The earliest record of cricket at Atherton was in 1872 when, rather significantly, the club was known, as now, as Atherton Cricket Club, before its name changed to Howe Bridge Cricket Club in the early 1900's. The Club's benefactors at the time were the pit-owning Fletcher family. Following nationalization of the collieries, the club became part of the Atherton Collieries Joint Welfare Association (A.C.J.W.).and took the name Atherton Collieries. The wheel of history, however, turned a full circle in 1965 when "Collieries" was dropped from the title and the club returned to its original name.

The club's first ground was off Lovers Lane on land known as "The Old Chain", and the first century for the club was scored by Edgar Pearson in 1920 against Weaste CC,  former president Tom Boardman scored the highest Cross Cup Score of 166 against A & T Collieries in 1938 . Following the end of the First World War in 1919, an old army hut was acquired and converted into a pavilion , used until the present pavilion was opened.

Two of the famous sons of the cricket club are Colin Hilton & Karl Brown, Both of them were County players and  Karl has played for England through the junior teams, both of them were members of Lancashire First Team.

The contribution of the president of the club  {  JOHN CHARLSON } was recognised recently and he was made Vice President of Lancashire County CC in recognition of service to Atherton CC & Bolton & District Cricket Association & Lancashire School Cricket Under 11s.