IN a Saturday of disappointment for three of the Yorkshire League's top five, there was no bigger upset than York's North Yorkshire derby triumph over Harrogate at St George's Road.

Over the years, there has been intense, honest rivalry between the two clubs, but recently York have struggled to come out on top.

This time, with Harrogate on the crest of a six-match winning wave and York on the bounce from successive defeats, no augury would have given the city side much of a chance. Pundits, bookmakers, soothsayers and prophets of doom were duly confounded.

Yet the afternoon could hardly have started with less promise after York skipper Nigel Durham won the toss and chose to bat on an excellent pitch.

Talented Simon Mason edged Dave Pennett safely to Alexis Twigg at slip in the first over without scoring and he was soon followed by Nick Kay, who lobbed Khaled Hussain gently to Ollie Hutton. Ed Senneck flattered briefly to deceive and was lbw to a straight Chris Kippax topper that hurried through.

Stephen Piercy held things together with useful assistance from Marcus Wood. They doubled the score before a triple disaster saw Wood caught easily by Peter Hepworth, Robert Flack caught at slip and the gallant Piercy surprised into a return catch off a big, slow full toss.

At 98-6, York were reeling. Youthful salvation emerged as Mike Mortimer and Richard Gilbert scrounged a half-century partnership. It was invaluable as they profited from an uncharacteristically errant Pennett. Mortimer was run out in the late rush and Gilbert castled by the lively Hussain. York had clawed their way to respectability at 178-8.

Harrogate seemed to adopt too casual an approach in their reply. Their quality front four crumbled for next to nothing.

Flack struck twice in successive deliveries, aided by an acrobatic Piercy-Mortimer double act to complete a sharp slip catch off John Inglis and Durham's excellent under-edge snatch to remove the classy Hepworth.

Then Andrew Siddall committed hara kiri, attempting an impossible run to Senneck at extra cover and Flack earned thunderous applause for a screaming third slip pouch to send back a disbelieving Hutton off Gilbert.

York's fielding, so sloppy a week ago, was vitally transformed. Nothing was given away on the ground and some of the catches were awesome. Ryan Bradshaw tried aggression, partly successful, but edged Greg How to Piercy and Twigg missed a straight one from Flack and departed lbw.

Harrogate skipper Mike Stanford and Hussain flattered briefly, but Tom Pringle harnessed Durham to remove Stanford and Hussain drove How comfortably to Senneck.

Gilbert came back to clean up the tail and York, in a corporate expression of delight, formed a Stonehenge circle of celebration near the stumps at the pavilion end.

Having demolished Rotherham by ten wickets a week ago, Scarborough openers Darren Harland (74no) and Clint Heron (107no) were in destructive form yet again, this time against Barnsley at North Marine Road.

They overhauled a 191 target without loss as the Seasiders climbed further up the league table.

Doncaster returned to the top of the table after their outright win at Appleby Frodingham and Sheffield Collegiate, with games in hand, stay in close contention, though they could only collect six points at Driffield.

Elsewhere, there were some big surprises. Castleford must have thought they'd done enough when they took tea at 232-4, but lowly Hull battled back to win by seven wickets.

Yorkshire Academy batted without conviction at Rotherham and went down by five wickets.

But the biggest shock was probably at Cleethorpes where Aussie Shane Deitz (117no) hit his third century of the summer to lead the Lincolnshire outfit home by eight wickets.

In a much delayed Yorkshire League Cup contest, Doncaster beat Castleford by five wickets at Savile Park. There are three games still to be played in the quarter-finals: York v Harrogate, Yorkshire Academy v Scarborough and Doncaster v Rotherham. Sheffield United are already through to the semi-finals, where they will visit York or Harrogate.

The Costcutter Yorkshire Leagues' KO quarter final between the Yorkshire League and the Central Yorkshire League will be played at Doncaster Town next Sunday (1.30pm).

Updated: 15:13 Monday, July 01, 2002