YORK stormed into the final of the Black Sheep Yorkshire Champions Trophy with a super six-wicket win over Yorkshire Academy at Weetwood.

Liam McKendry turned in an excellent all-round performance as a side missing several first-teamers still proved too strong for the cup holders.

Rain delayed the start by half an hour, and caused a couple of further delays, but once play began the overhead conditions assisted York’s seamers.

McKendry picked up his first wicket when bowling Harry Brook and, when Charlie Elliot clipped the top of Mosun Hussain’s off-stump, both Academy openers had gone with the total on 21.

Matthew Waite, dropped at square leg, went on to make 21 before inside-edging a wide delivery onto his stumps, one of two wickets in an over for McKendry, the other coming when Jordan Thompson edged behind and keeper Finlay Bean took an excellent catch.

Skipper Dan Woods replaced McKendry (3-28 from 10 overs) and struck when Ben Birkhead chipped a catch to Richard Brown at mid-off, leaving the hosts in trouble on 88-5.

Yaaser Imtiaz thereafter played the anchor role, sharing stands of 63 with James Brown and 38 with captain Jared Warner as York’s spinners struggled to contain the scoring on the vast outfield.

Brown was out for 29 caught at the wicket off Ryan McKendry, but the Academy still looked to be in a strong position when Imtiaz reached his half-century with the total on 170 with ten overs remaining.

Tom Pringle finally dismissed Imtiaz (61), trapped lbw as he attempted to charge the leg-spinner, and, after Woods got rid of Matthew Taylor, late blows from Warner (41 off 46 balls) took the final total to 224, leaving York needing 4.5 runs an over for victory.

Makeshift openers Richard Brown and Adam McCauley showed composure to put on 35 before the latter was trapped lbw by Jordan Thompson for 24.

That brought Liam McKendry to the crease and he remained there at the end.

He initially contributed 38 to a 75-run second-wicket stand with Brown, who fell to a well-judged catch on the run by Waite off James Logan for 34.

Ryan McKendry was then lbw to Logan’s fellow spinner, Jack Shutt, with the visitors on 130-3 requiring 95 from 23 overs.

Tom Friend, in his first innings for York having made his debut the previous day, looked in control from the start and finished with six fours in a chanceless 41 not out from 46 deliveries.

McKendry, having passed 50 for the third time in six innings, finished undefeated on 87 off 97 balls including 14 fours, the victory target reached with almost eight overs to spare.

York will meet South Yorkshire League champions Aston Hall or 2015 Bradford League champions Pudsey St Lawrence in the final at Sheriff Hutton Bridge on September 11.