Hall of Fame
In 2012 the league launched a Hall of Fame to celebrate the heroes of the York Vale Cricket League.
There will be inductees each year at the annual awards dinner.
2017
Steve Fraser (left) and Mike Brown with previous Hall of Fame inductee, Geoff Deighton
Steve Fraser (Stockton & Hopgrove)
Steve started his playing career for Flaxton at the age of 10 in the Welburn Evening League before making his league debut for Glassworks in 1981. He moved to Stockton & Hopgrove two years later where he quickly established himself as an accomplished wicket keeper/batsman. In 1991 Steve recorded a maiden century and then went on to accumulate 1093 runs two seasons later. A safe pair of hands behind the stumps, Steve has recorded stunning tally of victims over the years as well as a number of Harry Smith awards and a place in the League Representative and League Legends teams.
Mike Brown (Bishopthorpe)
Mike made his debut for Bishopthorpe in 1955 aged 19 and over the next five decades he would go on to be one of the most feared bowlers in local cricket with his left arm swinging seamers. He took over 4000 wickets for the club and won the Vale league divisional bowling averages on many occasions. Mike played his last Bishopthorpe game aged 71 in 2007 and crowned a memorable career in local cricket by being selected for the League Legends team in 2013.
2016
Will Knight (Askham Bryan), left and Nigel Collinson (Stockton & Hopgrove) with league president Frank Stones
WILL KNIGHT (Askham Bryan)
Will made his senior cricket debut for Askham Bryan in 1970 as a 15-year-old and he went on to be one of the League's most prolific run scorers. He recalls that his first personal triumph was in 1975 when his unbeaten 41 secured an unlikely Prendergast Cup semi-final victory against an all-conquering Crayke team. Will topped the league batting average with 60.3 in 1982 and his proudest moment was hitting 50 in a century partnership with son David against Copmanthorpe. It turned out to be his penultimate game before injuries forced retirement in 2009.
NIGEL COLLINSON (Stockton & Hopgrove)
Nigel was given his first taste of league cricket with his village team in 1963 at the age of 10 just as The Beatles topped the charts for the first time with From Me To You. A fine all-rounder, Nigel cites captaining his side to the Division 1 title in 1990 with a win at Burythorpe on the last day of the season as a standout moment. In a career that spanned 52 years in which he took over 2,500 wickets, Nigel won the division one bowling award in 1996 and the division five batting trophy in 1999 when the second team won the championship.
2015
Dave Brummitt (Ovington), left and Mick Bell (Wistow and Selby)
MICK BELL (Wistow and Selby)
Mick Bell first played for his village team, Wistow, as a 10-year-old. Apart from a six-year spell with Whitley Bridge, he spent his cricketing career as an opening bowler and middle order bat with Wistow until the club’s demise in 1995.
He captained the side for 20 years in which the team recorded league championship in 1979 and Mitchell Cup honours six years later. His ability as an all-rounder landed him a place in the league representative side on two occasions.
Aged 68, Mick has played for Selby in the Vale League for the past 10 years and still picks up wickets on a regular basis.
DAVE BRUMMITT (Ovington)
Rugby League was Dave Brummitt’s preferred sport until his mid-20s and was in the York amateur team which faced the New Zealand Maoris at Clarence Street. He played cricket for Glasshoughton as a youngster and after a spell with Ben Johnson, he was coaxed to play for Ovington by Alan Fletcher when both were at York RI and he has remained one of the club’s key strike bowler for 30 years.
An accurate, medium-pacer, Brummitt cites a seven-wicket haul against Burythorpe as one of his finest performances and his 2-16 in 10 overs helped Ovington overcome Bishopthorpe in this year’s HPH cup final.
2014
Dave Watson is inducted into the Hall of Fame by league chairman Shane Hargrave
DAVE WATSON (Stillingfleet and Thorpe Willoughby)
Dave didn’t take up cricket until the age of 25. He played for Stlllingfleet for about 10 years taking an average of more than 50 wickets a season.
He has been a Thorpe Willoughby player for 21 years, captaining both 1st and 2nd XIs.
He has umpired a number of York Vale cup finals and in 2006, aged 48, won the league bowling award. Although a competent batsman with a top score of 86 it is his bowling skills that he is best known for. He has taken over 1,000 wickets during his career including best figures of 9-11 runs against York in 2000.
2013
Martin Reynolds, left, and Geoff Deighton, the 2013 inductees
MARTIN REYNOLDS (Ben Johnson)
Former Knavesmire School pupil Martin played senior cricket as a teenage fast bowler with York, but he first played for Ben Johnson as an 11-year-old. He father, James, played for the printers andhis mum made the teas.
Martin has been a Ben Johnson player for well over 30 years. After a back injury reduced his bowling pace, his batting skills developed and won a string of awards topping the Vale League averages.
Perhaps his most famous innings came at Elvington in the 1990s, crashing 16 sixes only to be caught off the penaultimate ball of the game which would have seen him score 102 in sixes alone.
GEOFF DEIGHTON (Askham Bryan, Copmanthorpe and Bishopthorpe)
At the age of 78, Geoff must be one of the oldest cricketers in the country still playing.
He's played in the Vale League for an astonishing 60 years, first playing for Askham as a 15-year-old in the 1950s and later captained the side.
A gentleman cricketer, he was a solid, reliable, consistent opening batsman. He also bowls slow right-arm to some effect and just days before his 70th birthday took five wickets in a Scothern Construction Cup game against York.
2012
Tony Kerrison receives his Hall of Fame award from the Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Keith Hyman
TONY KERRISON (Stockton & Hopgrove)
At the age of 66 Tony hung up his batting gloves at the end of the 2009 season having scored more runs in the Vale League than any other player, topping an almighty 30,000 runs.
A one-club man, he made his Stockton debut in 1958 and went on to hit a remarkable 28 centuries for the club, his highest score being 161. He was also useful with the ball, taking 250 wickets and holding about 450 catches.
Neil Atkinson receives his Hall of Fame award from the Lord Mayor of York, Councillor Keith Hyman
NEIL ATKINSON (Kelfield)
Neil has been playing in the Vale League for 40 years, starting at the tender age of 11 and making his debut in the same side as his cousin, Jeff.
Neil is a prolific batsman, picking up several batting awards and he famously hit two unbeaten centuries, home and away, in the same season against Yorkshire General CC - and this was at a time when a player reaching triple figures was uncommon.