THE funeral of former Easingwold Cricket Club batsman Val Toase will be held next Wednesday.

Toase, who died peacefully in hospital at the age of 86, was a fine cricketer and dominated the York & District Senior League batting averages for a decade from 1957 to 1967.

Inducted into the League’s hall of fame in 2006, Toase  topped the batting averages six times during that ten-year period.

His best year was 1957, when he averaged 77 runs per innings, scoring three centuries in the season.

Toase remains in the top ten leading batting averages for division one.

A league spokesman said: “Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.”

A funeral service will be held at Easingwold Parish Church on Wednesday at 11am.