TON-THUMPING ex-West Indies batsman Collis King aims to rule in a new realm next summer.

Five years of smashing runs and records with Stillington Cricket Club are over. The one-time Windies' Test ace is expected to end his association with the village club he has helped to elevate into the Costcutter York and District Senior League first division.

It is widely believed that King will link up with Costcutter premier division outfit Dunnington, though as yet no transfer forms have been submitted to league secretary Albert Pattison.

Dunnington chairman Colin Graves told the Evening Press he was unaware of the transfer speculation, adding only: "We are always interested in good players. Collis King is certainly a very good player.

"A lot can happen between now and the end of April."

King's exit will be mourned by cricket-lovers at Stillington in whose service he has graced the summer scene with a flurry of runs and wickets since 1995.

Said Stillington secretary Steve Wadsworth: "He has done great things for us over the years.

"His contribution to Stillington Cricket club has been immense. He has helped to pull the club around from seemingly going nowhere in the fourth division to starting 2001 in division one."

King, who in the 1970s starred in nine international appearances for the West Indies for whom he racked up a respectable batting average of 32.15, has been the fuel of a Stillington ascent from division five to last season's promotion to the first division.

In a whirlwind summer of 1999 King cracked a league record six centuries in a handsome harvest of 1,394 runs. Besides their promotion success Stillington also captured the Edward Readman Trophy, King almost single-handedly dismantling favourites Beverley in the final with an unbeaten 120, including three consecutive sixes to seal the conquest.

Wadsworth added that King, who is currently playing abroad to escape the North Yorkshire winter, had helped to develop Stillington's cricket-playing youngsters.

"He has had a great influence on the younger players. He has taken a lot of the lads under his wing and some will come through such as Matthew Coulson, who is a good fast bowler."

Wadsworth explained how King's season with Stillington in 1995 was as a guest before he became effectively the club's 'professional'.

"As much as we would love to keep him I think the money he can command would be beyond Stillington as we do not have major sponsors," said the secretary. "But it's been a great boost for us to have had him here."