A STAR batsman who has hit more than 1,000 runs for Thornton in the Halifax League this season, including a stunning triple century, has admitted that his undying love for the club would make it difficult to take his talents to a higher level.

Josh Hutchinson hit 71 in his side's final game against Sowerby St Peter's to reach 1,037 runs for the season, with his extraordinary 314 not out in the previous match at Shelf Northowram Hedge Top setting up that possibility.

He was the only batsman in the league to reach four figures for the season, which has unsurprisingly led to interest from other teams around the district.

But Hutchinson admitted it was an honour to be at Thornton, saying: "I've played here since I was 10 and come up through the juniors.

"I've spent 16 seasons here and I'm Thornton through and through, so it would be a big thing to step away. But it is in the back of my mind and I have had a few offers.

"The season is only just over though so we'll try to have a laugh for now and see what happens going forward."

Meanwhile, Hutchinson was happy to reminisce about his sparkling season, especially his treble hundred at Shelf Northowram.

Asked about when he knew it was going to be his day, he said: "I'd reached about 30 and I got dismissed, caught behind.

"But their captain, Harry Talbot, said to the umpire 'why have you given that out?' and he sort of changed his decision.

"Their keeper at slip said I was nowhere near it but Harry said later if they'd appealed, I would have been given out.

"After that, it was pretty chanceless up until 200. Once I'd passed my previous best of 221, I was just seeing how far I could hit every ball and I did get dropped once and another time, the fielder caught it but touched the boundary wall behind him."

On breaching the 1,000-run mark, Hutchinson said: "It was the same as last year and a couple of others have got 1,400 in previous years.

"But the weather wasn't as good this year, and we had four or five league games rained off out of 22.

"We didn't need to win the last game so it was nice to open with Nikki (Josh's stepbrother) and get 50 odd to reach the 1,000 runs again."

Reflecting on his team's 2019, Hutchinson admitted: "We've struggled in the league, but we lost Ben Burkill for this season, and me, him and Nikki got about 3,000 runs between us last year.

"Our captain Ross Parr only played half of our games and we've struggled with losing people to other commitments.

"We've not been at our best but we did win the Parish Cup and I thought fifth place was quite good in the end."