YORK CC's visit to Cleethorpes produced a tense finish in which the city side went down to a last-over defeat.

Local wiseacres thought that York skipper Nigel Durham was unwise to bat first on what proved to be a helpful pitch. Equally, it might well be that the Cleethorpes opening bowlers Ellis and Carrington, both among the league's top performers, applied themselves best.

They were niggardly with runs and Steve Piercy and Simon Mason had to work hard to raise 23 runs from the first 15 overs whereas York conceded 49 in the same time when they took the field.

Mason began to prosper when Shane Deitz replaced Carrington but fell to the Aussie batting star with the score at 67.

Piercy battled on and was supported by Rob Flack so that York stood at 111 with 16 overs remaining from which point they lost seven wickets for only 42 runs.

A total of 153 seemed 25 short unless early inroads could be made to the seasiders' batting.

The Clees got off to a relative flier with 34 runs off ten overs but Flack had claimed the important scalp of Deitz.

When spinners Dan Broadbent and Tom Pringle entered the attack their early overs were loose but they tightened up as they settled down.

At 104-2 with 25 overs left, Cleethorpes looked certain victors but 16-year-old left-arm pace bowler Duncan Snell came on to bowl six hostile overs to concede only seven runs for his one wicket.

This changed the game as Pringle had gained control. When he gave way for Broadbent's second spell, wickets began to fall and only a watchful innings by Wayne Kirby held the Lincolnshire side's batting together.

He was brilliantly run out by a direct Greg How hit leaving his side seven overs to get 17 runs with five wickets in hand. Broadbent had one end tied up and got Wheeler caught at mid-on by Pringle.

How gave way after a couple of loose deliveries and Piercy took the final over snatching two wickets in consecutive balls only for Ellis to smack a boundary off his first ball.

Updated: 11:56 Tuesday, May 06, 2003