York Cricket Club run-machine Dan Wilson declares his aim is to help seal the club’s third successive Yorkshire League title (From York Press)

York Cricket Club run-machine Dan Wilson declares his aim is to help seal the club’s third successive Yorkshire League title

8:27am Wednesday 2nd September 2009 in

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TEAM glory is now the main priority for York Cricket Club’s record-breaking overseas star Dan Wilson.

The 25-year-old Australian has eclipsed the Oxbridge Yorkshire ECB County Premier League record for runs in a season with two games to spare.

And the prolific opener is determined to use the milestone as a springboard to bringing a third successive league title to Clifton Park.

A top-score 67 in Monday’s nine-wicket win over Harrogate eased Wilson past Andrew Bourke’s record of 1,421 runs, set in 2003.

Having fallen 103 runs short of the mark last season, the Queenslander admitted to experiencing a few nervous moments as the magic figure approached.

“It was a relief to get the record,” he said. “There have been a few nerves about in the last couple of games.

“Last year I didn’t get it, so it was a personal goal of mine to do it this year. It was nice to get over the line.

“Now I want to get a few more runs in the last two matches and set a high bench-mark.”

He added: “I had a great chance to break it last year, but I didn’t bat very well towards the end of the season.

“It’s been a lot harder to break the record than I thought it would be.

“Looking back at the season, I feel like I’ve batted well and not done much wrong – and I’ve only just broken it with two games to go.”

Reigning champions York need to take six points from their Clifton Park clash with title rivals Yorkshire Academy on Saturday to seal a title hat-trick.

Wilson said: “We’ve got such a big game on Saturday, so it was good to get the record out of the way.

“Now I can concentrate on batting for the team, which is what I am here for.

“The record has obviously been a massive high for me this week.

“But if we don’t get the result we need against the Academy and the league slips away, it would be a massive low.

“Personally, I am delighted to break the record and it would make it even better to win the league again as well.”

Although Wilson has led the way at the top of the order, it has not been a lone stand from the Australian.

Opening partner Duncan Snell has scored 921 runs this term, while number three Simon Mason is on 811.

Wilson said: “If Duncan can get 1,000 runs this season it would be a great achievement because he’s missed five or six games through his university commitments.

“Si Mason is around the 900 mark as well. They are both players who, next year, could easily beat the record I set.”

However, Wilson is not ruling out the possibility of returning for a fourth season at York in 2010 to have a crack at beating his own mark.

“I don’t know about next year yet,” he said. “I just want to go home to Australia at the end of the season and settle back in.

“Like last year, I will make a decision by Christmas. It depends on my situation back home.”