YORK ended the season in style with an emphatic 80-run victory over Pudsey St Lawrence in the Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions Trophy final at Sheriff Hutton Bridge.

The crowd in excess of 400 were treated to an excellent batting display as Jack Leaning made a century and Tom Friend smashed 73 off just 37 balls as the Bradford League champions were put to the sword.

However, the day could hardly have got off to worst start for the Shipton Road side as Charlie Parker removed Duncan Snell, caught down the leg side off the first ball of the match.

Leaning was joined at the crease by Liam McKendry and they were able to see off the new ball.

The pair were one run short of a century stand when off the final ball of the 22nd over McKendry, who had made 45, fell to an excellent catch by Steven Watts at deep mid-wicket off Chris Marsden.

A decent stand of 55 between Leaning and Chris Booth (30) was broken when the latter’s attempt at a reverse sweep landed in the hands of Mark Robertshaw at short fine leg, the first of three wickets for Watts.

The total stood on 175 when Ryan McKendry was caught at mid-on by Barry Frankland for eight, Parker picking up his second wicket.

Undeterred, Leaning became the first player to grace the final with a century since Wrenthorpe’s David Paynter in 2011, but was only able to add a further seven before being caught a deep mid-wicket.

However, by then Friend had already powered his way to a 23 ball half-century.

Friend showed no signs of easing up and was finally out for 73 off the penultimate ball of the innings, bowled by Watts as he attempted another towering blow, with the total on 287.

Alex Collins finished unbeaten on 13 and Charlie Elliot managed a single off the final ball to leave the Saints chasing 289.

They were put under pressure as Elliot first found the edge of Adam Waite’s bat and Booth took a simple catch behind the stumps, and followed it up with the wicket of Callum Goldthorp who pushed a catch into the hands to Tom Pringle at square leg.

Robertshaw was next to go, caught low down at point by Ryan McKendry off skipper Dan Woods for 28, and then Matthew Duce, on 21, chipped a ball from Snell straight to Leaning at mid off. It was 82-5 when Pringle bowled Frankland for four.

York captain Woods picked up his second wicket trapping Tom Hudson for 5 and Pudsey’s hopes lay almost entirely in the hands of his opposite number James Smith.

Ryan McKendry struck in his second over, Ritchie Lamb chopping the ball into his own stumps, but the key wicket of Smith, who had made 64, went to Leaning courtesy of an lbw decision.

Watts and Parker stretched the total to 208 until with little more than four overs to go Parker holed out Collins at deep mid-wicket as Pringle returned to take his second wicket. With Marsden unable to bat, York had secured victory.

Tom Friend picked up the man of the match award and it was fitting that Nick Kay and Alex Collins signed off their first team careers by collecting the trophy.