Around the Leagues: Pre-season news (North)

Castleford, defending Yorkshire Premier League North champions, have pulled off a major coup with the signing of Hayden Walsh Jr.

The club’s latest overseas recruit, a dashing left-handed batsman and a right-arm leg-spin bowler, has represented West Indies and the USA, and played franchise cricket around the globe.

Genuine all-rounder Walsh (above), born in the Virgin Islands, has been to Savile Park before: he visited, in 2024, as a spectator, while starring in the T20 Blast for Worcestershire Rapids.

Cas’s dazzling roster of domestic signings includes quick bowler Nash Charles (Carlton), Pontefract & District League stalwart Chris Colley (Pledwick), Sam Lingard (Heworth), Simon Parker (Carlton) and Owen Smith (Barnsley Woolley Miners).

Smith, described by Cas as a “really exciting prospect”, heads to Savile Park after wintering Down Under with the Melbourne-domiciled Deepdene Bears club.

Arriving fresh from securing a rookie contract with Yorkshire, teenager Smith, selected already for England Young Lions, had been with the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League’s Barnsley, his hometown club, since the age of eight.

Harrogate have unveiled a clutch of signings, headlined by overseas professional Kaumal Nanayakkara, a left-arm spinner.

This will be Nanayakkara’s second season in Britain, having been a reliable wicket-taker, in 2025, for the Chigwell-based Fives & Heronians club, members of the ECB-rated Essex League.

At home in Sri Lanka, Harrogate’s new recruit plays for CWCC in the Major League tournament Group A, and has taken over 140 wickets in 34 first-class matches.

Harrogate welcome back, after a brief yet successful stay with the Home Counties Premier League’s top-flight Banbury club, stylish batsman Arjun ‘Rammy’ Ramkumar, who amassed 350 runs last season for the NCCA’s Oxfordshire.

Other returnees, each with Loughborough University connections, include pacer Will Bere and batsman Harry Allinson. The latter has played for Yorkshire’s Second XI.

Also joining the St George’s Road squad is Eddie Batchelor, who last season hit 700 runs, at an average of 40, for the Nidderdale & District Amateur League’s Pateley Bridge.

Knaresborough, looking to build on an impressive Premier Division debut season, have made two eye-catching bowling signings.

James Wade comes in from Acomb and Jonty Moorhouse from Sheriff Hutton Bridge.

The Aspin Lane men, who finished seventh last season, taking several notable scalps along the way, will be captained by Greg Pickles, veteran of 242 club appearances.

Pickles told Knaresborough’s socials: “We realised where we needed to strengthen the team and we’ve pretty much covered that now. I’m excited. It’s shaping up well.”

“We’ve signed James to bolster the seam and batting attacks. He’ll be a great signing. Jonty will bring another option – and plenty of energy – to the spin attack.”

Leg-spinning all-rounder Louie Wilson, earmarked by Pickles as a promising young talent, has linked up with Knaresborough from Studley Royal.

Wilson, who last season in Championship West scored more than 600 runs and took 30 wickets, has played for Yorkshire at Second XI and Academy levels.

Zingari to York

York, also of the Premier Division, have brought in all-rounder Nathan Johnson from fellow top-flight club Hull Zingari.

Having started out with the defunct Fenners club, Johnson has been with Zingari, bar a single season at Bridlington, since his early teens, a decade or so ago.

Last season, during which he captained Zingari, seamer Johnson contributed 47 wickets, at 21.77 apiece, adding 282 runs, at an average of 16.59, from the middle order.

York have signed Emma Sands (above), a wicketkeeper/batter from Melbourne. (Image: York CC / X).

A player-coach at Melbourne Cricket Club, Sands will lead York’s under-nine section (boys and girls), alongside her own league cricket in the YPLN.

Edward Burch, an all-rounder with Yorkshire Second XI and Academy experience, joins Clifton Alliance, York’s cheek-by-jowl neighbours, from the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League’s Hallam club.

Burch bowls right-arm off-spin and is a right-handed middle-order batsman.

In all competitions last season, Burch took 71 wickets, 36 of which were in the YCSPL’s Premier Division. 

Premier Division newcomers Carlton Towers’ 2026 recruits include talented batsman Savraj Nijjar, who joins from the Lincolnshire Premier League’s Scunthorpe Town.

After five years of ECB Premier League cricket, Nijjar has more than 1,500 First XI runs to his credit.

Young Wheldrake all-rounder Henry Nurse, a promising talent, has also made a close-season switch to Fishponds.

George Addy, trialling and training with Leicestershire and Somerset under his belt, has swapped Harrogate for Premier Division rivals Woodhouse Grange, where he is expected to bring quality and depth to the bowling attack.

Grange have also brought in Tom Wilson, from Easingwold, whom he has captained.

Lee Goddard takes over, in 2026, as Grange captain in succession to James Finch, who has stepped down.

Sheriff Hutton Bridge, another top-flight club, have had a busy winter of recruitment.

Bridge have swooped for George Hanson (Clifton Alliance), Connor Hyde (Castleford), Alex Jenkins (York) and Oli Shepherd (Acomb).

Jenkins is no stranger to Sheriff Hutton Bridge, having played for the club, between 2021 and 2023, at under-13, under-15 and under-19 levels.

Jenkins is also a leading light of the First XI at St Peter’s School, York.

By joining Bridge, Hyde ends a successful, 12-year association with Castleford.

North Yorkshire & South Durham Premier League big guns Richmondshire have brought all-rounder Owen Kelly back to Hurgill Road for 2026.

Kelly heads to the Premier Division club after successful spells with NYSD rivals Marton and, last year, Bedale.

In 2025, for Bedale, who finished fourth in Division One, Kelly struck 586 runs, at an average of 32.56, and took 26 wickets, at 17.15 apiece.

David Shaw, from the Pontefract & District League’s Notton club, has joined Richmondshire over the close-season.

Meanwhile, on March 28, at a celebratory open day, the Mayor of Richmond, Cllr Carl Tate, opened Richmondshire’s newly refurbished club sports bar.

Sam Parry-skippered Saltburn, Richmondshire’s top-flight rivals, have recruited no fewer than five players from neighbours Guisborough, of Division One.

Ryan Dobson, Matthew Hood, Harry Howell, Sam Spenceley and Gary Wright are bound for Marske Mill Lane, along with fellow signings Matthew Austin and Fred Nicholls, each from Marske, Jack Verrill, latterly with Skelton Castle, and Joe Emmerson, from Norton.

Jay Allison has left Saltburn for Second Division Whitby.

Marton, Premier Division runners-up last year to Barnard Castle, have brought in Saltburn’s Gareth Shaw.

Over the close-season, Marton have constructed a composite balcony, to improve the facilities at their already-impressive Stokesley Road ground.

Stokesley welcome Joey Snow, a right-arm, leg-spinning all-rounder, and an accomplished fielder, from Premier Division rivals Middlesbrough.

Last year, Snow, noted for his ability to generate sharp turn, took 52 wickets at 21.75 apiece. His best figures were 5-14.

Snow has spent the off-season in Australia, playing for the Dandenong-based St Mary’s Cricket Club.

Stokesley have picked up Ben Flower, previously with Swarkestone, whose First XI play in the top division of the ECB-rated Derbyshire County League, together with Pickering’s promising youngster Evan Morris.

In the NYSD’s showpiece Kerridge Cup knockout competition, Stokesley, beaten by Barnard Castle in the 2025 final, face Division One newcomers Rockcliffe Park in the preliminary round. Victory would set up a first-round visit to Norton.

Ankur Malik, heralded as a dynamic, leg-spinning all-rounder, will be Middlesbrough’s overseas professional this season.

At home in India, Malik (below) plays first-class cricket for Sikkim and has represented North East Zone in the Duleep Trophy.

Jack English-captained Marske, promoted to the Premier Division after finishing runners-up last season to Division One champions Darlington, are looking forward to the challenge of facing the NYSD’s leading teams.

Hard-hitting batter Faz Noor, the former Middlesbrough player, gave Marske plenty of close-season publicity by reaching the final of the BBC’s hit TV series, The Traitors. 

First Division Great Ayton, relegated from the top-flight last season, have recruited Martin Philpott from neighbours Guisborough.

Thornaby, Ayton’s divisional rivals, have added to their squad Joe Clarkson (Northallerton), Jack Donovan (East Rainton) and Jack Turnbull (Seaton Carew).

Redcar, of Division Three, bring in a slew of players. They include, from NYSD clubs, Middlesbrough’s Ben Daniel and Maltby pair Amil Mohan and Sujith Kundamkandathil, along with no fewer than eight from the Durham & North East League’s Coundon club.

East Harlsey, formerly of the Langbaurgh League and headquartered at a very tidy, scenic ground, have switched to the NYSD. They have been placed in Division Four.

Settle (above), of the Northern Premier League’s Division One, have qualified to contest the 2026 Lancashire Cricket Foundation Knockout Cup, which has a 32-strong entry.

In round one, scheduled for Sunday, May 17 (1pm), the Marshfield men will host Burnley-based Lowerhouse, of the Lancashire League’s top-flight Premier League.

Settle’s 2026 professional is Punjab-born former Warwickshire left-arm spinner Sukhjit ‘Sunny’ Singh.

In addition to touring the first-class county circuit, Singh has ECB Premier League experience with clubs playing in the Birmingham & District, Liverpool & District and North Staffs & South Cheshire competitions.

During the close-season, Settle have been crowdfunding new practice nets.

Eggborough Power Station, who in 2027 will switch from the Pontefract & District League to Yorkshire Premier League North, are putting the finishes touches to the pavilion at their new Hazel Old Lane ground.

On their socials, Eggborough state: “This pavilion represents far more than just a building. It’s a statement of intent ahead of the step up into the YPLN – a place where memories will be made, teams will grow, and the local community will come together around cricket.”

Zintle Kula heads to Sessay for this summer’s Yorkshire Women and Girls Cricket League. The seam-bowling all-rounder plays for Knights Women (formerly Free State Women) in South African domestic cricket.

Rockcliffe Park, a mere big hit over the Tees from North Yorkshire, have capitalised on a rule change at the NYSD’s 2025 annual meeting to become the first club in the league’s history to sign a female overseas amateur.

Australian bowler Chloe Kilcullen, who back home in Victoria plays for West Bendigo & Kew, told Rockcliffe Park’s socials: “I can’t wait to share my passion for the game, help develop the girls’ team and play alongside the ladies.”