Starlets Jonathon Bairstow, Callum Geldart and Joe Root are enjoying a rich vein of form and with an arsenal of bowling including Azeem Rafiq and local lads Alex Lilley and Dave Girling boast a squad to fear this season.

‘Gate will be looking to return to winning ways after a poor Bank Holiday weekend saw them lose all three of their matches in league and cup.

Proud has challenged his side to find some form in both halves of the game as they look to move up the table with a welcome win.

“We’re a far better side than we are showing at the moment,” said Proud.

“They’re top and we’re near the bottom and the table doesn’t lie. They’ve got a lot of good, young players in their side and it’s going to be another tough game.

“But we need to go out there and concentrate. Against Sheffield Collegiate on Monday our batting simply wasn’t good enough and that’s something we have to improve.”

Proud is looking for revenge on Collegiate when they return to Sheffield for their rearranged Yorkshire Cup clash on Sunday (noon start)

“That will give us the chance to get some revenge on them,” he added.

“We need to show them we are a better side than the way we performed on Monday. Hopefully I’ll have a full strength side available with Geoff Bains coming back in.”

On Saturday ‘Gate’s trip to Sheffield United ended in a comfortable defeat for Proud’s men after they posted 176-6 after their opponents won the toss and decided to bowl first.

Bains made a half century for ‘Gate with contributions from Imran Patel (29) and Ross Sedgley (28) in the face of Ben Garratt’s 2-34.

Dominic Sharp took the early wicket of opener Asrar Qadoos for nine but then Neil Longhurst (110no) and Garrett (53no) pulled them home by nine wickets.

On Sunday ‘Gate slipped out of the National Knockout in their clash against York Senior League outfit Easingwold.

Nick Taylor (3-29) and Dan Craven (3-39) had the most success with the ball as Easingwold were bowled out for 192.

Nick Lindley (37) and Proud (25) set ‘Gate on their way but despite a middle order 29 by Ross Sedgley they fell 18 runs short all out for 174.

On Bank Holiday Monday ‘Gate returned to Sheffield to face United’s close rivals Collegiate.

Again the toss of the coin wasn’t kind to ‘Gate who were again inserted and immediately under the cosh.

Lindley (28) and number ten Taylor (20) made some headway with the bat but it wasn’t enough to set a strong total with ‘Gate all out for 99.

Collegiate’s William Root made 49 in response as his side came home on 103-3.

ECB Yorkshire League

PPts

Yorkshire Academy 7 47

Scarborough 7 45

York 7 36

Castleford 7 35

Doncaster Town 7 33

Cleethorpes 7 30

Sheffield United 7 25

Barnsley 7 24

Hull & YPI 7 22

Sheffield Collegiate 7 19

Appleby Frodingham 7 17

Rotherham Town 7 12

Harrogate 7 11

Driffield Town 7 9