YORK Cricket Club head into the Bank Holiday weekend double header knowing they can ill afford to drop points if they want to keep their ECB Yorkshire Premier League title hopes alive.

And they'll have to do it without opening bowler Nick Thornicroft.

The Sheriff Hutton-based quickie is required by Yorkshire for their NatWest Pro40 game against Surrey at the Brit Oval on Sunday so misses York's games at Cleethorpes tomorrow and at home to Appleby Frodingham on Monday.

Thornicroft took three wickets for Yorkshire in Tuesday's floodlit NatWest Pro40 League defeat at Headingley.

Rob Flack also misses the trip to Cleethorpes and his place goes to Colin Palmer, the former Nottinghamshire League player who is teaching at Malton and has proved an adept number eight for York this summer.

York also welcome back skipper Marcus Wood after he was unavailable last week and he will be keeping his charges fighting to the end in their pursuit of leaders Barnsley.

The South Yorkshire side lead the table with 107 points from 21 games - four more than Yorkshire Academy and five more than Doncaster with York on 101 points. Both the Academy and Doncaster have played a game more.

There is a possibility that Barnsley may lose a few points as their game against Scarborough at North Marine Road earlier in the season is subject to an investigation after a mix-up over scoring. The two clubs meet again on Monday after Barnsley's trip to Castleford tomorrow.

York know they can't afford to rely on a possible points deduction though and will be hoping to avoid the heavy showers forecast for the next few days to record victories over their Lincolnshire opposition.

If York manage to narrow the gap on Barnsley it will set up the clash between the two at Shaw Lane, a week tomorrow.