Fast bowler Ajmal Shahzad, pictured, enjoyed a workout with Yorkshire Academy yesterday to test his fitness before this week’s first-team matches – and helped the Colts to a six-wicket victory over top-of-the-table York in the Solly Sports ECB Yorkshire County Premier League.

The Academy’s triumph was all the greater because they had to chase a forbidding target of 144 in 20 minutes plus 20 overs in the last hour after two-and-three-quarter hours had been lost to rain.

The Weetwood hosts won the toss, stuck York in, and Shahzad clean bowled Dave Simpson in his second over, damaging a stump. More damage was done by first-change bowler Ben Coad, who trapped fellow opener Duncan Snell  in front with the total on seven.

Recovery came through skipper Marcus Wood, 38, and Liam McKendry, 45, who added a valuable 70. McKendry despatched George Ross for two sixes, went for another…and  Jonathan Tattersall took a fine catch at deep-square-leg. Coad had Wood caught at deep square by Eddie Wilson – who further proved his fielding skills by catching Ryan McKendry,  again at square leg.

102-5 in the 37th over, and York did not look so convincing. Oliver Hairs, one, Alex Collins, seven, and Andrew Tute, none, all fell to Coad, and York had collapsed from 101-3 to 114-8. Coad made it six of the best when he had Tom Pringle caught at mid-wicket, but at 140-9 rain halted the Academy's progress.

It was a fine day for Coad, who had 6-31 in his 12 overs. The fielding was very good, and Jack Leaning's diving catch of Hairs was superb. Two-and-three-quarter hours later the teams returned, and York were wrapped up for 143.

Shahzad opened with skipper Alex Lees, and they rattled up 26 before Nick Kay bowled Shahzad for nine. Lees and Jack Leaning put on 28, but Lees was lbw to left-arm spinner Dan Woods. Alex Lilley, nine,  was another Kay victim…but the chase went on, and 113 were needed in that last hour.

Enter Ross, who shared a partnership of 46 with Leaning - who followed his 150 not out for the Seconds last week with a pivotal 44 before he was another Kay victim. Ross and Tattersall scored at a run a ball, and with three overs to go the Academy needed 17.

The next two overs yielded 15, and when Kay started the last over the target was two. Inevitably it was Ross who drove the first ball for four: he came in with an excellent 40 not out, which contained three fours and two sixes.  He and Tattersall ran well together, and Tattersall scored 10 runs off nine balls .

A superb team effort saw the Academy inflict their third defeat on York this season.

Words and Statistics: HAROLD GALLEY

P= Played
cw= COMPLETE WIN (8 points)
iw1= INCOMPLETE WIN 6/2 (6 points)
iw2= INCOMPLETE WIN 6/1 (6 points)
iw3= INCOMPLETE WIN 6/0 (6 points)
il1= INCOMPLETE LOSS 2 (2 points)
il2= INCOMPLETE LOSS 1 (1 points)
il3= INCOMPLETE LOSS 0 (0 points)
cl= COMPLETE LOSS (0 points)
t= Tied (4 points)
c= Cancelled no play (3 points)
a= Abandoned uncomplete (3 points)
pen = Penalty Points
nrr = Net Run Rate
pts = Total Points