YORK Cricket Club opened their defence of their Yorkshire League crown by coming away from Scunthorpe-based Appleby Frodingham with a decisive 120-run victory.

York captain Marcus Wood bravely took on the responsibility of bowling the opposition out by electing to bat.

His batters rewarded him with a powerful display. Openers Dan Broadbent and Aussie Michael Sheedy put on 92 in less than even time with the Melbourne-based opener clocking 70 off 90 balls.

Broadbent provided the glue with a 147-minute 50 but the impetus continued under Simon Mason. Ripon-based, but now at Camnbridge UCCE, Mason tore his opponents apart with 15 boundaries in a knock of 94 off only 70 balls. Wood and Duncan Snell took the innings to a formidable 258 total.

In reply, Frodingham were undermined in 11 overs through the pace of Yorkshire's Nick Thornicroft and the accuracy of Rob Flack.

John Parker offered some resistance but the introduction of Greg How stifled any hopes of a reversal and Broadbent weighed in with a hat-trick, all clean bowled, and the innings concluded after only 27 overs.

York: D Broadbent st Barker b Dewick 50, M Sheedy lbw b Dewick 70, S Mason b C Taylor 94, N Kay run out 9, M Wood not out 13, D Snell not out 11. Extras 11. Total: 258-4.

Bowling: P Hilton 4-1-22-0, C Taylor 13-0-56-1, A Dewick 19-0-100-2, A Vermeulen 11-1-30-0, J Taylor 4-0-21-0, J Parker 4-4-19-0.

Appleby Frodingham: A Vermeulen lbw b Thornicroft 21, P Taylor lbw b Thornicroft 2, J Uddin ct Mason b Thornicroft 0, M Morland b Flack 4, J Taylor b Flack 8, J Parker ct Wood b How 25, M Bramley b How 12, A Dewick not out 4, C Taylor b Broadbent 0, A Barker b Broadbent 0, P Hilton b Broadbent 0. Extras 4. Total 80 all out

Bowling: N Thornicroft 6-2-13-3, R Flack 7-1-24-2, D Broadbent 7.3-1-25-3, G How 6-1-16-2.

York won by 120 runs

York concluded a successful weekend by beating Saltburn by 91 runs in the first round of the ECB Cockspur Cup at Clifton Park yesterday.

They now entertain Beverley a week next Sunday.

Marcus Wood chose to bat first but York were in trouble at 7-2 in only the third over.

Nick Kay joined Dan Broadbent and they stood firm and then blossomed to add 137 runs in 31 overs. Kay, benefitting from some ordinary fielding, stroked a controlled century including seven fours.

Mike Mortimer added a punchy 37 off 40 balls as York welcomed 33 extras to fashion a more than useful total of 226.

Like York, Salturn had a stuttery start as Thornicroft and Flack claimed a wicket apiece.

Tim Hood and Anil Ditta began to put runs together in a promising stand of 73 which was ended with the introduction of Mark Bell who claimed both in his first three overs.

With Broadbent tightening the screw with his off-spinners, York began to scent victory and the return of Thornicroft's thunderbolts settled the issue as he tore up the tail and Bell emerged with a decisive four-wicket mid-innings spell.

York: S Mason b Hood 1, D Broadbent b A M Ditta 44, N Thornicroft c Hodgson b Hood 5, N Kay ct Walker b Hood 102, M Wood b Storr 0, M Mortimer not out 37, D Snell not out 4. Extras 33. Total 226-5.

Bowling: T Hood 7-1-30-3, M Fazal 9-4-20-0, L Hodgson 8-0-39-0, A I Ditta 9-0-45-0, R Storr 9-0-58-1, A M Ditta 3-0-20-1.

Saltburn: M Faxal lbw b Thornicroft 1, R Storr ct Mason b Flack 5, T Hood c&b Bell 37, A I Ditta ct Broadbent b Bell 35, L Hogdson b Broadbent 3, J Bond ct McGrady b Thornicroft 2, A M Ditta b Bell 23, S Walker b Thornicroft 1, J Lawson ct Flack b Bell 10, K Brown not out 1, A Bell injured dnb 0, Extras 17. Total 135.

Bowling: N Thornicroft 9-0-23-3, R Flack 5-1-10-1, D Broadbent 9-2-31-1, G How 4-0-23-0, M Bell 9-0-32-4.

Yorkshire League

Barnsley 150-9 (M Wilson 51; L Dudman 4-52), *Castleford 81 (M Beardsall 4-20, R Wilkinson 5-11).

*Cleethorpes 146-9 (B Kirby 89no; C Gilbert 4-41), Doncaster Tn 83 (A Rennison 31; S Campbell 3-16, A Ellis 3-17, A Carrington 3-2).

Driffield 98 (R Pearson 5-32), *Harrogate 99-1 (A Twigg 27, J Inglis 55no).

Hull 150 (J Voros 47, B Kirkby 27; M Claydon 7-35, M Thompson 3-53), *Rotherham 121 (M Claydon 29; J Voros 4-42, T Dayes 3-16).

*Sheffield Utd 203-8 (M Barlow 72, A Plummer 38, J Trower 33; G Norton 3-17), Yorkshire Academy 132 (C Bachelor 30; T Fletcher 4-22).

Updated: 10:12 Monday, April 25, 2005