Academy fall to Kiwi Test opener

DRIFFIELD captain Joe Fraser shared a 200-run stand with Will Norman for the second wicket at Sheffield United where victory was achieved by 179 runs.

Fraser had 12 fours and two sixes in his undefeated innings of 107, while Norman amassed 13 boundaries on the way to 102. Driffield totalled 290-3 before David Best and Nick Hardgrave tormented Sheffield's batsmen. Best took 4-20 in seven overs, Hardgrave returning 3-18 from 11 overs.

Doncaster Town's new captain Andrew Parkin-Coates set the right example with an undefeated century against Barnsley, who lost by 70 runs. Half-centuries from Henri Londt and Steve Nuttall could not rescue Barnsley from defeat.

Defending champions York had an opening day win but they had just two overs and two balls to spare against visitors Rotherham Town when they won by three wickets.

Opener Oliver Whittaker hit 13 fours and a six in his innings of 103 for Rotherham, who collapsed from 174-2 to 191-7 and were eventually bowled out for 227.

Another opening batsman, Liam McKendry, made a vital 82 for York and captain Marcus Wood struck an undefeated 45 but it was an unbroken eighth-wicket partnership of 50 between Wood and Tom Pringle that took York to victory. Pringle also captured five wickets with his leg-spin.

Off-spinner Randhawa Gurman had a six-wicket haul for Yorkshire Academy but they lost by 22 runs at Cleethorpes for whom Bill Kirby hit 74, Alex Osmond reeled in 4-45 in 19 overs of leg-spin and New Zealand Test batsman Peter Fulton showed his ability with the ball, seaming his way to 3-9 in 4.4 overs.

Kunwar Bansil's undefeated 90 was the highlight of Scarborough's seven-wicket win at Harrogate, for whom James Tattersall and Ryan Bradshaw put on 78 for the sixth wicket.

Castleford had half-century makers in Chris Young and Andrew Chadwick, while John Randerson was left unbeaten on 49 in a 44-run win at Appleby Frodingham. Slow left-armer and former Pakistan Test player Nadeem Khan took 7-62 in Collegiate's seven-wicket success against Hull, Ed McKenna and Charlie Wall unbeaten on 63 and 40, respectively.