Coad leads Academy to hat-trick over York

York returned to Weetwood looking to avenge their League Cup semi-final defeat but the young Academy side again came out on top, Coad bowling 12 overs and taking 6-31 as York were dismissed for 143 in the 52nd over.

Rain interruptions threatened to spoil the Academy’s day but they won by six wickets in the last over. Jack Leaning and George Ross led the successful chase with 44 and 40 not out, respectively.

Second-placed Rotherham moved to within three points of the leaders with a 59-run victory against visitors Sheffield United.

After being sent in, Rotherham made an excellent start, Gerhard Rudolph and James Moorhouse sharing an opening partnership of 107. Rudolph made exactly 100, containing six fours and three sixes, and Moorhouse hit 10 boundaries in his entertaining 59.

Rudolph added 77 with Jordan Lowe for the fourth wicket, Lowe remaining unbeaten on 47. Gurman Randhawa then took 5-64 in 19 overs in restricting United to 198-7 in their 55 overs. Opener Nick Beneke struck a defiant 71.

Sheffield Collegiate, without Ed McKenna and Charlie Wall, were nine-wicket winners against Castleford, who were bowled out for 91 in 35.1 overs as Yorkshire off-spinner Joe Root took 8-42 in 17.1 overs. Australian seamer Jason Fisher assisted with 2-30. Collegiate reached their objective in 20.2 overs.

Harrogate overcame Cleethorpes by three wickets in a game reduced to 25 overs-a-side. Ben Biker and Vic Craven took four wickets each as Cleethorpes posted 94-9. Then Vic Craven made a vital 39 off 31 balls, his innings including four fours and two sixes.

All-rounder Piet Rinke excelled for Scarborough at Driffield in an incomplete match which saw the sides take three points each. Rinke hit 87 and put on 134 for the sixth wicket with Mark Tennant, who was undefeated on 70. Replying to 221-8 in 55 overs, Driffield reached 130-8 in 36 overs, man-of-the-match Rinke taking 5-26.