Posted by Tony Hutton
Around 6.30 this evening York cricket club became league champions in the final season of the Yorkshire Premier cricket league as we know it. Next season will see the competition split into two divisions of north and south. York took eight points at Harrogate and closest rivals Barnsley, surprisingly lost at Hull.
Despite the early start at 11.30 this morning the result of York's game at Harrogate was not known until the final over of the day with the home side putting up a brave fight and almost snatching an unlikely victory. However York by taking three wickets in that final over achieved victory by just 12 runs.
York lost their Australian, Adam Whatley, early on but then followed a match winning partnership between Simon Lambert and Liam McKendry. Both were dismissed in the seventies but by then had put on 158 runs together and taken the score to 187-3 in the 42nd over. A middle order collapse slowed things down somewhat, thanks to four wickets for Geeson-Brown, and a possible 300 total ended up at 264-8.
However most of the York contingent seemed to think that would be enough to take them home happy and so it proved, but not without some scares along the way.Wickets did not begin to fall until the introduction of the spinners, Ryan McKendry and Tom Pringle who bowled in tandem for a total of 17 overs each. When skipper George Ross was out lbw to Pringle for a duck Harrogate were struggling at 50-3 but Johnathan Tattersall took control.
The young batsman who has been on trial with Durham after being released by Yorkshire showed his ability with a hard fought century which contained only six fours. His partnership with Latham, who made 70, put on 155 and took the score to 205-4 in the 48th over. Wickets fell at the other end, but Tattersall remained in control until the last over, when only fifteen runs were required.
Off the second ball Geeson Brown was run out by Pringle and next ball Tattersall was stumped by Brooks off Pringle for 108. Off the fifth ball Haider was also dismissed in identical fashion and York had won by just twelve runs. What a finish and full marks to York for their persistance throughout the season.
Tomorrow they will face the prospect of a league and cup double when they take on the Yorkshire Academy at Clifton Park, York in the Yorkshire Premier League Cup Final starting at 11 a.m. However as the Academy proved today, with a dramatic win over Appleby Frodingham, they can often spring a surprise and will be looking for a win against the side who have taken their league title from them.
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