YORK Cricket Club lost in the Solly Sports ECB Yorkshire Premier League for only the second time this season.

Defeat against Barnsley, their first since the opening day reverse against Yorkshire Academy, ended a ten match unbeaten run and saw the Clifton Park knocked from the top of the table. The visitors seam attack were in devastating form youngster Nathan Firn and overseas signing Zohaib Ahmad sharing seven wickets as the hosts were dismissed for 106 to lose by 81 runs.

Barnsley chose to bat first but after a slow start in which they lost opener Matthew Wilson, who played on to a ball from Jake Murphy. Jonathan Trower and Zohaib Ahmed shared a second wicket stand of 64 to put their side in the ascendancy.

York struck back through Tom Pringle who picked up the next six wickets to fall, a succession of batsmen failing to deal with his leg spin variations. Trower, dropped at slip on 12, went on to make 39 before chipping a catch to Daniel Woods at cover.

Danial Rafiq lasted just seven balls before he was pinned lbw, and when Ahmad sent a straight forward catch back to the bowler the visitors were 123 for four.

Skipper Steven Nuttall (20) and Tom Shaw (11) made starts but were unable to capitalize both given out lbw and when Jason Booth was caught at backward square leg, by Murphy, Pringle had reduced the opposition to 145 for seven and had figures of six for 42 from 16 overs.

Nathan Firn was run out backing up as a deflection onto the stumps from bowler Ryan McKendry gave the non-striker no chance to react, and Callum Bethel (16) and Ali Jahangir (18) give the innings some impetus late on before both became victims of McKendry, Bethel was bowled by the off spinner and Jahangir was last out Ben Coad taking an excellent diving catch on the run at long off.

Despite their efforts at the mid point a total of 187 looked below par on a good batting wicket.

It soon became clear the home side would not have things all their own way, a hostile opening spell of short pitched bowling from James Wainman trouble York’s openers, but it was Nathan Firn at the other end who picked up the first three wickets.

Liam Mckendry (12) was adjudged lbw before two wickets in three balls reduced the home side to 32 for three.

Opener Simon Lambert fought his way to 17 before edging a wide delivery to second slip, Wainman finally receiving a reward for his hard work. Callum Bethel replaced Wainman in the attack and struck with his first ball, Jake Murphy attempting a cut shot edged the ball to ‘keeper Tom Shaw.

Richard Love (24) made the innings top score but when he edged Ahmad to Shaw York looked destined not to reach three figures at 71 for six. Firn’s return accounted for Gareth Fenton, lbw for 13, to finish with figures of four for 28, and Ahmad picked up his second wicket, that of Pringle caught behind before a brace of boundaries from skipper Woods ensured his side limped to 100 before Ben Coad was last out caught at mid off as Ahmad finished with three for 22.

Alex Collins was unable to bat having injured his finger in the field, and a miserable afternoon for the home side was compounded by news that the severity of the injury makes a return before the end of the season unlikely.