YORK Cricket Club hope to put further daylight between themselves and their Oxbridge Yorkshire ECB Premier League rivals on Saturday.

Leaders York head to Barnsley, who are having a moderate season, with a chance of increasing their lead at the top.

Nigel Durham's side will be going for maximum points at Shaw Lane in an effort to increase their eight-point lead at the head of the table.

York's home win against Cleethorpes last Saturday, coupled with Scarborough's defeat against the Yorkshire Academy has given the Clifton Parkers a useful cushion with eight matches remaining.

There are just two changes to the side which beat Cleethorpes, Tom Pringle comes in for Dave Catlow and Mike Mortimer replaces the unavailable Marcus Wood.

High-flying York will certainly have one eye on affairs at North Marine Road where Scarborough entertain fourth-placed Sheffield Collegiate. The South Yorkshire side, the last side to beat York, are 19 points adrift of the leaders, but have a game in hand.

York continue to set the pace at the top and looked particularly impressive last weekend in a comfortable win over Cleethorpes, who are in fourth place.

In Stephen Piercy and Simon Mason they have a maturing opening partnership, while Rob Flack can score runs solidly at number three which has enabled York to post bigger totals in recent weeks. Flack also starred with the ball last week with 4-20 against Cleethorpes.

Nigel Durham is proving an insprirational leader behind the stumps while Wood, Mike Davies, Dan Broadbent, Duncan Snell and Jetan Patel are all capable of producing runs in the middle order.

York are very much on course for the Yorkshire League double, but will have their credentials severely tested when they meet Collegiate at Abbeydale on Sunday, August 19 in the Cup semi-final.

After tomorrow's trip to Barnsley, York's league run-in sees them play Appleby Frodingham (h), Saturday, August 9; Driffield (a), Saturday, August 16; Yorkshire Academy (h), Saturday, August 23; Harrogate (a), Monday, August 25; Doncaster (a), Saturday, August 30; Rotherham (h), Saturday, September 6 and Castleford (a), Saturday, September 13.

Current Yorkshire League standings: York played 18, points 104; Scarborough 18, 96; Cleethorpes 18, 86; Sheffield Collegiate 17, 85; Driffield 18, 78; Castleford 16, 77; Harrogate 18, 74; Doncaster 18, 72; Sheffield United 18, 66; Barnsley 18, 62; Yorkshire Academy 17, 49; Hull 18, 42; Appleby Frodingham 18, 12; Rotherham 18, 7.

Clifton Park hosts the Myers and Burnell Cup final between Acomb and Woodhouse Grange on Sunday (1.30pm start). Both sides will face 16 eight-ball overs in two innings each.

Updated: 10:01 Friday, August 01, 2003