SCARBOROUGH'S North Marine Road ground was buzzing on Saturday as Yorkshire Academy's teenage left-arm spinner, Chris Brice claimed the wickets of Yorkshire captain David Byas and England all-rounder Craig White in the space of four overs, writes Peter Vine.

The Scarborough pair had enjoyed a half century opening partnership in the ECB Yorkshire Premier Cricket League encounter when young Brice came on for the 13th over and a couple of overs later clean bowled White for 17.

The Yorkshire pair had put on 62, but 13 runs later Ramsden held a neat catch to remove Byas for 30.

Byas was getting in valuable match practice with his club side as he fights his way back to full fitness following an operation to remove a piece of torn cartilage from a knee.

The Yorkshire skipper is hoping to return to North Marine Road on Wednesday to lead Yorkshire against Surrey in what could be the PPP healthcare County Championship decider.

Brice, from Birstall, near Leeds, finished with 4-17 as Scarborough posted 258-9.

Mark Cowell helped save Scarborough's blushes by scoring 85 off 120 balls and enjoyed a third wicket partnership of 85 with Darren Harland (31).

However, hopes of Scarborough forcing victory ended 31 overs into the Academy's reply because of rain with the visitors struggling on 74 for 4.

Rain ruined Saturday's league programme with three games - Barnsley v York, Harrogate v Castleford and Rotherham v Doncaster failing to start.

However, Sheffield United were able to stretch their lead at the top as they won in quick time at Driffield in the only match to beat the weather.

United blasted 279-3 at 4.65 runs an over of which Martin Barlow ran up a century that included 16 boundariess and former York player Alexis Twigg was dismissed off the last ball for 86.

United then sliced through the Driffield card in 18.1 overs, skittling the Wolds side for just 40.

Right arm medium pace bowler Paul Eastwood finished with 6-16 in nine overs and Piete Swanepoel 4-13.

YORKSHIRE ECB

COUNTY PREMIER LEAGUE

SCARBOROUGH v YORKSHIRE ACADEMY

Scarborough: D Byas c Ramsden b Brice 30, C White b Brice 17, M Cowell c Pyrah b Brice 85, D Harland b Harris 31, P Seed b Stiff 0, C Allen c Harris b Brice 32, N Tubbs not out 6, N Fletcher b Ramsden 10, G Wilson not out 5, Extras 35, Total (7 wkts) 251.

Bowling: G Ramsden 14-1-51-1, D Stiff 8-3-18-1, N Harris 10-0-38-1, C Brice 16-2-71-4, I Dews 9-2-34-0, R Pyrah 3-0-23-0.

Yorkshire Academy: R Pyrah c Wilson b White 0, J Sayers b Clifford 21, T Owens c Allen b Clifford 30, G Newton not out 15, N Harris c Harland b Clifford 3, M Beckett not out 1, Extras 4, Total (4 wkts) 74 - rain stopped play.

Bowling: B Wigney 10-6-14-0, C White 8-3-20-1, N Fletcher 7-1-24-0, C Clifford 6-1-12-3.

Match abandoned - 3 pts each.

Umpires: T M Cottam and J Millard.

APPLEBY-FRODINGHAM v SHEFFIELD COLL

Sheffield Collegiate: N Gaywood c White b Powell 124, N Priestley lbw Ellis 28, R Kettleborough c White b Hildreth 15, E McKenna c Parker b Ellis 49 C Wall not out 32, M Root not out 20, Extras 35, Total (4 wkts) 294.

Bowling: A Ellis 21-6-63-2, D Raynor 13-1-68-0, M Powell 11-1-58-1, D Hildreth 5-1-26-1 T Topia 10-1-49-0.

Appleby-Frodingham - did not bat.

Rain stopped play - 3 pts each.

Umpires: A Featherstone and S Roberts.

DRIFFIELD v SHEFFIELD UNITED

Sheffield United: J Trower c Howe b Winterbottom 39, M Barlow b Swiers 117, A Twigg b Swiers 86, C Watson not out 8, Extras 29, Total (3 wkts) 279.

Bowling: G Hodgson 14-1-59-0, R Swiers 14-3-62-2, S Winterbottom 12-0-59-1, A Soutwhick 9-0-42-0, R Drury 11-0-36-0.

Driffield: A Towse c Trower b Eastwood 2, R Drury c Barlow b Eastwood 0, M Tennent c Twigg b Estwood 0, R Gibbs c Twigg b Swanepoel 12, A southwick b Eastwood 3, M Drury c Watson b Swanepoel 0, W Sygroves b Eastwood 0, S Winterbottom c Trower b Swanepoel 5, D Howe b Swanepoel 10, R Swiers c Twigg b Eastwood 3, G Hodgson not out 0, Extras 5, Total 40.

Bowling: P Swanepoel 9.1-4-13-4, P Eastwood 9-2-22-6.

Sheffield United (8pts) beat Driffield (0pts) by 239 runs.

Umpires: G A Holmes and R E Lawson.

HULL v CLEETHORPES

Hull: W Kirby b Willerton 36, A Simpson c Kabir b P Thompson 10, J Dows lbw Kabir 16, D Stephenson c Matt Smith b Kabir 10, D Barrett st Matt smith b G Thompson 11, B Culbard c P Thompson b G Thompson 56, S Cox c Abe b G Thompson 90, D Page st Matt Smith b G Thompson 4, T Londesborough not out 6, S Sargeant b Airey 2, Extras 17, Total (9 wkts) 258 dec.

Bowling: S Airey 12.4-2-47-1, P Thompson 9-0-38-1, G Thompson 18-1-77-4, S Kabir 13-1-48-2, C Willerton 4-2-12-1, J Stephenson 3-0-25-0.

Cleethorpes - did not bat.

Match abandoned - 3pts each.

Umpires: B Whitehead and J Holliday.

No play: Barnsley v York, Harrogate v Castleford, Rotherham v Doncaster - all matches rained off.

Latest positions: Sheffield United 112pts from 23 games, Harrogate 106-22, Doncaster 104-22, York 98-22, Sheffield Collegiate 97-21, Hull 85-22, Yorkshire Academy 85-23, Scarborough 83-22, Castleford 75-21, Cleethorpes 73-22, Appleby-Frodingham 57-21, Rotherham 44-21, Driffield 36-22, Barnsley 31-22.

Up for the cup

COSTCUTTER York Senior Cricket League champions Clifton Alliance take on Bradford League title holders Hanging Heaton in the final of the Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions Trophy next Sunday.

The game is being staged at Leeds Police's Gledhow Road ground at 12.30pm.

Hanging Heaton, who have also won the Heavy Woollen Cup, will start as favourites after beating Yorkshire League side Doncaster in the semi-final to reach the final for the fourth time.