REIGNING champions Yorkshire Academy were put to the sword as York Cricket Club's challenge for the Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier League title gathered more momentum.

Simon Lambert took the bowling honours with four wickets before Adam Whatley and Chris Booth both struck half-centuries in a stand of 119 to set up a seven-wicket win.

Eliot Callis came into the match on the back of an unbeaten century the previous day, but there was no repeat of those heroics as he edged Whatley to Booth at slip in the seventh over for 12.

His opening partner, Ben Ainsley, and Mosun Hussain saw off the new ball and took the total to 57 before in the space of half an hour before the match was turned on its head.

Ainsley (12) was the first to go, bowled off an attempted sweep by spinner Tom Pringle and, three overs later, Chris Burn trapped Harry Brook lbw.

Home skipper Matthew Waite scored only eight before being caught at slip - Liam McKendry initially juggling the catch off his younger brother Ryan’s bowling - and when Pringle bowled Jordan Thompson round his legs the hosts had slumped to 76-5.

Throughout the collapse, Hussain remained resolute and a sixth wicket partnership of 41 with Yasser Imtiaz kept York’s bowlers at bay until, on 17, Imtiaz failed to clear mid off where Booth took a good running catch to give Lambert the first of his wickets.

Hussain recorded his half-century at the start of the 35th over but lost another partner, Liam McKendry supporting his brother again with a catch at mid-wicket to remove Nathan Firn.

James Logan did his best to frustrate the bowling side, sharing stands of 30 with Hussain, who was finally forced to depart having driven a low return catch back to Lambert when on 67, and 49 with Jonathan Read (21).

The ninth wicket pair were still together at the start of the final over and had moved the total on to 212 before Read picked out Whatley at mid-off and then Mustafa Rafique presented the visitors with the opportunity of maximum points as he stepped out to the first ball he faced and was stumped by Brooks.

Lambert, having returned figures of 4-38, opened the innings with Whatley but he fended a brutal ball from Waite to Thompson at slip in the fifth over having scored three.

Booth, promoted up the order, joined Whatley and the pair weathered a spell of hostile short pitched deliveries from Waite and new ball partner Firn but things gradually became easier.

Booth relished the chance to bat up the order and began to time the ball well, picking off boundaries with regularity.

His first Yorkshire League half-century was brought up with a perfectly executed six off Rafique and he went on to make 64 before picking out Callis at mid-off from the bowling of spinner Logan.

Waite returned for a second spell but, by the time he had Whatley caught at mid-off for 61, York were well on their way at 157-3. Ryan McKendry (22no) and Alex Collins (34no) finished with an unbroken stand of 57.