Three York batsmen are involved in a neck and neck race to end the season with the most number of runs under their belts, writes Peter Vine.

And all three - Marcus Wood, Simon Mason and Nick Kay - passed the 500-run barrier last weekend.

Wood heads the list after following his 73 not out at Barnsley batting at sixth wicket down with 74 against Hull last Monday for a total of 613 runs at an average of 32.26.

Mason is just 20 runs behind Wood with an average of 29.6 and Kay has reaped 533 runs averaging 28.05 as the club itself goes in for a bit of window dressing to end the season in as high a position as possible.

Meanwhile, York's Australian, Nash Stone, who missed several games through a shoulder injury at the start of the season, has scored 480 runs at an average of 30 and despite being only able to bowl in 12 games has taken 39 wickets at an average of 15.6 runs per wicket.

Rob Flack, who needs just three more wickets to qualify for an entry in the league's handbook next season, has taken 37 wickets at an average of 17.75.

York leap-frogged over Appleby-Frodingham last week to claim seventh place.

Their bid to improve on this position tomorrow could be hampered by hosts Cleethorpes' Kiwi opening bat, Matthew Sinclair, although the New Zealander has not been in the best of form since returning from the Sri Lankan Triangular series last month.

He has fallen prey twice this season to Doncaster's 15-year-old wicket keeper, Andy Chadwick who held a catch two weeks ago when Sinclair had only scored 13 runs.

So York's own high-flying 'keeper, club captain Nigel Durham, will be on his mettle to further improve on the 23 catches and 11 stumpings that he has made so far this season.

In the only team change, Dave Catlow returns to the York side at Cleethorpes, taking the place of John Cook who is unavailable.

Scarborough's aspirations of staying in touch with the 2001 favourites to win the title, Sheffield Collegiate, received a cruel blow at Cleethorpes last Saturday.

Scarborough were bowled out for 110 chasing the home side's relatively low total of 184-9, of which Sinclair could only manage 35.

Nevertheless Mark Cowell retains the same side to take on Barnsley at North Marine Road tomorrow.

Barnsley produced a rare win when they beat Appleby-Frodingham by one wicket at Scunthorpe.

Harrogate, in an unaccustomed fourth place after losing by four wickets to Collegiate last Monday, entertain Castleford tomorrow.

Updated: 12:20 Friday, August 31, 2001