YORK Cricket Club extended their winning Solly Sports Yorkshire ECB County Premier League run to six matches with a six-wicket victory at Cleethorpes.

All-rounder Ryan McKendy shone - taking four wickets and striking 56 with the bat - as the visitors took advantage of a rain disrupted day to close the gap on their title rivals.

York skipper Nick Kay won the toss and his decision to ask the home side to bat was vindicated as both his opening bowlers struck inside the first eight overs. Adam Whatley had the vastly experienced Bill Kirby caught behind with the total on 21 and Harry Warwick, who made a century the last time the sides met at Chichester Road, was caught at slip by Chris Booth three runs later as Richard Pineo marked his first appearance of the season with a wicket.

Cleethorpes struck back with partnerships of 48 between Alex Osmond and 15-year-old Tom Rollinson and 61 between Osmond and James Keast.

Rollinson (27) survived a scare on 22 when Tom Pringle failed to hang on to a difficult chance at short cover in Kay’s first over, but his reprieve was short lived as the same combination claimed his wicket six overs later.

Osmond, well known for his destructive striking, reached his half-century from 72 balls and looked well set but an attacking mindset would prove his downfall. Having struck the previous ball for a straight six just beyond the reach of Booth at long-on he attempted to repeat the stroke but fell to a well taken catch on the run by the same fielder - giving McKendry his first wicket.

That dismissal was the turning point in the innings as three further wickets fell in the space of nine runs, two of them to Tom Pringle.

Keast (17) was trapped lbw and the same fate befell Alex Willerton before McKendry took a return catch from John Mansfield to reduce the home side to 150-7. Jordan Cook scored 23 before lobbing a miscued sweep to Kay at mid-wicket to give McKendry his third wicket - leaving York just less than ten overs to pick up the final two.

It looked as though the chance of maximum points might elude them as the ninth wicket pairing of Joe Baker (15) and Laurence Redmond (10) led a charmed existence as a number of chances went begging.

Their luck finally ran out in the penultimate over when Alex Collins held a catch at mid off to dismiss Baker as Pringle finished with 3-52. McKendry (4-46) wrapped up the innings, bowling Redmond with the first ball of the 55th over.

Willerton offered hope to the sizeable home support when picking up the wickets of Adam Whatley and Liam McKendry in York's reply, both caught by ‘keeper Rollinson before the total had reached 30.

Opener Simon Lambert and Ryan McKendry settled the visitors’ nerves with a partnership of 85, which came either side of an anxious 35 minutes rain delay. Lambert was first to get to a half-century which included six fours, but he added just a single before being caught at deep square leg off Redmond with the total on 113.

McKendry matched his partners’ effort, taking 65 balls to get to 50, but on 56 was bowled by Willerton (3-79).

Alex Collins (29no) and Chris Booth (33no) ensured there were no further alarms as York raced to their target with almost 20 overs to spare.