SPIN star Tom Pringle claimed 8-74 as York Cricket Club maintained their unbeaten record with a nailbiting victory at Sheffield Collegiate in the Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier League.
Pringle orchestrated a batting collapse as the hosts lost by ten runs despite having looked on course to inflict a first defeat on the champions.
The visitors won the toss and opted to bat first at Abbeydale Park, but found the going difficult.
The loss of an early wicket – Liam McKendry for one – set them back. Andy Tute (25) joined Duncan Snell (37) and the pair put on 44 before Tute was lbw to make it 55-2.
The dismissal brought Alex Collins to the crease and he stayed for the rest of the innings to compile an unbeaten 60.
Snell chipped a return catch to the bowler and Oliver Hairs (54) joined Collins. Power hitting saw Hairs reach a half-century off 44 balls, with eight fours and two sixes, and the pair put on 82 before Joe Root (4-52) bowled Hairs.
Off-spinner Joe Root, returning from first-class duties with Yorkshire, accounted for three of the next four wickets to fall.
Only captain Marcus Wood (27) was able to make any impression as the innings stuttered to 203-8.
A final flourish between Collins and Jonathan Moxon (12no) added a vital 28 runs and the innings closed on 231-8.
Sheffield Collegiate’s reply began promisingly as Nicholas Gaywood (26) and Elliot Callis (18) forged an opening stand of 45. However, both departed in quick succession as the first two of Pringle’s haul.
Joe Root (82) and his brother, William (54), put on a century stand, guiding the hosts to within 77 runs of victory with almost 20 overs remaining.
Pringle then beat the bat of the advancing William Root and ’keeper Nigel Durham removed the bails to make it 155-3, and 25 runs later Dan Woods (2-77) bowled Ed McKenna.
Durham added a second stumping, again off Pringle, before the prize wicket of Joe Root fell. He was finally undone when Pringle breached his defences.
At 200-6 the hosts were still favourites, but York piled on the pressure and Pringle grabbed two more wickets before, with 11 required, Woods got his second.
Pringle sealed Sheffield’s fate with the first ball of his 22nd over.
York cruised into the semi-finals of the Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions Trophy with a 285-run victory over Burley. Snell and Hairs both hit centuries.
• Don’t miss The Press tomorrow for a full report on yesterday’s Champions Trophy game.
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