Cricket Yorkshire’s transfer centre is back for 2019; an exclusive look at all four ECB Premier Leagues in Yorkshire.
This is researched and compiled annually by Cricket Yorkshire and isn’t available anywhere else. If you like this club cricket read, please share it on Twitter/Facebook using the buttons top or bottom of this page.
Who has swapped to a new club? Which clubs have strengthened and which have lost players since the end of last season?
Get ready for all the transfer news across each of the Bradford Premier League, ECB Yorkshire Premier League North, ECB Yorkshire South Premier League and the North Yorkshire & South Durham ECB Premier League.
Editor’s note – This was correct as possible at the time of writing but transfer news is ever-changing with clubs likely to make signings in the fortnight before the season begins. Particularly when it comes to overseas recruitment.
Nonetheless, this should offer you a useful snapshot. Do also check out the Yorkshire cricket league websites, they’re excellent resources.
Many thanks to Steve Ward (YSPL), Shaun Storey (NYSD) and those updating the other league websites.
YORKSHIRE PREMIER LEAGUE NORTH: Beverley, Castleford, Clifton Alliance, Dunnington, Harrogate, Scarborough, Sessay, Sheriff Hutton Bridge, Stamford Bridge, Woodhouse Grange, York, Yorkshire Academy.
Champions York will have one eye on the historic County Championship game they are hosting but at league level, they have bolstered their squad with the run-scoring capabilities of Simon Mason (back from Sessay).
Meanwhile, Harrogate have looked to the Aire Wharfe Cricket League to improve their fortunes by signing Beckwithshaw captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Ross Sedgley, along with Ben Stokes (not that one). Casting an eye at Castleford’s recruits is to see they’ve snapped up eight signings from five different leagues.
Full transfers:
| YORKSHIRE PREMIER LEAGUE NORTH | ||
| Player | New Club | From |
| Adnan Fazal | Beverley Town | Sheriff Hutton |
| Jamie Alderson | Beverley Town | Ordsall Brindon (Bassetlaw & District) |
| George Swaby | Castleford | Houghton Main (SYSCL) |
| Dan Robson | Castleford | Workington (North Lancashire & Cumbria) |
| William Simpson | Castleford | Lascelles Hall (Huddersfield) |
| Ryan Turner | Castleford | Clifton Alliance |
| Nathan Smith | Castleford | Fairburn (Pontefract) |
| Hamid Khan | Castleford | Clifton Alliance |
| Scott Hopkinson | Castleford | Clifton Alliance |
| Shan Devraj | Castleford | Rothwell Town (Northamptonshire) |
| Hayden Bradley | Clifton Alliance | Easingwold |
| Andrew Simpson | Clifton Alliance | Dringhouses |
| Jonathan Anderson | Dunnington | Scarborough |
| Chris Peareth | Dunnington | Brandon (North East Premier) |
| Ethan Westerman | Harrogate | Spofforth (Nidderdale) |
| Ben Stokes | Harrogate | Beckwithshaw (Aire Wharfe) |
| Ross Sedgley | Harrogate | Beckwithshaw (Aire Wharfe) |
| Casey Rudd | Scarborough | Bridlington |
| Haydon Jackson | Scarborough | Pickering |
| Luke Smith | Sheriff Hutton Bridge | Folkton & Flixton |
| Simon Dwyer | Stamford Bridge | Kirk Deighton (Nidderdale) |
| Jonny Rawsthorne | Stamford Bridge | Acomb |
| James Keast | Stamford Bridge | Grantham (South Nottinghamshire) |
| Kyle Waite | Stamford Bridge | Easingwold |
| Mark Cook | Thirsk | Scarborough |
| Tom Kirby | Woodhouse Grange | Yapham |
| Declan Eastwood | Woodhouse Grange | Goole Town |
| Joe Shingles | Woodhouse Grange | Londesborough Park |
| Tom Neal | Woodhouse Grange | Acomb |
| Jagannath Gopalappa | York | Sheriff Hutton |
| Harry Franklin | York | Papplewick & Linby (Notts Prem) |
| Jack Charters | York | Malton & Old Malton |
| Simon Mason | York | Sessay |
| Clarke Doughney | York | Redcar (North Yorkshire & South Durham) |
ECB Yorkshire Premier League North transfers page on their website (with clubs from York & District Senior Cricket League too):
http://ypln.play-cricket.com/website/web_pages/227592
YORKSHIRE SOUTH PREMIER LEAGUE: Aston Hall, Barnsley Woolley Miners, Cleethorpes, Doncaster Town, Elsecar, Hallam, Sheffield Collegiate, Tickhill, Treeton, Wakefield Thornes, Whitley Hall, Wickersley Old Village
Newly-promoted Elsecar have snapped up Pakistani batsman Saeed Anwar jnr as overseas player for 2019. The 40-year old Anwar has scored over 12,000 first-class runs and it will be interesting to see how he goes in South Yorkshire cricket.
Josh Varley is the new captain of Sheffield Collegiate and oversees a much-changed squad: seam bowling all-rounder Harry McNeilly jets in from Toombul in Queensland, ex-Worcestershire player Shaaiq Choudhury offers runs and left-arm darts, batsman Sam Hunt has county 2nd XI experience and former Suffolk batsman/wicket-keeper Sam Webb-Snowling also joins.
Billy Root’s early-season success at Glamorgan suggests his appearances might be fleeting.
Wakefield Thornes have lost Jared Warner’s pace to Methley, plus leading wicket-taker Steve Morgan and Qaiser Ashraf (who heads to the Liverpool ECB Premier League).
The current Yorkshire Champion club and holders of the ECB Yorkshire South Premier League title have made quality signings though.
Richard Foster’s top-order firepower from the Bradford Premier League’s Hanging Heaton will be welcomed, Indian slow left-armer Satyajeet Bachhav from Maharashtra is highly-rated and Yorkshire seconds’ Matty Taylor should be on hand to open the bowling (with Josh Shaw’s slotting in when off county duty).
Full transfers:
|
YORKSHIRE SOUTH PREMIER LEAGUE
|
||
| Player | New Club | Previous Club |
| Usman Muzaffar | Aston Hall | Whitmore |
| Luke Hall | Aston Hall | Cuckney |
| Mainak Ray | Aston Hall | Liphook and Ripsley |
| Louis Kimber | Cleethorpes | Attenborough |
| Bilal Anjam | Doncaster Town | YCA |
| Charlie Kaye | Elsecar | Sprotbrough |
| Joe Denby | Elsecar | Thorncliffe |
| Jim Tasker | Sheffield Collegiate | Whitley Hall |
| Shaaiq Choudhry | Sheffield Collegiate | Knypersley |
| Sam Webb-Snowling | Sheffield Collegiate |
Copdock & Ipswichians
|
| Sam Hunt | Sheffield Collegiate | Topcroft |
| Lewis Brown | Tickhill | Wickersley OV |
| Chris Pepper | Tickhill | Cambridge |
| Liam Johnson | Tickhill | Coal Aston |
| Michael Jepps | Tickhill | Kexborough |
| Laurence Browes | Tickhill | Coal Aston |
| Ross Diver | Tickhill | Sleaford |
| Adi Sreedharan | Tickhill | Sleaford |
| Joe Billings | Tickhill |
Hastings & St Leonards Priory
|
| Mark Cummins | Tickhill | Wickersley OV |
| Oliver Hickford | Treeton | Bromley Common |
| Richard Foster | Wakefield Thornes | Hanging Heaton |
| Sam Woodcock | Whitley Hall | Darfield |
| Gary Park | Wickersley OV | Swarkeston |
| Christopher Durham | Wickersley OV | Swarkeston |
BRADFORD PREMIER LEAGUE: Bradford & Bingley, Cleckheaton, Farsley, Hanging Heaton, Lightcliffe, Methley, New Farnley, Pudsey St Lawrence, Townville, Undercliffe, Woodlands, Wrenthorpe
Of the high-profile transfer moves at the top of the Bradford Premier League, former Yorkshire off-spinner Azeem Rafiq moves to West Yorkshire; swapping Sheffield Collegiate for Cleckheaton. On the theme of spin, Josh Poysden has signed for Farsley to throw down his leggies when not involved with Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
2018 Champions Pudsey St Lawrence have lost Adam Waite (New Farnley), Charlie Parker (Hall Park) and Tom Hudson (North Leeds) which will be a test of their squad strength.
In addition to Waite, New Farnley have recruited strongly over winter as Mark Lawson moved from Woodlands and Dan Hodgson from Farsley.
Bradford & Bingley see Daniel Revis head to Wagon Lane; the promising young batsman from Burley-in-Wharfedale in the Aire-Wharfe League has played for Yorkshire Academy and, along with brother Matthew, will be hoping to follow the pathway of former Burley team-mate Harry Brook who has risen up to Yorkshire’s first-team.
I’m always interested to see how players fare as they move leagues and Callum Bethel from Whitley Hall in the ECB Yorkshire South Premier League joins Hanging Heaton who will expect to feature strongly in the silverware stakes again.
https://www.bradfordcl.com/pages/transfers
| Lewis Brown | Bradford & Bingley | Oakworth |
| Graham Whiles | Bradford & Bingley | Knaresborough |
| Patrick Dixon | Bradford & Bingley | Pool |
| Daniel Revis | Bradford & Bingley | Burley-in-Wharfedale |
| Azeem Rafiq | Cleckheaton | Sheffield Collegiate |
| Craig Fletcher | Cleckheaton | Kirkburton |
| James Ives | Cleckheaton | Liversedge |
| Joe Wood | Cleckheaton | Spen Victoria |
| Josh Poysden | Farsley | Bant Green |
| Chris Beech | Farsley | Blythe |
| Ben Morley | Farsley | Otley |
| Matthew Simpson | Farsley | Settle |
| Paul Nicholson | Farsley | Otley |
| Jack Rowett | Farsley | New Farnley |
| Callum Bethel | Hanging Heaton | Whitley Hall |
| Craig Russell | Hanging Heaton | New Farnley |
| Will Rich | Hanging Heaton | Townville |
| Ibrar Younis | Lightcliffe | East Bierley |
| Ian Philliskirk | Lightcliffe | Ossett |
| Christian Silkstone | Lightcliffe | Triangle |
| Benjamin Cliff | Lightcliffe | Copley |
| Amir Hussain | Methley | Bilton |
| Connor Hyde | Methley | Castleford |
| Jared Warner | Methley | Wakefield Thornes |
| Sudara Udegedra (o/s) | Methley | Sri Lanka |
| Mark Lawson | New Farnley | Woodlands |
| Dan Hodgson | New Farnley | Farsley |
| Adam Waite | New Farnley | Pudsey St Lawrence |
| Alex Kaye | New Farnley | Bradford & Bingley |
| Muhammad Ulfat | Undercliffe | Sandy Lane |
| Mohamed Sudase | Undercliffe | Thornbury |
| Luke Heinemann | Undercliffe | Morley |
| Jason Marshall | Undercliffe | Desborough |
| Farouk Alam | Undercliffe | Altofts |
| Jak Murphy | Woodlands | Morley |
| Bradley Schmulian (o/s) | Woodlands | New Zealand |
NORTH YORKSHIRE & SOUTH DURHAM CRICKET LEAGUE: Barnard Castle, Billingham Synthonia, Darlington, Great Ayton, Hartlepool, Marske, Marton, Middlesbrough, Richmondshire, Seaton Carew, Stokesley, Thornaby
NYSD cricket has thrown up some interesting player moves since last season.
I’ve spotted that a few cricketers I’ve interviewed before have sought pastures new for 2019. Lee Hodgson is now at Marton after being prolific for Marske over the years. Speaking of Marske, they’ve signed Ryan Gibson who heads North from Stamford Bridge in the ECB Yorkshire League North.
Richmondshire have Steven Reeves as their overseas player for 2019; the South African batsman who hit 954 runs for Middlesbrough and bagged 54 wickets in 2018, is trialling with Northamptonshire County Cricket Club but is expected to feature prominently at Hurgill Road.
Champions Barnard Castle have been quiet on the transfer front but will be looking to further improve on two NYSD titles in 3 years. Sometimes player retention is as important as who joins.
Meanwhile, Great Ayton will be aiming to challenge again and have Australian Samuel Moylan as their overseas who plays for Scarborough in Western Australian Premier Cricket.
| YORKSHIRE PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS IN NYSD |
| Professional Registrations |
| Nauman Anwar – Marske – Overseas |
| Ryan Gibson – Marske |
| Steven Reeves – Richmondshire – Overseas |
| Gary Pratt – Richmondshire |
| Jack Newby – Middlesbrough |
| Chris Batchelor – Great Ayton |
| Lee Hodgson – Marton |
| Aamir Sajjad – Marton overseas |
| Overseas amateurs |
| Samuel Moylan – Great Ayton |
| Michael Brokensha – Marske |
| Joshua Brown – Marton |
| Player transfers |
| Josh Chisholm – Saltburn to Great Ayton |
| Martin Philpot – Marton to Great Ayton |
| Daniel Burns – Thornaby to Great Ayton |
| Benjamin Catchpole – Marton to Marske |
| Ashley Brighton – Shadwell to Marske |
| Jamie Hood – Redcar to Marske |
| Ryan Gibson – Stamford Bridge to Marske |
| Lee Hodgson – Marske to Marton |
| Owen Kelly – Richmondshire to Marton |
| Tom Urwin – Marske to Marton |
| Chris Veazey – Marske to Marton |
| John Watson – Hartlepool to Middlesbrough |
| Jack Newby – Norwich to Middlesbrough |
| Aaron Mitchell – Benfleet to Middlesbrough |
| Hasan Raza – Stockton to Middlesbrough |
| Steven Reeves – Middlesbrough to Richmondshire |
| Sam Gaudie – Middlesbrough to Stokesley |
| Oliver Gilbank – Malton and Old Malton to Stokesley |
| Christopher Sawyer – Bishop Auckland to Stokesley |
| Others to be ratified: |
| Ishwar Chandra Pandey (overseas pro) – Great Ayton |
| Mark Green – Yarm to Marton |
| Sam Newell – (overseas amateur) – Stokesley |
Have your say!
This article usually gets people talking…it’s a unique snapshot of the transfer moves across the pointy edge of Yorkshire’s club cricket pyramid.
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I personally find it very sad that there are so many transfers.
Surely the most important thing for club cricket is for players to support their clubs long term, have loyalty to their club and ensure their club is sustainable in the short to medium term.
Senior players should have a major influence on how their club develops over the medium term .
Transfers assist clubs becoming unstable.
Cricket needs all clubs to survive, it is not just about senior players turning up to play on a Saturday .
Senior players must support their club in fundraising, assisting players in lower elevens fulfilling their potential, helping with youngsters and supporting their club on a voluntary basis to raise its game.
Hi Mark, I agree that player retention is absolutely fundamental to a club’s future. Whether we like it or not, the transfer market across leagues is very active. It happens for all kinds of reasons but paying players and bemoaning a lack of loyalty is something I hear alot round Yorkshire.
After reading the list of transfers I can truly say I have mixed feelings. There are a lot of players there that have transferred to a higher standard of cricket, and who can blame them wanting to play at the highest possible standard of their ability. Surely that’s the spirit of sport to aspire to play to the highest possible level? There is also the ECB Premier league standard that is proving to be a pull for similar reasons. Okay, there are players who move about for an extra tenner and put nothing back into club cricket, and that is very sad. In fact there is many players generally, and I’m not commenting about anybody in this list, who would have had to `pay to play’ rather than get paid two decades ago. Very few of the big stars of today will assist their last club in retirement. Pudsey St Lawrence are relatively unique in this respect in that they have several major players of the past still doing priceless unselfish work in their club.
Thanks Reg, as you say, a complex picture. Some move for money (not that this is unreasonable), others for work or to cut down on travel. Clubs need new players and that naturally weakens others. On your other point, I was at Pudsey St Lawrence recently and was very impressed by all I saw.