YORK Cricket Club's defence of their Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB Premier League crown suffered a crippling Bank Holiday blow courtesy of the elements.

Needing to win all three fixtures over the Bank Holiday weekend, York went into yesterday's trip to Sheffield United buoyed by triumphs over Scarborough and Castleford in each of the two days before at Clifton park.

But there was no play at Sheffield, where heavy rain swept aside all chance of play leaving each team with three points.

The same fate befell leaders Yorkshire Academy, whose fixture at Doncaster Town was washed out after 16 overs with the hosts on 58 without loss.

But the Academy's emphatic 98-run conquest at Rotherham on Saturday puts them well in charge in the title race, in which only a minor miracle will enable York to cling on to the crown they have won for the last seven years.