York Cricket Club seeking Cleethorpes win to stay top (From York Press)

York Cricket Club seeking Cleethorpes win to stay top

10:39am Friday 31st August 2012 in Sport By Steve Carroll, Sports reporter

AFTER spending weeks overhauling Harrogate’s lead at the top of the Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier League table, the challenge for York Cricket Club is now to make sure they stay at the summit by beating Cleethorpes tomorrow.

A sensational weekend for the Clifton Parkers, which saw them book a final berth in the ECB National Club Championship, was capped on Bank Holiday Monday when they went to the top of the pile with victory over Doncaster Town.

Now boasting a four point-lead and with a sixth successive title almost within their grasp, the club are keen not to slip up following their hard work at bridging what – at one point – was a double digit points deficit.

A trip to Cleethorpes, York’s only fixture of the weekend, is where vice-captain Nick Kay wants to at least maintain their advantage ahead of a possible winner-takes-all clash against their Harrogate rivals in a week’s time.

“We’ve played so much it will be quite nice to have a Sunday off,” Kay joked. “We were all exhausted after the game on Monday – even though the result was relatively straightforward and you lose a lot of nervous energy at this stage of the season.

“We are in good form, winning is a habit and I think we have won ten on the bounce in the Yorkshire League . There will be no complacency against Cleethorpes. We were worried we were going to be playing Harrogate with them in front and, if the weather got involved, it would set us back.

“If we can take eight points tomorrow and we beat Harrogate we will win the league and, if the weather gets involved, being in front could be the key. We have worked really hard to get ourselves into this position.”

On Cleethorpes, Kay added: “They’ve got a good overseas opening bowler and, when you go there, it is always a tough affair. They are a good side. I don’t think they have done themselves justice this season. They finished third last year and they will be disappointed with being seventh.”

York have opted to play a predominantly seam attack, anticipating Cleethorpe’s wicket will not turn much, so Jake Murphy retains his place in the side and batsman Oliver Hairs comes in for Simon Lambert.