YORK Cricket Club are playing catch-up ahead of a crunch Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier division clash against Cleethorpes tomorrow.

Last weekend’s rained off league game at Hull YPI means the Clifton Parkers have fallen four points behind leaders Rotherham in the table, with their South Yorkshire rivals also having a game in hand.

They entertain a Cleethorpes side with title ambitions of their own – sitting third in the table eight points behind York skipper Marcus Wood’s squad.

With York having ruled the league roost for the past few seasons, club secretary Nick Kay is hoping the team’s big game experience can help them through.

Kay said: “We are playing catch up for the first time in a couple of years so this is very much a crunch game. Cleethorpes have surprised a few and we have some key wickets to take and some key bowlers to face.

“On paper, they are definitely in the league’s top three. Their batting line-up is very strong. We can’t afford too many more slip-ups either.

“We know what we have got to do on these occasions. There have been a few times in the last four or five years where we have gone into must-win games and have performed.

“I’m not saying we are definitely going to win but I am pretty confident our key players will be focused and will get their part of the job done.”

Kay is part of a strong York XI which includes League Cup century-maker Duncan Snell, brothers Liam and Ryan McKendry and wicket-keeper Nigel Durham.

The majority of that squad will then travel to Scarborough on Sunday to take part in the inaugural Yorkshire League T20 Finals Day at North Marine Road.

York will play Harrogate with victory matching them against either Hull or Doncaster in the final. A place in the ECB National Club T20 competition is at stake.

Oliver Hairs comes into the squad to open the batting with Richard Love, Andy Tute and Ben Earl also added.

Kay, who will take part, said: “It’s a form of cricket we haven’t played much over the years. It’s a new challenge for us but hopefully we can step up.

“We have had some good training sessions with coach Jim Love. His experience was very helpful to us and we will be looking to get the right result.”