York completed a double Yorkshire ECB County Premier League victory at the weekend following their eight-wicket disposal of Rotherham on Saturday with a four-wicket triumph over the lively Yorkshire Academy at Clifton Park yesterday.

The 18 points gained from both days sees York rocket into fourth place just two points behind Harrogate, who suffered the worst result in the club's and indeed the Yorkshire League's history at Appleby-Frodingham.

Appleby-Frodingham batted for an incredible total of 405-2, while Harrogate were bowled out for little over 100.

It is thought that Harrogate travelled with a very makeshift side because of injuries and unavailabilities.

Shades of 1992 reared its nasty head yesterday as history almost repeated itself, in reverse, as they found themselves with only two first team players available to travel to Appleby-Frodingham.

Apart from club captain John Proud and all-rounder Peter Hepworth the rest of the team was made up Harrogate players of yesteryear such as Jeremy Henderson and Miles Rawlings and whoever could be mustered.

It was June 1992 when Harrogate courted criticism for making Clee-thorpes field three men when the rest of the Lincolnshire men were held up in an eight mile A1 traffic jamb near Wetherby.

Cleethorpes, who had been asked to agree to the game being switched to St George's Road, were bowled out for eleven runs and the game was over in half an hour as the rest of the Cleethorpes players turned up

At Clifton Park the Yorkshire Academy batted first for 203-8 in 60 overs, York winning by four wickets in the 59th over.

The Academy, skippered by former York captain Ian Dews, were 88-1 when Stephen Piercy neatly caught Richard Pyrah at first slip off Nash Stone in the 31st over.

Nine overs later, Yorkshire had lost three more wickets for the addition of only 11 runs as York now occupied the driving seat.

Mark Beckett (70no) and Dews (17) put on 40 runs for the sixth wicket before Dews drove a hard ball to Richard Gilbert at mid-off Stone.

Dews had been dropped off a no-ball from Rob Lancaster which caused York to lose their concentration for a time and the Academy were let off the hook as right-hander Beckett got among the York bowlers with some beautiful straight drives.

Even so, with York's strong batting line-up raring to get at the Academy bowlers, Marcus Wood (50) and Piercy put on 77 for an excellent first-wicket stand in 23 overs. Simon Mason (35) put on a half-century for the third wicket with Nick Kay (42) before they were separated in the 53rd over with York's score on 178.

Stone, having taken four Academy wickets for 66 in 22 overs, scored 28 not out in guiding York to victory.

While Stone has now taken 48 wickets at an average of 14.3, yesterday's win was York's fifth in a row and they are poised to make it six when Castleford visit Clifton Park next Saturday.

York had made it four Yorkshire ECB County Premier League wins in a row when they disposed of Rotherham by eight wickets at Clifton Lane on Saturday.

Two excellent bowling performances by Australian Stone and Lancaster helped to bomb Rotherham out for 107 in 48.2 overs before York's batsmen knocked the runs off in 27 overs for the loss of two wickets.

Opening bowler Greg How made the early breakthrough when he dismissed Dave Adams in the tenth over with Town's score on 14, before Stone began his 16-over onslaught taking 6-40.

Lancaster, improving as the season and his experience of Yorkshire League cricket progresses, took three Rotherham wickets for 19 runs in 15 tight overs.

York's skipper, Nigel Durham, held four catches off Stone who clean bowled his other two victims.

Rotherham's lowly total of 107 posed no threat to the strong York batting line-up, left-hander Wood batting right through for 38 not out in 27 overs.

Wood enjoyed a 48-run second wicket partnership with Simon Mason, who chopped on a delivery from Zafar while on 22, and coasted to victory with Kay in double quick time.

In-form Kay faced 11 deliveries in his eleven minutes at the crease, scoring four boundaries in four balls to end unbeaten on 20.

Former York opening bat Alexis Twigg, who helped to set a Yorkshire League record second-wicket partnership with Shaun Beck last year - an unbeaten 366 - was among the runs again yesterday for Sheffield United.

Against Barnsley (231-9), Twigg (101no) and Martin Barlow (105no) put on 222 for the unbeaten second-wicket for United (233-1).

The new Yorkshire ECB County Premier League leaders, Sheffield Collegiate, opened up a seven-point lead over injury hit Harrogate, who could only manage an incomplete win over bottom club Barnsley at St George's Road on Saturday.

Collegiate's Mark Boocock pinned Doncaster down to a score of 199 with a 24.1-over return of 6-80 with John Hespe taking 4-49 with his off-spinners.

Nick Gaywood and Collegiate's skipper, Ed McKenna, then punished Town's bowlers with innings of 76 and 50 respectively as Collegiate won with six wickets and eight balls to spare.

Despite building up a 240-8 run-mountain against Barnsley, Harrogate still could not manage to extract maximum points over the bottom club, who hung on to force a draw at 219-7.

Harrogate's bowling attack has been blighted by injuries, Vic Craven being unable to bowl because of tendonitis and Simon Kippax cracking ribs in a dressing room accident last week.

John Proud and Craven each scored 62 and Peter Hepworth 57no, while Barnsley's Australian, Rick Lucey took four Harrogate wickets for 34.

Barnsley put up stubborn resistance by hanging on to their last three wickets and claim two league points at 219-7 with Harrogate losing ground on their rivals with 6pts.

Amit Dani scored 79 for Hull with excellent support from Will Kirby (42) Simpson (40) and Dave Page (38no) after Brad Wigney had put up a brave fight for Scarborough with 5-80 in 20 overs.

But Scarborough were bowled out for 146 in 45 overs chasing 253-10 after a 5-43 blitz from Steve Sargent.