Wanstead's Arfan Akram with Dominic Cork

Wanstead miss out in ECB National Club Championship final after eight wicket loss to York.

Wanstead & Snaresbrook skipper Arfan Akram insists that more trophy chances will follow after his side missed out on a league and cup double when they were beaten by York in the ECB National Club Championship final on Sunday, writes Kirk Blows.

The Shepherd Neame Essex Premier Division champions suffered an eight-wicket defeat to York in Derbyshire.

Their 162-9 target was ruthlessly wiped out by the Yorkshire champions for the loss of just two wickets.

But their captain believes there will be further opportunities for his young side to win silverware in the years to come.

Akram said: “We’re in a very good place for the future.

“Six of our 12 players are aged 20 or under and eight have come from the club’s junior set-up.

“Our talented youngsters will learn from everything we’ve experienced this season and become even better for it.

“After finishing second in the league for three years running, we’ve managed to go one better this season to win the championship.

“But I’m not sure we’ve quite reached our peak yet and with the squad of players we have, who knows what we can achieve in years to come?”