PLAYING without fear can help York Cricket Club hunt down leaders Barnsley to win the Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier League title.

The Clifton Parkers made it eight wins on the spin with victories over Sheffield United and Yorkshire Academy a week ago and skipper Nick Kay now leads his side into another crucial double header this weekend.

Driffield Town arrive at Shipton Road tomorrow followed by the visit of Sheffield Collegiate on Sunday in the League Cup and, having hauled themselves to only three points adrift of the long-time table-toppers, York have no intention of taking their foot off the gas now.

Vice-captain Tom Pringle believes that the club's last defeat - in a run-fest against Hull - meant they knew they would have to win every game if they were to have a chance of regaining the league crown they once held for seven successive years.

And that has led the side to perform without fear.

"We are playing some good cricket and it is all coming together," he said of their current run of victories. "Our bowling is a lot more like a tight unit now. We have to brush up on the extras but our batting recently has been phenomenal. I keep telling Nick I am not a number ten but I haven't batted for about two months.

"That is because our top order is performing. Adam Whatley has been giving us great starts and Simon Lambert, Liam McKendry and Ryan McKendry have all been fantastic. Chris Booth, at either number six or number three, has been a wonderful addition. He goes in and kills games off.

"A couple of weeks ago I was pretty confident in our ability to win every game left but when you see a 13 or 14 point gap you know that Barnsley have to slip up twice. We did get lucky with the weather when we played and everyone else was rained off and then Appleby Frodingham beat them and we didn't see that happening.

"It does look like their batting is a little bit vulnerable but pressure does funny things to people. In the last ten years we have usually peaked at this time and hopefully we can continue to do that and keep putting on the pressure.

"We are in a position where we are three points behind and every game is must win. If we lose a game then we need Barnsley to lose twice in their last six matches. We have to win every single game but that is what happens when August and September come around.

"When you have to do that you haven't got any fear. You play like that and that has been reflected in a lot of our performances."

Able to pick from a full side against Driffield, captain Kay will be missing against Sheffield Collegiate as will Chris Booth. Rich Brown is promoted from the second team and former Sheriff Hutton Bridge player Oliver Leedham will get the chance to prove his first team worth having recently moved to York from the York Senior League outfit.