York Cricket Club were made to fight all the way for their place in the Black Sheep Champions Trophy semi-final by a dogged Collingham & Linton side.
Jack Leaning made his third, and arguably most valuable, century in York colours, while Ryan McKendry produced his best figures since joining the club as the visitors eventually prevailed against their Airedale--Wharfedale League hosts.
Any thoughts that York might have had about an enjoyable afternoon in the sun at the picturesque CALSCA ground were quickly dispelled when Duncan Snell was out to the first ball of the match.
That was the first of six caught and bowled dismissals on what proved to be a difficult pitch for batting, the surface offering turn and variable bounce.
The visitors looked to have overcome their initial setback as Oliver Hairs took advantage of some undisciplined bowling and a short boundary to deposit the ball into neighbouring gardens, hitting three sixes in his 49 before being caught at mid-on.
The score reached 78 when a mid-innings collapse saw three wickets fall in the space of eight balls for the addition of only one run.
Former Somerset spinner Stephen Booth picked up two in two balls on his way to 3-34.
Two further wickets left the visitors shell-shocked on 116-7 and looking unlikely to see out their 50 overs.
Despite the constant changing of partners Leaning retained his composure. A combination of quick footwork and deft stroke-play kept him out of trouble and able to accumulate runs, best demonstrated by the fact that more than half of his first 50 runs came in singles.
Supported by Tom Pringle (11) he added 44 for the eighth wicket and a similar effort from Daniel Woods (9) meant 41 runs were scored for the ninth.
Leaning accelerated his scoring rate through the closing overs reaching his century off 130 balls, the second 50 coming off just 36.
Having taken 17 of the penultimate over of the innings from Girling he finally fell to a catch at deep backward square leg in the final over of the innings but his 101 ensured York had posted, what had looked for a large part of the innings, an unlikely 205.
Liam McKendry made an early breakthrough as Brian Leigh fell to an excellent low catch by wicketkeeper Nigel Durham.
Charlie Fairbank was next to go bowled by Ryan McKendry for 13, one of only three players to reach double figures.
In a mirror image of the York innings, the hosts’ middle order failed to come to grips with the conditions as the off-spinner caused havoc. McKendry’s ten-over spell went for just 14 runs as he picked up six wickets. Simon Lambert’s airborne effort to catch Girling at mid-on was the prime example of the support he received in the field.
Having held the innings together opener John Swain was eight out with the score on 102 and when Hairs caught Stephen James off his own bowling in the next over a comfortable victory looked assured.
Woods’ ten overs also went for just 14 but he was unable to dislodge the final pairing of Ryan Sharrocks and Stephen Booth.
In a show of defiance, they added 68 in just eight overs and must have felt they were in with a chance when the equation became 34 to win from five overs, but it took only two balls for the returning Pringle to bowl Sharrocks for 49 and seal a hard-earned victory and a tie at Huddersfield League outfit Hoylandswaine.
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