CENTURY-scoring batsman Duncan Snell’s depature from York Cricket Club will leave a “huge hole” in the side, says club secretary Nick Kay.

Snell has joined Bradford League side Woodlands in search of a “new challenge” after a decade at Clifton Park.

In his time with the club, Snell scored 10,560 runs in Yorkshire League and Cup cricket, amassing 57 50s and 24 100s. He has scored nearly 20 per cent of his team’s total runs over the period.

Last season, he scored 1,411 at an average of 56.44. His high score of 187 was a personal best and was one of four centuries. He also scored four half-centuries in 2013.

Snell’s runs have helped York to seven consecutive Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier League titles and Kay believes him to be “irreplaceable”.

“We are not a one-man team but if there was a guy you had to put your mortgage on when you needed to score runs, there is no one in amateur club cricket I would rather have batting in the team,” he said.

“I think he is the best batsman in the county who hasn’t played first-class cricket. He has gone to Woodlands for a new challenge.

“He wants to play a different style of cricket for a couple of years but he is adamant he will come back to York. He wants to test himself in the Bradford League.

“You can’t ask for any more than ten years of service.”

Snell’s departure is just the latest in a changing of the guard at York, with wicket-keeper Nigel Durham hanging up his first-team gloves and other senior players on the move.

But Kay said: “There are a number of guys that have shown an interest in joining the club and we are producing some good young players who are coming through the ranks.

“Simon Lambert will step up and he has scored nearly 1,000 runs in the York Senior League for the past two years.

“He is hungry for first team cricket and there is also the likes of Ryan McKendry and Oli Hairs. There are some good choices for us.”

Kay admitted, however, that for a number of the older players in the side, it would not be the same without Snell.

He added: “One of the best things about York was playing in the same team as Duncan Snell. He means that much to us as a club. He is one of the best batsmen ever to have played for York.

“He is still going to train with us and be a part of the club but it will leave a huge hole in the dressing room by not having him around on a Saturday.”