Elliott, Carver and Collins on road to Yorkshire cricket contract (From York Press)

Elliott, Carver and Collins on road to Yorkshire cricket contract

7:40am Saturday 11th February 2012 in Junior cricket By Stuart Martel, Sports editor

TALENTED trio Charlie Elliott, Freddie Collins and Karl Carver are closing in on a cricketing career with Yorkshire.

The teenagers from York, and North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire have been named among an elite group of 19 young players in this year’s Gold level intake on the Pathways to Cricket Excellence scheme.

The next step up from Gold level is a contract with the Tykes and the scheme has provided all of the students receiving a scholarship or Academy place with the county over the last five years.

Elliott has been a star of the junior set-up at York for several seasons, while Carver is in the ranks of York & District Senior League big-hitters Sessay and Freddie Collins started his cricketing education with Sutton-on-Derwent-based Woodhouse Grange before switching to Castleford.

All three players will now follow a Yorkshire coaching programme at Headingley.

The Yorkshire Cricket Board have also confirmed the lists of players selected to be coached at Silver 1, Silver 2 and Bronze level, as well as women’s Gold level.

The 22-strong Silver 1 intake includes Studley Royal’s Harry Lamb. Lamb and his 21 peers impressed in last summer’s representative county matches and have been given the chance to impress in 2012.

In the 22-player Silver 2 section, designed for younger cricketers, York’s Toby Pratt and Osbaldwick’s Jonny Rawsthorne will be aiming to build on their eye-catching 2011 displays.

A total of 52 players are entering the Pathways scheme for the first time, with the Bronze level split between York’s St Olave’s School and St Aidan’s School in Harrogate.

York’s contingent includes: Kieron Bloor, Ted Patmore, Tom Spearman and Sam Wordsworth (all York); Thomas Loten and Harrison Mussell (Dunnington); Ryan Gaughan, Jack Charters and Shaun Harland (Malton & Old Malton); Arthur Campion, Daniel Cass, Ben Exall and Harry Sutcliffe (Sheriff Hutton Bridge); Matthew Butler and Daniel Ward (Pickering); Max Cosgrove and Josh Summerscales (Easingwold); William Huffer and Oliver Hughes (Heworth); and Harry Contreras (Thorp Arch & Boston Spa). Thorp Arch’s Luke Kilby is in the Harrogate group.