Thornicroft's wizard weekend

The 16-year-old Easingwold School pupil followed his 6-45 stint against Harrogate on Saturday with another splendid four wicket haul against York at Headingley yesterday as York plunged to 135 all out in the last over of their final game of the season.

Chris Gilbert, brother of York pace bowler Rob Gilbert, aided and abetted Thornicroft with a return of 3-32 in his 9.3 overs as York yet again lost their front four batsmen with only ten runs between them.

York had been four wickets down for 15 runs in the 11th over before Marcus Wood (52no) and Nash Stone (26) tried to stop the rot with Rob Flack adding 22.

But the Academy youngsters had the upper hand, especially when Castleford CC's Tim Bresnan weighed in with an innings of 72 to kill off York's resistance. The Academy won by four wickets with 23 overs to spare.

York's hopes of improving their final placing had already been dented on Saturday when they suffered a six-wicket defeat at lowly Doncaster Town.

It was the revamped front order York batsmen who let them down as they plunged to 45 for four leaving it to the middle order batsmen to recover some pride.

Again, Michael Mortimer proved to be a mainstay scoring 59no and joining in a half century sixth-wicket partnership with Wood who, after seeing his own score edging towards the 50 mark, suffered a rush of blood and needlessly threw his wicket away at 44.

Defending their modest total of 180-9 York's bowlers compounded the problem by having an off day as Doncaster's Western Australian all-rounder Peter Worthington celebrated being dropped twice by racing to 129.

Scarborough needed to extract maximum eight points from each of their last two games if they were to pull off their first title since 1984.

But a stubborn last-wicket stand by Sheffield United deprived them of any hope of pushing champions Sheffield Collegiate to the wire.

Collegiate had hammered Driffield (96 all out - 7-26 from off-spinner, John Hespe) by ten wickets as Scarborough piled up the biggest total of the day - 241-8 - only for the Boro' bowlers to end up frustrated.

Boro's top scorer, Rob Barlow (71), also took 4-66 in 19 overs.

YORKSHIRE ECB COUNTY PREMIER LEAGUE

YORK v DONCASTER

York: A Kay b Worthington 5, R Flack c Parkin-Coates b Ellis 20, N Kay c Stokoe b Ellis 15, S Mason c Dawson b Worthington 0, M Wood b Ellis 44, N Stone b Jones 17, M Mortimer not out 59, G How c Chadwick b Ellis 3, R Gilbert b Worthington 6, N Durham b Worthington 2, T Pringle not out 0, Extras 9, Total (9wkts) 180.

Bowling: P Worthington 20-4-60-4, A Parkin-Coates 6-0-14-0, P Ellis 12-1-32-4, P Stokoe 9-1-37-0, D Jones 8-0-31-1.

Doncaster: P Worthington not out 129, N Harris c Durham b Stone 5, S Widdup b Stone 5, R Johnson lbw How 7, P Ellis c Durham b How 8, W Graca not out 18, Extras 9, Total (4wkts) 181.

Bowling: N Stone 10-2-48-2, R Gilbert 3-0-25-0, R Flack 3-0-29-0, T Pringle 8.5-3-45-0, G How 8-3-22-2, M Mortimer 3-0-8-0.

Doncaster (8pts) beat York (0pts) by 6wkts.

Umpires: J M Mullaney and J Holliday.

SHEFFIELD UNITED v SCARBOROUGH

Scarborough: N Tubbs c King b Swanepoel 0, D Harland run out 45, N Fletcher c Cummins b Swanepoel 26, A Gallagher c King b Eastwood 12, M Cowell b Burden 4, P Seed c Twigg b Eastwood 39, R Barlow b Longhurst 71, T Whitmarsh lbw Eastwood 2, M Wells not out 31, R Harrison not out 0, Extras 11, Total (8wkts) 241.

Bowling: P Swanepoel 21-2-87-2, P Eastwood 14-1-54-3, D Burden 16-5-56-1, N Longhurst 4-0-36-1.

Sheffield United: M Barlow b Barlow 46, A Twigg c Cowell b Clifford 36, M Cummins c Cowell b Barlow 11, N Longhurst c Whitmarsh b Clifford 25, C Watson st Whitmarsh b Clifford 20, D Yarnley c Seed b Barlow 2, P Swanepoel c Whitmarsh b Barlow 4, M King c Harland b Wells 7, D Burden c Seed b Barlow 6, A Hirst not out 178, P Eastwood not out 0, Extras 12, Total (9wkts) 187.

Bowling: R Harrison 5-1-29-0, M Wells 7-2-29-1, R Barlow 19-5-66-5, N Fletcher 6-1-20-0, C Clifford 18-7-39-3.

Scarborough (6pts) beat Sheffield United (1pt) by 54 runs.

Umpires: P Oldred and A Featherstone.

YORKSHIRE ACADEMY v HARROGATE

Harrogate: J Inglis b Thornicroft 17, J Proud lbw Thornicroft 95, P Hepworth b Thornicroft 5, R Bradshaw b Thornicroft 1, R Rawlings c Brice b Thornicroft 14, D Pennentt lbw Thornicroft 5, D Crowther not out 21, S Jenson b Brice 1, M Louden b Brice 5, Extras 18, Total (8wkts) 182.

Bowling: N Thornicrfot 14-2-45-6, C Elstub 16-1-58-0, C Brice 25-2-67-2.

Yorkshire Academy: A Gale b Pennett 8, J Chervak b Pennett 0, J Sayers lbw Pennett 4, R Pyrah c Bradshaw b Jenson 5 G Newton c Rawlings b Crowther 24, T Bhatti run out 12, C Elstub run out 42, I Dews not out 39, C Brice not out 8, Extras 41, Total (7wkts) 183.

Bowling: D Pennett 15-2-58-3, S Jenson 12-3-28-1, D Crowther 11-4-24-1, M Louden 5-0-28-0, P Hepworth 4.5-0-26-0.

Yorkshire Academy (6pts) beat Harrogate (0pts) by three wkts.

Umpires: M Maddocks and S Roberts.

APPLEBY-FRODINGHAM v CLEETHORPES

Cleethorpes: M Smith lbw Ellis 11, S Clifton lbw Morland 0, S Indian c Ellis b Morland 7, W Abe b Ellis 15, J Stevenson lbw Dransfield 1, S Airey lbw Dransfield 4, N White lbw Dransfield 0, G Wilson c King b Morland 57, A Carrington c King b Taylor 29, J Davies b Ellis 8, G Thompson not out 0, Extras 18, Total 150.

Bowling: A Ellis 16.2-3-44-3, M Morland 14-1-33-3, R Dransfield 10-3-31-3, C Taylor 4-0-20-1, J Parker 2-0-7-0.

Appleby-Frodingham: P Taylor lbw Davies 0, G Day b White 20, J Taylor c Wilson b Carrington 9, R King b White 49, J Parker lbw Thompson 9, R Dransfield st Wilson b White 0, M Bramley b White 6, M Morland not out 17, A Ellis not out 30, Extras 11, Total (7wkts) 151.

Bowling: J Davies 12-4-26-1, A Carrington 10-2-23-1, S Airey 12-2-32-0, N White 19-6-43-4, G Thompson 9-2-17-1.

Appleby-Frodingham (8pts) beat Cleethorpes (0pts) by three wkts.

Umpires: J Abram and T M Cottam.

HULL v BARNSLEY

Barnsley: C Wood st Pathak b Page 47, B Kulbushan c A Kirby b Dows 27, R Holmes run out 43, J Ellison lbw Dayes 4, A Ivill c Page b Patterson 16, P Benson b Patterson 19, B Hunsley b Dayes 2, D Brunt c Scott b Dayes 2, G Fenton not out 1, A Wakefield run out 0, Extras 38, Total (9wkts) 199.

Bowling: S Patterson 11-0-34-3, A Dayes 12-3-36-3, J Dows 8-1-22-1, D Barrick 10-0-46-0, D Page 3-0-26-1.

Hull: A Kirby b Ellis 0, W Kirby c Clayton b Wakefield 10, J Dows b Ellis 29, D Page c Brunt b Ivill 15, D Barrick lbw Wakefield 1, S Patterson c Brunt b Clayton 8, S Patak lbw Kulbushan 5, I Haller not out 48, N Barrick b Ivill 10, A Dayes b Ellis 11, A Scott b Ellis 0, Extras 17, Total 154.

Bowling: J Ellis 10.1-3-47-4, A Wakefield 6-2-16-2, A Ivill 9-3-26-2, G Fenton 9-2-24-1, B Kulbushan 2-0-6-1, B Hunseley 2-0-20-0.

Barnsley (8pts) beat Hull (0pts) by 45 runs.

Umpires: J Millard and K Jackson.

CASTLEFORD v ROTHERHAM

Rotherham: B Scrivens c Thewlis b O'Neill 8, A Swallow b O'Neill 5, Kemp c Old b Gray 47, O Burford c Thewlis b Old 44, S Bailey c Thewlis b Gray 1, G Davies c Old b Watts 2, A Bashford lbw O'Neill 1, P Stavely lbw Wainwright 1, L Jeffries b O'Neill 5, G Hurworth st Thewlis b Wainwright 7, M Smallman not out 1, Extras 10, Total 132.

Bowling: G O'Neill 11-2-24-4, F Watts 13-3-22-1, W Hodson 4-0-29-0, G Old 8-3-25-1, T Gray 9-4-21-2, D Wainwright 5-4-4-2.

Castleford: L Clayton lbw Smallman 11, M Thewlis b Smallman 36, G Old c Swallow b Jeffries 31, D Wainwright b Davies 7, J Randerson not out 31, F Watts not out 7, Extras 10, Total (4wkts) 133.

Bowling: B Scrivens 7-0-38-0, M Smallman 10-3-17-2, G Davies 7-1-32-1, A Swallow 3-0-15-0, L Jeffries 4-0-16-1, Bashford 2-0-11-0.

Castleford (8pts) beat Rotherham (0pts) by six wkts.

Umpires: G J Mellor and G Wood.

SHEFFIELD COLLEGIATE v DRIFFIELD

Driffield: R Gibbs b Hespe 18, R Drury c McKenna b Hespe 23, A Southwick b Hespe 12, M Tennent lbw Boocock 8, M Drury lbw Hespe 0, S Winterbottom c Boocock b Hespe 0, M Dean c Wylie b Hespe 16, A Winterbottom lbw Boocock 0, J Hutton lbw Boocock 4, R Swiers b Hespe 7, G Hodgson not out 0, Extras 7, Total 95.

Bowling: A Wylie 6-1-24-0, D Jones 11-4-22-0, J Hespe 14.4-5-26-7, M Boocock 9-5-16-3.

Sheffield Collegiate: N Priestley not out 59, R Moyser not out 33, Extras 4, Total (0wkts) 96.

Bowling: S Winterbottom 4-1-19-0, G Hodgson 4-0-20-0, G Hutton 10-4-14-0, R Swiers 10-3-33-0, A Southwick 1-0-8-0, M Dean 1-0-1-0.

Sheffield Collegiate (8pts) beat Driffield (0pts) by ten wkts.

Umpires: T Boldry and R E Lawson.

Played yesterday

YORKSHIRE ACADEMY v YORK

York: S Piercy b Thornicroft 6, A Kay b Thornicroft 2, N Kay c Gale b Thornicroft 2, S Mason lbw Thornicroft 0, N Stone b Bresnan 26, M Wood not out 52, M Mortimer b Bresnan 0, R Flack c Sayers b Brice 22, G How b Gilbert 1, R Gilbert b Gilbert 3, N Durham b Gilbert 0, Extras 23, Total 137.

Bowling: N Thornicroft 9-2-24-4, D Stiff 8-2-8-0, T Bresnan 7-2-18-2, C Gilbert 9.3-2-32-3, D Broadbent 11-4-18-0, C Brice 10-1-16-1.

Yorkshire Academy: A Gale lbw Stone 0, J Sayers c Durham b How 36, R Pyrah b Stone 0, T Bresnan b Mortimer 72, C Gilbert b Stone 8, C Brice b Stone 0, I Dews not out 0, G Newton not out 8, Extras 16, Total (6wkts) 140.

Bowling: N Stone 10-1-38-4, R Gilbert 5-1-19-0, R Flack 4-0-12-0, G How 6-0-25-1, S Piercy 4-1-15-0, M Mortimer 3-0-18-1.

Yorkshire Academy (8pts) beat York (0pts) by four wkts.

Umpires: T Boldry and S Roberts.

SHEFFIELD UNITED v APPLEBY-FRODINGHAM

Sheffield United: M Barlow lbw Ellis 10, A Twigg c Parker b Morland 60, M Cummins lbw Hildreth 22, N Longhurst c King b Dransfield 0, C Watson b Hildreth 2, D Yarnley c Barker b Morland 29, P Swanepole lbw Morland 13, M King not out 25, A Burden b Ellis 23, A Hirst lbw Ellis 4, P Eastwood lbw Ellis 0, Extras 28, Total 216.

Bowling: M Morland 16-0-51-3, A Ellis 12.2-2-40-4, R Dransfield 12-0-56-1, D Hildreth 8-1-28-2, J Parker 4-0-18-0.

Appleby-Frodingham: R King lbw Swanepole 1, P Taylor b Eastwood 5, G Day c Swanepoel b Eastwood 1, J Parker st King b Burden 57, R Dransfield c King b Swanepole 1, M Bramley b Yarnley 16, M Morland c&b Yarnley 8, A Ellis run out 0, D Hildreth st King b Burden 5, C Taylor b Yarnley 0, A Barker not out 0, Extras 21, Total 115.

Bowling: P Swanepole 16-2-38-2, P Eastwood 9-3-23-2, D Burden 14.4-5-32-2, D Yarnley 8-6-4-3.

Sheffield United (8pts) beat Appleby-Frodingham (0pts) by 101 runs.

Umpires: K Jackson and R Lawson.

ROTHERHAM v CLEETHORPES

Cleethorpes: M Smith c Hurworth b Smallman 31, S Clifton lbw Jeffries 77, J Stevenson c Jeffries b Davis 11, W Abe b Jeffries 12, S Indian st Guy b Davis 9, A Carrington b Davis 6, G Wilson c Scrivens b Davis 1, S Airey not out 17, J Davies c Guy b Davis 0, N White lbw Jeffries 3, G Thompson run out 4, Extras 25, Total 196.

Bowling: L Jeffries 15-2-44-3, B Scrivens 4-1-14-0, A Bashford 8-1-25-0, M Smallman 11-4-33-1, A Swallow 5-2-10-0, G Davis 12-0-54-5.

Rotherham: B Scrivens lbw Carrington 8, A Swallow lbw Davis 8, D Kemp b Carrington 0, S Guy b Davis 1, J Allan c Wilson b Davis 0, S Bailey b Carrington 0, G Davis lbw Davies 7, A Bashford lbw Carrington 0, M Smallman b Carrington 17, l Jeffries lbw Carrington 14, G Hurworth not out 2, Extras 7, Total 64.

Bowling: J Davies 8-4-23-4, A Carrington 8.1-1-30-6, N White 1-0-5-0.

Rotherham (8pts) beat Cleethorpes (0pts) by 132 runs.

Umpires: B Whitehead and J Holliday.