In what must go down as the best all-round batting, bowling and fielding performances of the season, York hammered Barnsley by 130 runs on their famous Shaw Lane ground in the Yorkshire ECB County Premier League clash on Saturday, writes Peter Vine.

Their massive total of 263 for four at 4.78 runs an over included two century partnerships between big hitting Nick Kay and Simon Mason and Mason and Marcus Wood.

Then it was left to York's all-rounder, Nash Stone to mop up six Barnsley wickets for 25 in 11.3 overs to clear the decks for a maximum eight-point victory.

The Aussie wiped out five batsmen for just six runs in his last 21 deliveries.

Kay had hit 12 fours and two sixes in his innings of 92 and in his third wicket partnership with Mason (73) blasted 50 runs in 30 minutes as the pair reached the century stage of their 143 run partnership in 84 minutes.

Not to be outdone in the big hitting stakes, Wood reached his 50 off 29 balls and scored seven boundaries and two sixes in his unbeaten innings of 73.

Their skipper, Nigel Durham, embellished York's excellent performance by making a stumping and taking four catches, including one where he ran backwards for a long distance and held a brilliant take to dismiss Kulbushan (41) off Rob Flack, who took two for 28 off ten overs.

The result put York in great heart to reap more points off today's visitors to Clifton Park, Hull, who fell to Cleethorpes by 40 runs on Saturday.

The race for the 2001 title reached fever pitch with Sheffield Collegiate strengthening their grip on the trophy by increasing the gap between them and second-placed Scarborough from five to seven points as Boro failed to extract maximum points out of Appleby-Frodingham.

Appleby-Frodingham were 12 for three before right-hander John Parker blasted ten sixes in his unbeaten innings of 124 to take his side's total to 197 for seven.

And despite Rob Harrison's five for 37, Appleby managed to hang on to their last three wickets to deprive Scarborough of a chance of maximum points.

Vic Craven was Boro's top scorer with 36 and Nick Tubbs chipped in with 30, while skipper for the day Darren Harland and Neil Fletcher made 28 runs apiece.

Third-placed Harrogate crept closer to Scarborough with an eight pointer over visitors Doncaster Town, who were bowled out for 141 in 46 overs, Steve Jenson producing the best bowling figures of three for 33 in 12 overs.

Town finished 62 runs short of the target set by Harrogate of 202 all out, of which Peter Hepworth scored 62.