Scarborough Cricket Club first-team finish seventh after rollercoaster YPLN season

After a promising first half of the summer, form and availability issues perhaps contributed to the downturn in results, writes Simon Dobson.

The team relied heavily on the superb batting from the young pairing of Breidyn Schaper and opener Duncan Brown.

The latter ended the campaign with 747 runs, which included five half centuries and one brilliant hundred, while Schaper amassed 955 runs in seventeen innings with three wonderful centuries at a remarkable average of 86.82 and a strike rate over 80.

Oli Stephenson played some fine innings, as did Romario Roach (average 33.00) whose stylish stroke play was missed for half the campaign.

Promising youngsters Ed Hopper and Hayden Williamson gave some glimpses of their batting potential and the duo will only benefit from the experience of a run of matches at this level.

Former skipper Pat Roberts found form in the second half of the season, making twin fifties over the August Bank Holiday weekend while former Staxton ace Linden Gray enhanced his all-rounder status by contributing useful runs as he averaged 24.78.

Young all-rounder Schaper also finished as the leading wicket-taker, with his left-arm spin claiming 27 wickets at 19.11.

The reliable duo Ben Elvidge and Gray also reached the 20 wicket mark and in the main bowled with good control.

Only Dan Robson, who produced a couple of stunning spells including 5-9 versus Sessay, reached 15 wickets from the pace attack and the season long absence of the consistent new ball bowler Jack Holt was evident.Batting (Most Runs): Breidyn Schaper 955 runs @ 86.82, Duncan Brown 747 @ 41.50, Oli Stephenson 287 @ 22.08, Pat Roberts 281 @ 20.07, Linden Gray 223 runs @ 24.78

Bowling (Most Wickets): Breidyn Schaper 27 wkts @ 19.11, Ben Elvidge 21 @ 20.29, Linden Gray 20 @ 28.70, Dan Robson 15 @ 15.73, Guy Emmett 12 @ 30.50.