YORK Cricket Club are desperate for the rain to stop.

The Clifton Parkers were foiled last weekend by the inclement conditions and there is a similarly gloomy outlook as the Shipton Road outfit prepare to take on leaders Harrogate in the Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier League tomorrow.

The weather forecasters aren’t expecting too many improvements when York then attempt to stage their Kingfisher Beer Cup regional final against Blaydon on Sunday – a game cancelled a week ago.

Four of York’s league matches have already fallen victim to the weather this season and it’s causing much consternation to vice-captain Nick Kay, who has stressed the club need to get into action to have a chance of winning an unprecedented sixth title.

Kay said: “I have never known a summer like it. You don’t mind if it rains during the week, when we are all at work, and it’s dry at the weekend but at the moment it is the other way round. We didn’t lose any further ground last week – in fact we gained three points on Rotherham who were beaten by Driffield.

“But we need to be playing some cricket. With respect to Hull, Sheffield United and Doncaster, who are among the games that have been called off, they are three teams at the bottom where we would hope to pick up maximum points.

“The only way to catch up is to win. We have played 11 games and had four off. That’s a third of our matches. I wouldn’t say we are playing our best cricket but, when it’s stop and start, it’s hard for batsmen and bowlers to find any sort of form. It’s hard to comprehend that we have lost only two games this season but are 20 points behind (in the table).”

Harrogate lead the league by nine points with York in fifth and Kay added: “Harrogate are a good side, a very good bowling side. They have some very good Yorkshire League cricketers and recruited very well in the winter. Every game is a cup final for us now.”

York will field the same 11 that would have played last Saturday against Doncaster Town. Captain Dan Woods is away on Cheshire duty on Sunday, while bowler Andrew Tute is also unavailable. In their place step in Charlie Elliot and former skipper Marcus Wood. Kay will skipper the side.