A STUNNING display by all-rounder Nick Kay was the cornerstone of York Cricket Club’s 179-run victory over Appleby Frodingham in the Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier League.

Having top-scored with an unbeaten 72 as the visitors declared on 320-6, club secretary Kay followed up by taking 3-23.

Asked to bat on a green wicket, York found the early going difficult as they lost both openers in the first six overs.

That brought together Oliver Hairs (63) and Alex Collins (46), who added 104 for the third wicket.

Hairs’ 50 came in flamboyant fashion, from only 37 balls with seven fours and two sixes.

The stand also saw both players pass 500 runs for the season.

With the score on 130, Hairs sent a return catch to leg-spinner Matt Fowler and his partner followed just after the mid-innings drinks break pulling a loose delivery straight into the hands of midwicket.

Andy Tute (64) and Kay then took the game away from the hosts, adding 147 in just over 20 overs.

Tute was first to reach his half-century, from 43 balls including two sixes. Kay’s took 80 deliveries, but he reached the landmark with a six. Kieran Watson struck a double blow, bowling Tute and Ryan McKendry with successive deliveries – but not before the score had passed 300.

Visiting captain Marcus Wood added 20 more to the total before taking the decision to declare with three of their 55 overs remaining.

Kay’s breakthrough with the ball came when he was brought into the attack at first change.

Matt Morland (12) and Duncan Heath (37) had made a watchful 39 from the opening 11 overs until a faint edge, from Morland, found the gloves of Nigel Durham.

Seam bowler Kay then found the edge of overseas signing Brandon Handley’s bat, providing the first of three slip catches for Tute.

Dan Woods took the catch of the day, diving forward to take a one-handed chance at third slip, giving Kay his third victim, the home side’s leading run-scorer James Pickersgill falling for a duck.

Tom Pringle (4-33) took his 50th league wicket of the season when he trapped David Pickersgill lbw to reduce the Scunthorpe-based side to 68-4.

Duncan Heath’s lone vigil was ended by Ryan McKendry (3-32), Tute the catcher. The same combination accounted for the sixth wicket a couple of overs later with the total not yet in three figures.

The pairing of McKendry and Pringle proved too much for the late order batsmen, with the exception of Liam Grimes (23) who provided the home crowd with some late entertainment striking five fours, before becoming the last of Pringle’s victims.

Yesterday, York were 90-run winners at Harrogate. Liam McKendry hit 141 in York’s 322-9 and Harrogate closed on 232-7.