YORK Cricket Club's match away to the Yorkshire Academy has been moved from Saturday to Sunday because of Rugby League demands at Headingley.

By its very nature, the Academy side is always in something of a transitional mode, but they finished fourth in the league last year, several places ahead of York.

This year the positions are reversed but they have some useful bowlers in Steve Patterson and David Stiff, the latter having toured Australia this winter with the England Under 19 side. With Ian Dews, York's former captain as skipper, they will be keen to resume winning ways on home turf.

York will be without leading batsman Marcus Wood, who is on holiday. Former St Peter's School captain Mike Davies replaces him.

Kiwi off-spinner Jeetan Patel is at a family wedding so Tom Pringle comes into the side after having recently played for the Academy against Durham, along with team-mates Duncan Snell and Dan Broadbent.

Snell, Broadbent and Chris Gilbert (Scarborough) were playing for Yorkshire Under-21s against Durham at Darlington today.

York will be keen for a win over the Academy as leading rivals Scarborough and Cleethorpes have stiff away encounters against the Sheffield clubs.

Updated: 09:53 Friday, June 06, 2003