William Lawton (4 June 1920 – 14 August 2008) was an English cricketer. Lawton was a right-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace. He was born in Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire. Having played for the Lancashire Second XI since 1946, he made his first-class debut for the senior Lancashire team in 1948 against the touring Australians. Lawton did not take a wicket in this match, and was dismissed for a duck by Bill Johnston in Lancashire's first-innings. His second and final first-class match came in the same season against Oxford University. In Lancashire's first-innings, Lawton scored three runs before being dismissed by Basil Robinson. His only first-class wicket came in Oxford's first-innings when he took the wicket of Philip Whitcombe. He later played for Cumberland, making his d