Quarter-final thriller puts York Cricket Club on brink of national final (From York Press)

Quarter-final thriller puts York Cricket Club on brink of national final

11:35am Tuesday 31st July 2012 in Sport

ONLY Bamford Fieldhouse stand between York Cricket Club and a place in the final of the ECB National Club Championship.

York will host the Rochdale side, of the Saddleworth & District League, at Clifton Park on Sunday, August 26, at 1pm, in the semi-finals after a thrilling seven-run victory at Cuckney in the quarter-finals.

An enthralling last eight contest was only settled in the final over when last man Keiron Garside slashed a cut shot into the hands of York all-rounder Nick Kay at backward point.

It was the final act of a dramatic afternoon which had seen the momentum switch back and forth.

Despite the threat of showers, the visitors chose to bat first and, following the early loss of Duncan Snell, looked well placed as Liam McKendry (39) and Oliver Hairs (42) added 65 for the second wicket.

Hairs took advantage of the fielding restrictions in the early overs, hitting eight fours.

Hairs attempted a third consecutive boundary off Garside, but Luke Wood held a well-judged catch at deep midwicket.

Alex Collins’ brief innings was ended when he spooned a catch to deep cover, and at the mid-point of their 45 overs the visitors had reached 95-3.

Following a brief delay for rain, Ryan McKendry (17) became Will Butler’s (2-46) second wicket and a promising start had become 116-4.

Ian Parkin (3-26) picked up the wicket of Liam McKendry whose patient 78-ball innings ended when he was caught at long-on. Fellow spinner Thomas Ullyot (2-9) helped stifle York’s innings as four wickets fell for 23 runs.

Luke Wood ended it by bowling Dan Woods with the score on 151.

York made a vital early breakthrough in the fourth over when Glen Richmond bowled Adam Burgess.

York pressed home their advantage when Kay and Tom Pringle both struck in their opening overs. Kay struck again in his second to remove opposing skipper Butler, reducing them to 39-4.

Ullyott (23) used the sweep shot to good effect, but partner Richard Stroh was bowled by Kay.

Such was the threat from Kay, Ullyott opted to play out his last two overs as maidens, the bowler finishing with figures of 3-13 from nine.

Spinner Woods (3-20) also finished with three wickets, his first the dangerous Ullyot.

At 77-6, the visitors looked to be in the ascendancy but Ian Parkin ensured the game would have a nail-biting end.

When Kay caught Elliott Hinds off Ryan McKendry, Cuckney’s final pair needed 29 from five overs.

When Parkin took 11 off Snell in the 43rd over, a home victory looked on the cards, but Ryan McKendry conceded only a single off the penultimate.

Woods kept faith with Snell for the final over and was rewarded, with only three singles before Garside was out.

The final will be held at Derbyshire’s County Ground on Sunday, September 16.