YORK Cricket Club's exciting six wickets victory over Cleethorpes in the Yorkshire ECB County Premier League on Saturday was just what the doctor ordered.

Their gritty fight back at Clifton Park after two below par results should give the York players renewed heart after they knocked off Cleethorpes' total of 217 all out with three deliveries to spare for the loss of four wickets.

The threat expected to be poised by Pakistani sub-test star Shadab Kabir never materialised as Kabir had been unexpectedly called up by Pakistan for trials in the State side last week.

His place was taken by Leicestershire slow left arm spinner, Matthew Brimson, who was making his Yorkshire League debut.

York's bowlers made a brilliant start with opening bowler 16-year-old Huntington schoolboy James Pringle having right hander John Heath stumped behind by Nigel Durham, who also had a hand in dismissing Cleethorpes' No. 3 bat, Richard Green, off Greg How in the eighth over with the score on 23-1.

Knowing that they had some ground to make up for the previous weekend's disappointments, York's tails were now up but they had to wait twenty-one overs before right hander Willie Abe was clean bowled by Acomb's protege Rob Lancaster, by which time Cleethorpes were 100-3 after 29 overs.

Nash Stone bowled 18 overs for a return of 4-59 with support from Steve Piercy (2-23 in 7.5 overs) and How bowling his big Aussie heart out for 22 overs for 2-65.

Cleethorpes' total of 217 really gave the York youngsters something to think about and after what is becoming their usualn slow start with 44-1 after 20 overs they reached their target with three balls to spare in the last over.

Over anxious about his obvious batting ability, teenager Simon Mason faced 104 deliveries in 121 minutes but produced 48 vital runs with Nick Kay once again being a tower of strength with an unbeaten innings of 84 (12 fours) and with Stone (34) put on 74 for the fourth wicket.

But York will need to use all their resources next Saturday as they face up to the latest league leaders Sheffield United and their South African right arm opening bowler, Pieter Swanepoel.

Making a strong bid for their first Yorkshire ECB County Premier League title for fourteen years, SHEFFIELD UNITED maintained the one point gap over the 1997 and 1998 champions Harrogate following United's six wicket victory over their visitors, HULL, who were bowled out for 150 in the 58th over.

Swanepoel took four Hull wickets for 53 and Paul Eastwood took 3-14.

In-form John Inglis scored 78no for HARROGATE who overtook DRIFFIELD'S 141 in 44 overs with eight wickets to spare as 'Gate kept up the relentless pressure on leaders Sheffield United.

Dave Pennett took four Driffield wickets for 28 in 9.4 overs the rest of the victims being shared between Anthony Burton (1-22), Vic Craven (1-21) Simon Kippax (2-30) and Peter Hepworth (2-29).

Yorkshire's newest 'all-round' find, Craven contributed 41 runs to the Harrogate total.

SHEFFIELD COLLEGIATE'S five wickets victory at BARNSLEY saw them take over third place in the league from the 1999 champions DONCASTER, who suffered a five wicket defeat at the hands of THE YORKSHIRE ACADEMY for whom Joe Sayers scored an unbeaten ton batting right through.

Mark Wells and Rob Harrison helped to bowl CASTLEFORD out for 165 in 58 overs with returns of 4-42 and 3-21 respectively, paving the way for a five wickets victory for SCARBOROUGH.

Darren Harland and Graham Wilson were Scarborough's top scorers with 62 and 51 runs respectively.

Picture - York bowler Nash Stone bowls to Cleethorpes batsman Willie Abe in during their Oxbridge Yorkshire ECB County Premier League encounter at Clifton Park