YORK'S Under-17s cricketers swept in to the Joe Lumb final after hammering Halifax by seven wickets.

The final will be played against either East Yorkshire or the Bradford League on Sunday, August 24.

York put Halifax in at the small Booth ground and the home side got off to a indifferent start when Jennison was clean bowled by Craig Piggott (Castleford) in the third over and by the 11th over had struggled to 29-2.

Halifax hit back with an 86-run partnership between M Brown and A Truscott before Tom Pateman (Scarborough) caught Truscott for 37 off fellow paceman Tom Bartram (York). Halifax took 104 runs off the final ten overs with M Brown (75) sharing a 112-run partnership with with R Laycock (74) as Halifax posted 227-3 against some poor York bowling.

York openers Nathan Briggs (Hemingbrough) and Leon Sacks (Acomb) put on 67 before Briggs was caught behind.

Sacks and Duncan Snell (York) added 116 for the second wicket before Snell mistimed a shot a gave a simple caught and bowled for 60. Seventeen runs later Sacks followed having made a fine 82 to put York on course for victory.

Jack Bolam (Dunnington) 21 not out and Tom Bartram 11 not out steered York home with ease.

Updated: 09:50 Wednesday, July 30, 2003