YORK Cricket Club enjoyed a successful home weekend led by some powerful batting which created the platform for two wide margin victories.

In their Saturday home Yorkshire ECB Premier League match against Rotherham, disaster was on the cards as York lost three wickets in the first four overs. Will Warne with skipper Marcus Wood sorted the mess out with a stand of 94 before Wood was out in the 34th over.

Warne powered on to strike 11 fours in his smooth knock of 81. His partnership of 87 runs with Dan Broadbent set the marker for a comfortable total.

Broadbent scored an even time 54 before Greg How finished off with a cameo innings. In reply, Rotherham followed suit in losing early wickets to Rich Carroll and Mike Mortimer but their middle order, led by Iqhal Qadir, steadied the ship before spinners Riley O'Neill and Dan Broadbent turned the screw to cramp any surge for victory. Late on Greg How applied the final touches with two wickets in three overs and York secured a 67 runs victory with three overs remaining.

Yesterday's 50 overs League Cup fixture against Sheffield United was of a different order.

Despite the early loss of Steve Piercy, York built a powerful base led by Simon Mason who atoned for his Saturday golden duck with a powerful range of strokes to earn himself a big hundred containing 13 fours and one six. Nick Kay promised to emulate him until he was unaccountably bowled.

However, Dan Broadbent took up the challenge to earn himself his second 50 of the weekend as York raced on to a commanding total of 291 runs.

Sheffield made an untroubled reply with 98 runs in 24 overs before the second wicket fell. Marcus Wood introduced his slow bowlers early to force the Sheffield batsmen to think about their shots. With a second half run requirement approaching seven an over, the pressure told and seven wickets fell for only 40 runs.

A last-wicket partnership of 49 between Tom Fletcher and Rich Taylor delayed the inevitable and added a modicum of respectability but York emerged victors by 104 runs with How and Broadbent taking three wickets apiece.

Updated: 11:08 Monday, June 14, 2004