SIX cricket stars of the future have been shortlisted for the HPH York Vale League’s Young Player of the Year award.

The winner will be unveiled at the league’s annual dinner and presentation evening at the Regen Centre, Riccall, on Saturday, October 8.

The six are Jack Bagshaw (Stamford Bridge), Ted Baty (Pocklington), Rowan Bentley (Thorp Arch & Boston Spa), Charlie Buckley (Ovington), Jamie Creaser (Yapham) and Jack Heartshorne (Clifton Alliance).

The award has a new sponsor this year in Gem Construction (York) Ltd, whose chairman Mike Green said: “We are pleased to support the Vale League’s initiative with this award. We are delighted to be involved in the future of sport and enhancing young people in the community.”

The award has been running since 2002 and recognises the top junior performers. The shortlist will be whittled down to three who will attend the awards evening when the winner and two runners-up will be announced.

The teenagers in contention are:

Jack Bagshaw – a medium pace bowler who took 24 wickets at an average of just 8.3 runs in his first full season with division four champions Stamford Bridge.

Ted Baty – averaged 35.20 with the bat for Pocklington in division four. His brother, George, was also shortlisted last year.

Rowan Bentley – an outstanding fielder who averaged 12.84 as a bowler for Thorpe Arch & Boston Spa in division three.

Charlie Buckley – the Ovington bowler will be hoping to go one better than last year when he was a runner-up. His leg-spin produced two five-wicket hauls in division one and the HPH Cup.

Jamie Creaser - right-arm spin bowler who took 22 wickets at an average of 12.0 for Yapham in division three in his first full season for the club. He was man of the match in two Scothern Construction Cup games, taking 6-22 in one of them.

Jack Heartshorne - a fixture in Clifton Alliance’s division two side, he regularly opened the bowling and took 13 league wickets at an average of 19 with an excellent economy rate of 3.48 runs per over. He also showed his potential with a couple of wickets against first division Burn in the HPH Cup.

Other award winners to be unveiled on the night will be the Club of the Year, sponsored by Scothern Construction, and the Tea of the Year, which recognises the season’s best cricket tea.

The awards will also incorporate the Foss Evening League presentations, which, for the first time will include a player of the year for its three divisions.