THEY have lost the league following a seven year reign as champions and now York Cricket Club are losing their captain as well.

Dan Woods, whose successful six-year tenure at the Clifton Park club has included playing a major role in a side that won five Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier league titles and the ECB National Club Championship, is to play for Cheshire league champions Hyde next season.

The spinner has missed a number of matches this term because of Minor Counties commitments with Cheshire. Woods said he had now been asked to captain the outfit next season, a huge honour but one that will leave a York side in transition with a big hole to fill in their bowling attack.

Woods took 43 wickets at an average of 16.11 in York’s most recent campaign and even opened the batting on occasions as they reached the final of the Black Sheep Champions Trophy and finished runners-up to Yorkshire Academy in the league.

Since joining the club he has taken 475 wickets in all competitions, at an average of 14.03 and picked up 33 five-wicket hauls.

His crowning achievement with the ball was when he took all ten wickets for 42 runs in 16.4 overs against Castleford at Savile Park in July last year. He also scored 674 runs over his career at York.

Woods, who took over the captaincy from Marcus Wood following the end of the 2011 campaign, said the chance to skipper his county was just too good an opportunity to pass up.

The Cundall Manor School teacher, who will continue to live in York, has pledged to return to the Shipton Road outfit in the future.

“I have been asked to be Cheshire county cricket captain on a full-time basis rather than the odd game. That is a massive responsibility,” Woods said.

“It means being in charge of senior cricket across the whole county. My responsibilities will be to recruit players, select the side and organise training.

“Cheshire is run like a professional county and there is the opportunity to work with younger players and try to develop some professional cricketers.

“My employers will allow me to take time off to play for Cheshire.

“Hyde, who I will play for in local cricket, are my home club. It is where my parents still live and they are going to be able to come and watch.

“If I am going to captain my county I need to be playing in the Cheshire League.”

Woods continued: “I am still going to live in York and work in York. Once I have given everything to Cheshire I will return and finish my career at York. I can’t really express how much the club means to me and how grateful I am to everyone who has helped me.

“I am hugely proud with what I have achieved at York - not just personally but more as a team.

“I have got a group of life-long friends here.

“It is heartbreaking to think I won’t be playing for York next season but it is the right decision and I need to commit to an amazing opportunity.”