Woodlands hope they have signed a gem in York Cricket Club’s Duncan Snell.

He is believed to want “a new challenge” after a decade at Clifton Park.

In that time, Snell scored 10,560 runs in Yorkshire League and cup cricket, amassing 57 50s and 24 100s, and scoring a staggering 20 per cent of his team’s total runs in that period.

In 2013, 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.

Snell’s runs have helped York to seven consecutive Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier League titles, and club secretary Nick 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.”

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.”