The club are delighted to announce Jason Booth as second team captain for the 2023 season. Jason has led the first team on three different occasions, the first when he was just 17 years old and latterly up to the end of last season.

At 49, he’s now accepted the role of leading the next generation through to maximising their potential. Jason came to the club to further his career at 16, the year he started a Youth Training Scheme at Headingley. He was later promoted to an Academy contract. The scheme gave him the opportunity to gain qualifications as a groundsman and he covered three test matches during his time at the club. In 2000, he became the assistant Groundsman at Leeds Rhinos and when the head Groundsman left to take over at Leeds United, he accepted his role. Whilst at the Rhinos, he gained his degree in Sports Turf to further his career. In 2014 he left Headingley for good to work for the Grounds Management Association and is currently their Chief Operations Officer, taking him from the Nou Camp to Twickenham, working with the leading National Sports Associations.

He spent time playing in the Bradford League and South Yorkshire Cricket League before returning to the club in 2008. For the past four years he’s been mentoring the young aspiring captains at the club, blooding them for the future and feels that it’s time for the talented Beck Frostick to lead the first team in 2023.

We caught up with Jason, who has just completed his first season as Cricket Chairman, ‘This club has given me far more than I could ever give back and I’m honoured that the club feels that I’m the best fit to lead the ultra talented younger players in the second team and I can’t wait to get started. I’m really excited about where the club is going, and feel that we’re going from strength to strength. The club has always developed its own juniors to play at the highest level possible and we’ll continue to strive towards that, whether that’s a Championship player, a Premier League player or even a first class cricketer. The club will look towards all sides mirroring what the first team are looking to achieve both on and off the field, with preparation and mindset. We actually started doing more of that this season, but the second team will be an extension of the first team with players ready to step up when called upon. It’s important that we do this, as we have slightly different squads for both red and pink ball games and that shows the strength in depth at the club.’

Club Chairman Phil Chapman added, ‘There was only ever one candidate for the role as far as the club were concerned. Jason leads by example and is incredibly infectious as a person, and we’re delighted that he’s accepted the role.’

The club would like to wish Jason the best of luck and we’re convinced that he’ll be not only be successful on the field but help to develop all aspects of cricket in the coming years.