DEBUTANT Jeetan Patel produced several key moments to steer York to a narrow nine-points Oxbridge League triumph over hosts Sheffield United yesterday.

Patel marked his first start with 20 valuable runs in York's modest total of 157.

Then, as Sheffield threatened to recover from a Greg How-induced collapse, it was Patel who struck at the death to remove any lingering hopes the home ranks might have harboured of snatching victory.

Put into bat by United captain Piet Swanepoel, who is contracted to Yorkshire County Cricket Club, York seemed to be on course for a sizeable total as openers Steve Piercy and Simon Mason initially thrived and Swanepoel himself did not bowl.

However, the introduction of Neil Longhurst accounted for both openers.

While a mini-rescue was effected by Rob Flack and Marcus Wood, who put together a stand worth 80, York again buckled losing seven wickets for 43 runs.

York made a superb job of defending such a moderate target at the outset of the Sheffield reply.

Doughty seamer How ripped into the home batting with four early strikes, while Flack snatched danger-batter Longhurst. Then, when Patel's off-spinners claimed Yardley, United were in disarray at 74-7.

Andrew Hirst altered the complexion of the game when he dug in alongside Steve Cobley. Together they ground out 55 runs as Patel's miserliness made scoring tough.

Patel's fellow off-spinner Dan Broadbent eventually split the partnership. But a target of 25 runs with nine overs left was whittled down to ten runs still needed off the final over. Enter Patel to capture the last wicket and seal an away-day triumph as York successfully toughed it out.

Patel was ineligible for yesterday's ECB National Club Championship home game against Darlington Railway Athletic which was washed out by a heavy downpour just as the York innings got under way.

Nigel Durham had inserted the North Yorkshire and Siutrh Durham league side who had built up the prospect of a large total at 100 off 20 overs but York steadily clawed their way back into the game.

Steve Piercy contributed a particularly steady spell and York's fielding excelled with good groundwork and two run outs.

Nethertheless, Darlington's total of 202 was more than useful but the weather intervened so the test of York's batting never materialised.

The match will be replayed at Clifton Park next Sunday.

Scarborough were beaten by Guisborough.

Updated: 10:50 Monday, May 12, 2003