Henry Blackett has become The Northern Echo's final Cricketer of the Month after taking the September award following a highly-successful season for Great Ayton under-15s.

The 14-year-old has starred for the Darlington Building Society NYSD under-15s League side, averaging an impressive 75 across ten games in which he always opened the batting and in half of them he finished not out.

Showing outstanding consistency, as captain Henry totalled 375 runs in his ten Great Ayton matches and he also won an award for being the top bowler in the Langbaurgh under-15s League following impressive performances for Ingleby Greenhow - another team he is captain of.

Henry missed just two matches throughout the season but he had good reason to as he was called on to captain the North Yorkshire Cricket Council Team which won the Just Sport Inter-League Trophy versus Durham County.

His talents were recognised when he was called upon to play alongside and against players at least twice his age in the Great Ayton 1st team, who won the DBS NYSD Division One. And this came after appearing for the 2nd XI, for whom he opened the bowling and batted in the top four.

Henry, captain of his school team at Stokesley Secondary Modern, played for the North Yorkshire Under-14s on five occasions and was also invited to Yorkshire county trials - a team he has been on the fringes of in recent years and his father, Stephen, hopes he'll make the breakthrough next season.

Proud Stephen, who nominated his son for the honour, said: "His long-term aim and ambition is to turn pro and he has been on the verge of getting into the team for the last few seasons, He has been for trials at Headingley so we're hopeful that he'll get in the side soon.

"He does stand out at his level. He's a good bowler as well so he's a bit of an all-rounder.

"He has improved over the years and he's a very dedicated player, willing to listen. Before the season started he attended nets sessions for ten weeks and that did him the world of good."

Hambleton District Council singled Henry out for sponsorship this season and Stephen thanked them for their financial support which he says proved vital in buying equipment and traveling to nets practice and matches.

Stephen, a keen cricketer himself, has played in the Langbargh League with Kildale for 35 years and admits Henry must have got into the sport through him. "I've played with Kildale for a long time now and Henry has always come to watch me play so I suppose he must have got into cricket through me and his older brother, James, is a keen cricketer too."

Henry says he was delighted to win the Echo's award which puts him in contention for the overall Cricketer of the Year accolade.

He said: "I am very happy to be given the award. It came as a bit of surprise to be honest but I have put in some good performances towards the end of the season.

"I want to play for Durham or Yorkshire. I watch them regularly and to play cricket professionally would be amazing."

All summer we have been recognising the achievements of local cricketers and our five monthly winners - Anthony MCMahon (May), Keith Bailey (June), Michael Robinson (July), Lee Skinner (August) and Henry Blackett (September) - are the contenders for the overall award.

The winner will receive a Durham CC bat, signed by the first team squad, and a trophy supplied by Mike Gough Sports of Hartlepool.

Don't miss next week's Local Heroes to find out who becomes The Northern Echo Cricketer of the Year.