York maintained their 13-point lead in the Yorkshire ECB Premier League with a comprehensive seven-wicket home victory over Cleethorpes.

Their main rivals Barnsley and Harrogate also won, the latter sealing a convincing success at Scarborough.

Cleethorpes had a steady start and looked set for a useful score at 64-2 after 24 overs.

Weekending from his loan spell at Essex, Yorkshire's Nick Thornicroft claimed Bill Kirby when well set and Rob Flack removed Ed Carlton.

Flack's spell was the first turn of the screw as he embarked on 15 overs for only 16 runs.

Dan Broadbent took two wickets in three overs before stepping back to nurse a bleeding spinning finger. His first victim was the important wicket of former West Indies star Sherwin Campbell. Nick Kay stepped in for an athletic caught and bowled before Mark Bell took three wickets.

Michael Sheedy burst off in pursuit of the Cleethorpes score of 130. He had 43 off 40 balls before he fell to Campbell. There was a minor scare when Broadbent went next over, but Kay steered his side home with 27 overs to spare.

Cleethorpes: Kirby c Durham b Thornicroft 31, Carlton c Mason b Flack 8, Campbell lbw b Broadbent 15, Wheeler b Broadbent 11, Smith c Flack b Bell 9, Griffin c and b Kay 4, Wilson c Snell b Bell 3, Dales b Bell 12, Ellis c Kay b Thornicroft 7, A N Other not out 0, extras 20; Total 130.

Bowling: Thornicroft 19-4-67-2; Snell 4-1-10-0; Flack 15.1-8-16-2; Broadbent 3-1-5-2; Bell 9-4-13-3; Kay 3-1-5-1.

York: Sheedy lbw b Campbell 43, Broadbent lbw b Ellis 18, Mason b Carrington 18, Kay not out 34, Snell not out 8, extras 10, Total 131-3.

Bowling: Carrington 11-3-47-1; Ellis 8-1-30-1; Campbell 7-1-32-1; Griffin 1-0-7-0; A N Other 0.5-0-6-0.

Updated: 11:23 Monday, June 27, 2005