary for several years in the 1960's ' and 1970's, and Jim Duckworth, the present League Treasurer since 1977 and for four years before that Fixtures Secretary.