A partnership of 241 for the first wicket between Simon Lambert and Jack Leaning set York on the way to an overwhelming victory against Whitburn CC, in the first round of the Royal London Club Chamionship.

The newly promoted North East Premier League side’s picturesque tree encircled ground providing at fitting backdrop for what was a near perfect display from the visitors, resulting in victory by a massive 226 runs.

York’s opening pair, assisted by some wayward bowling got off to a flying start 90 runs coming of the first fifteen power play overs. Leaning, left out after been named in the initial squad for Yorkshire’s championship match at Durham earlier in the day, made the most of his opportunity and York were the beneficiaries as he was first to the half-century mark hitting seven fours and a six reaching the ‘mark from 52 balls.

Willing to chance his arm to pick up boundaries Lambert was the more aggressive of the pair and soon overtook his partner, in contrast Leaning offered a more conservative, but no less effective approach, content just to work the ball around taking the runs on offer once the field was spread. With both players set and the home side bowling attack unable to gain any kind of control York were able to maintain a scoring rate in excess of a run a ball reaching 200 in the 33rd over.

Lambert, with more of the strike, was first to reach a century facing 112 balls containing nine fours and three sixes, but when on 120 attempting to hit what would have been his sixth maximum he fell to a catch by Lee Henderson off Stuart Walker, the fielder just managing to stay inside the boundary at deep mid-wicket. Leaning hit Luke Smith over mid-wicket for six to bring up his 100 off the 107th ball he faced during a partnership of 53 with Liam McKendry for the second wicket.

Whitburn picked up two cheap wickets at the end but it proved little consolation the visitors finishing on 314 from 45 overs, Leaning remained unbeaten finishing on 146, his last 43 coming off only 20 balls, a final boundary count of 12 fours and five sixes.

Whitburn’s reply got off to terrible start Neil Ayre guiding a Jake Murphy delivery to Alex Collins at point with only one run on the board, and the only bright spot was a stand of forty for the second wicket between Henderson and Walker.

Chris Burn bowled with excellent control conceding just 18 runs from seven overs bowled with the fielding restrictions in place, his efforts deserving of at least one wicket, but it was Murphy who had Walker, the top scorer with 20, caught in the deep by Glen Richmond which signalled an end to the home sides resistance as they fell away in spectacular fashion eight wickets going down for only 47 runs in the space of just 13 overs.

Daniel Woods was the chief cause of the home side’s destruction, a succession of batsmen could find no answer as he picked up five wickets conceding just six runs from 4.3 overs, including that of top scorer Henderson for 20, wicket-keeper McKendry taking a great reaction catch above his right shoulder standing up to the spinner. There were also three wickets for Glen Richmond as the hosts finished 88 all out from just 22.3 overs.