YORK crashed out of the National Club Championship when they lost by five wickets to Guisborough at Clifton Park.

Although the third round tie was in the balance for some time, Guisborough were comfortable victors.

York were short on runs, short on luck and short on tightness in the bowling department at key moments.

They started badly when Steve Piercy was needlessly run out without scoring and, moments later, Simon Mason met with the home umpire's displeasure as he appeared to leave a ball outside the off-stump.

Then Nash Stone was brilliantly stumped by York-based Graham Wrightson off a near wide down the leg side.

At 35-3 York were in trouble but Marcus Wood was in defiant form and, with Mike Mortimer, began to rebuild the innings.

Then York steadily lost wickets until Tom Pringle joined Wood with ten overs remaining.

He added 59 without alarm alongside Wood who batted with maturity and accomplishment for a fine undefeated 72 but the Clifton Parkers' total of 179 seemed a bit tight for comfort.

Home openers Saul Clifford and Richard Dunn got Guisborough off to a comfortable start until Dunn fell to a slick legside stumping by Nigel Durham.

Dan Broadbent came on to claim three wickets alongside a tight spell from Stone.

York seemed to have a top chance at 92-5 with 20 overs to play, but York's bowling grew a little loose and Chris Murray, batting at number seven, played a fluent innings of powerful strokes for an undefeated 72.

That proved decisive enough to secure victory for Guisborough who now face a visit to Dunnington who walked over Acomb as the York Senior League leaders were unable to raise a team for their clash yesterday.

Meanwhile, a half-century stand by two teenagers paved the way for York to score a convincing 97-run Oxbridge Yorkshire ECB County Premier League victory over Appleby Frodingham at Scunthorpe on Saturday.

After losing the toss and being put into bat first on a damp, juicy pitch, York lost recent prolific scorer Piercy early on. Simon Mason and Rob Flack made something of a start only to perish.

Mike Mortimer and Jeetan Patel followed with a few more runs, but York were 70-7.

Enter 16-year-olds Duncan Snell and Tom Pringle, who put on 50 by virtue of offering nothing more complicated than a straight bat in difficult conditions.

They steered York towards a total of 146, a level which they had been able to defend in less testing conditions than those they had at Brumby Hall.

Flack and Greg How grabbed an early wicket each. Patel and Dan Broadbent gained mid-order control before How returned to clean up the Steelers' tail.

Updated: 09:32 Monday, May 26, 2003