YORK Cricket Club skipper Nigel Durham, his side on the crest of a winning wave in the Yorkshire ECB County Premier League, will have been watching the monsoon weather with a jaundiced eye.

Nothing would infuriate him more than losing the opportunity for further progress and more league points against struggling Castleford at Clifton Park tomorrow (1pm.)

Compared to other parts of the county, the city seems to have escaped the worst of the wetting.

York chairman Chris Houseman said: "There's been a three-day promotional event for youngsters on the York ground this week and most of the activity has been completed.

"This weekend's busy schedule includes the Yorkshire League game tomorrow and the Myers Burnell final on Sunday. The ground as a whole and the pitches themselves are in pretty good shape. Given a fairer forecast, I'm hopeful that we'll get through."

The Myers Burnell final is between Osbaldwick and Heworth (1.30pm start).

York make one change to last weekend's line-up as vice-captain Marcus Wood returns to the fold. Of equal importance, Australian all-rounder Nash Stone suffered no reaction after his injury comeback and his contribution adds considerably to Durham's options.

On Sunday, Simon Mason and Stephen Piercy are in the Yorkshire League's U21 squad to meet the Huddersfield League at Elland in the final of the White Rose Trophy.

West Yorkshire was badly hit by storms and no cricket has been possible at Elland in the Yorkshire Colts' three-day game scheduled from Wednesday and officials are already considering alternatives if the weather fails to relent.

Table-topping Harrogate, after their last-ditch success at Doncaster last week, are desperate to maintain their championship momentum. They face particular ground fitness problems on a field where water flows notoriously down a slight west to east slope and gets under the covers.

Groundstaff were doing their best to mop up so that their St George's Road clash with Cleethorpes could go ahead.

Cleethorpes will be parading star signing Shane Deitz, the league's most prolific run-maker so far this season.

Second-placed Doncaster are due at lowly Rotherham, and Sheffield United go to Scarborough, whose summer has almost fallen apart in recent weeks, while the important Yorkshire Academy v Sheffield Collegiate game has already been subject to a date and venue switch. They are due to play at Abbeydale on Sunday.

The Horwath Pulleyn Heselton York League Cup final is being staged at Woodhouse Grange on Sunday between Stockton & Hopgrove and York (2.15pm start).

Updated: 12:01 Friday, August 02, 2002