YORK stormed to the top of the Yorkshire ECB Premier League table after a weekend home double.

They defeated Sheffield United by eight wickets yesterday to follow up their victory against Appleby Frodingham by the same margin the previous day.

That was enough to topple leaders Harrogate, who won against Rotherham on Saturday but lost by one wicket against Yorkshire Academy at St George's Road yesterday.

York now lead by five points but face a tough encounter next Saturday at Doncaster with Harrogate having an equally testing home fixture with Sheffield Collegiate, who lie in third place.

United won the toss against York yesterday and elected to bat, and, after an early Greg How wicket, appeared to be moving comfortably to a useful total.

But when York skipper Marcus Wood replaced Dan Broadbent, with Aussie Riley O'Neill enabling Broadbent to replace How at the pavilion end, things changed.

O'Neill's first delivery found Wood, at wicketkeeper for the absent Nigel Durham, via a loose shot from the talented Neil Longhurst.

Thereafter the two spinners had the match under their control and bowled unchanged.

O'Neill tricked Steve Cobley into a return catch and a brilliant boundary throw from Nick Kay ran out Jim Fisher.

In the next over O'Neill induced a careless shot from dangerman Martin Barlow and sent Martin King back next ball.

Simon Mason shot out Rich Taylor with a direct throw off his knees from midwickets while Broadbent claimed the tail.

With 165 to chase, York needed a good start but found themselves two wickets down after ten overs before Wood and Mason forged a third-wicket partnership that was to yield an unbroken 133 runs.

Mason was in commanding form with nine fours in his first 50 as he stroked another six on his way to an accomplished century.

Wood was an admirable foil taking fours, seven in succession at one stage, and singles to enable Mason to stay on strike.

Sheffield United: N Longhurst c Wood b O'Neill 38, M Cummins lbw b How 12, M Barlow c Piercy b O'Neill 41, S Cobley c and b O'Neill 16, J Fisher run out 10, M Watson c and b Broadbent 15, M King lbw O'Neill 0, R Taylor run out 4, A Thorpe c and b Broadbent 4, T Fletcher lbw Broadbent 11, M McArdle no 0. Extras 14. Total: 165.

Bowling: R Flack 5-0-12-0, G How 9-2-29-1, D Broadbent 21.3-5-64-3, R O'Neill 18-6-47-4

York: S Piercy lbw Fletcher 3, S Mason no 100, N Kay c Fisher b Taylor 4, M Wood no 38. Extras 21. Total 166-2

Bowling: T Fletcher 9-2-36-1, R Taylor 7-1-29-1, M Cummins 4-0-17-0, A Thorpe 2-0-16-0, M McArdle 4-0-24-0, S Cobley 5-1-22-0, N Longhurst 1.3-0-11-0

York had duly won Saturday's league fixture at Clifton Park by eight wickets over Appleby Frodingham - but it was not without the odd alarm along the way.

In uncertain weather, it was fortunate that Marcus Wood won the toss for York giving them the chance to control the direction of the game.

The damp, humid conditions were just right for the York seamers to excert that control and Rob Flack and Greg How were soon claiming scalps.

How emerged with six wickets in his unbroken 18-over spell at a miserly cost of only 26 runs but he could not remove obdurate opener Andy Dewick.

However, Nick Kay did the trick with his first delivery aided by a smart Flack catch low at gully.

York's first scare arose when Pakistani overseas player Moazzam Ali used the long handle in a last wicket stand of 35 before perishing in the deep. Frodingham were bowled out for 102.

Simon Mason and Steve Piercy started off at five an over thanks to aggressive field placing, good shots and smart running.

It was clear that Ali, enjoying no luck, was a pacy swing bowler and when he dismissed Mason and Nick Kay within ten balls with 70 runs required, the hard yards were called for. Piercy and Wood supplied it and eased home in 25 overs with a flurry of exhilarating boundaries.

Appleby Frodingham: A Dewick c Flack b Kay 44, P Taylor lbw b How 1, J Uddin c Piercy b Flack 0, M Morland b Flack 5, B Taylor st McGradby b How 0, J Parker lbw How 0, M Bramley lbw How 2, C Taylor b Kay 0, M Ali c Warne b How 26, D Hildreth c McGrady b How 0, P Hilton no 11. Extras 13. Total: 102.

Bowling: G How 17.1-6-26-6, R Flack 9-0-34-2, N Kay 6-2-23-2, R O'Neill 2-0-9-0.

York: S Piercy no 45, S Mason b Ali 17, N Kay c B Taylor b Ali 3, M Wood no 30. Extras 8. Total: 103-2.

Bowling: M Ali 12.14-32-2, C Taykor 6-1-29-0, J Parker 4-0-23-0.

Updated: 09:26 Monday, July 19, 2004