halliwell initially played minor counties championship cricket for cheshire from 1978 to 1979. he later joined cumberland, making his debut for the county in the 1981 minor counties championship against the lancashire second xi. halliwell played minor counties cricket for cumberland from 1981 to 1990, including 59 minor counties championship matches and 7 mcca knockout trophy matches. in 1984, he made his list a debut against derbyshire in the natwest trophy. he played five further list a matches for cumberland, the last of which came against lancashire in the 1989 natwest trophy. in his five list a matches, he scored 28 runs at a batting average of 14.00, with a high score of 25*. with the ball he took 9 wickets at a bowling average of 25.44, with best figures of 4/57. his best figures came against middlesex in the 1985 natwest trophy.