A look at the player moves and overseas signings in the ECB Premier Division of the North Yorkshire & South Durham Cricket League.
Champions Saltburn will have a new overseas professional for the 2024 season. They have brought in Husnain Bukhari, who last year played for relegated Thornaby.
The 32-year-old all-rounder, whose first-class debut was a decade ago, bats right-handed and bowls leg breaks. At Thornaby, in 2023, Bukhari amassed 632 runs at 35.11, with a top score of 102 not out. He took 41 wickets at 18.80, with best figures of 7-40. Pakistani Bukhari replaces Indian Vishant More, Saltburn’s 2023 overseas professional.
Saltburn expect Bukhari to offer a different spin option to regular first-team spinners Lucas Parry and Alex Smith, and he will add depth to the batting.
Also secured is Tom Scriven, a 25-year-old all-rounder, whose availability will depend on his Leicestershire commitments. Scriven is a quick bowler, which will set him apart from the swing and seam of new Saltburn team-mates Jack Almond and Liam Crooks.
Other than Bukhari and Scrivens, Saltburn, who don’t have any significant outgoings to report, will rely on the players, primarily local and graduates of the club’s junior ranks, who secured the 2023 championship, a first title triumph in 18 years.
These include last season’s key player, Almond, who took 50 wickets at an average of 8.88 and an economy of 2.05; Crooks, who contributed 36 wickets; Lucas Parry, who finished with 32 wickets; and Ben Ainsley, who scored over 800 runs, and was the mainstay of the batting department’s top order.
Sam Parry replaces Crooks as captain, with brother Lucas taking on the vice-captaincy.
Richmondshire, 2023 runners-up to Saltburn, have signed Caleb Bradford, a teenage left-arm spinner, from Northern Premier League Longridge.
Bradford, who has represented Yorkshire at age group level, took 71 wickets at 14.97 in 2022 for Longridge then 68 at 13.85 last season. He was in the Longridge team beaten, at Old Trafford, by Crosby-based Northern, in the final of the 2023 Lancashire KO Cup.
Following our promotion to the premier league, the club are delighted to announce the signing of ex test match cricketer, Usman Salahuddin from Pakistan as our overseas professional.
— Normanby Hall CC 🏏 (@normanbyhallcc) February 1, 2024
A big thank you to Raj @CricketConsult2 pic.twitter.com/QzDUhnl0nf
Premier Division newcomers Normanby Hall have snapped up, as their overseas professional, seasoned Pakistani batsman Usman Salahuddin.
A former Test cricketer, Usman has 144 first-class games under his belt in his homeland. He has played in England during each of the last four seasons. As a Level Two qualified coach, Usman can help bring on Normanby Hall’s promising juniors.
Normanby Hall finished second to runaway champions Marton in the NYSD’s 2023 Championship division.
Club chairman Abid Ishaq said: “I’m more than confident Usman will be a great addition to the side, and will help the club have a great season on our return to the league’s Premier Division.”
Stokesley have replaced their original signing (ex-Zimbabwe international all-rounder Roy Kaia) with a record-breaker.
Zimbabwean domestic player Antum Naqvi scored the highest individual innings in Zimbabwean domestic history back in January with 300 not out while captaining the Mid West Rhinos.
The Belgian-born all-rounder has shown his talent in different conditions around the world from Sydney grade cricket to Zimbabwe so it will be fascinating to see how Naqvi goes in NYSD cricket.
Zahail Zamankhail, a 19-year-old left-arm spinner from Afghanistan, whom he has represented at all junior levels, will be the overseas professional at Marton, the 2023 Division One champions and Kerridge Cup winners.
Last season, Zamankhail played in the Liverpool & District Competition, taking 71 wickets for the second tier Liverpool club. Back home, he was the leading wicket-taker in last year’s Afghanistan domestic competition.
Marton, to be captained by Ben Hutchinson, are back in the top-flight, two years after relegation. The club’s stated aim this season is to be as competitive as possible in what they see as a very strong league, with avoiding the relegation positions their priority.
Left-arm spinner Muhammad Asghar, from Pakistan, retains the role of overseas professional at Middlesbrough. The bowling all-rounder’s 2023 haul of 72, in his first season at the club, made him the Premier Division’s leading wicket-taker.
New recruits looking to impress at Acklam Park are James Skelton, from Malton & Old Malton, and Alfie Taylor-Clarke, from Great Ayton.
Middlesbrough, the 2022 NYSD champions, fifth last season, will have a new captain: Jonathan Spillane takes over from Matthew Bell.
Read more…
For transfers from other Premier Leagues, have a read below:
🏏 Bradford Premier League
🏏 Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League
🏏 Yorkshire Premier League North
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