HUNTERS ECB Yorkshire Premier League North title-challengers Yorkshire Academy were unable to close the gap on leaders Castleford as they lost at home to Dunnington.

The Academy were presented with an ideal opportunity as Castleford were spending a second weekend sidelined after their game at Kings Mill Road fell to Covid issues at opponents Driffield Town.

Dunnington’s Tom Loten (51) - who spent two full seasons with the Academy - was one of two batters to score half-centuries as the visitors reached 211-5.

Andrew Bilton got their innings off to a solid start, making 38, and after Loten was dismissed, Luke Kilby (40) and George Drury put on 83 for the fourth wicket. The latter finished unbeaten on 57.

Yorkshire Academy struggled, losing half of their wickets for 57 runs and - despite the efforts of Noah Kelly (28), Alex Kaye (27 not out) and George Booth (22) lower down the order - they ended up well short of the target, losing by 56 runs. Dave Brent finished with 4-33.

The county side remain second in the table, while Dunnington - completing the double over their opponents for the first time - are lifted to third.

Samuel Grant (6-26) and David Friend (4-66) bowled unchanged and shared all 10 wickets as Clifton Alliance bowled out neighbours York for 99.

Skipper Simon Lambert top scored with 41 in what was his side’s lowest-ever total in the competition.

Opener Scott Hopkinson replied for the home side with 44 and, despite three wickets from Charlie Elliot (3-25), the hosts cruised to a comfortable victory, reaching 101-5 inside 22 overs.

The result lifts Alliance to eighth whiled three defeats from their last four games leaves York just outside the drop zone.

There was a tight finish at Moor Farm where Sheriff Hutton Bridge beat Woodhouse Grange by 16 runs in a low-scoring game.

Despite being bowled out for 141, there was still cause for celebration for the home side as Dulash Udayanga became the first overseas player in the competition’s history to score 2,000 runs. The Sri Lankan finished as leading scorer in the innings with 39 as James Finch took 4-16, the hosts losing their last seven wickets for 40 runs.

The visitors fared little better and found themselves 37-5 before Finch (39) and Cristopher Suddaby (28) put on 69, but then Ben Harrison picked up the wickets of both batters and went on to clinch the win with figures of 4-24.

James Keast took a YPLN career-best 5-23 to earn Stamford Bridge a much-needed victory at Low Catton Road, where Acomb were bowled out for 132 despite an unbeaten half-century from Darius D’Silva (52no). There were also three wickets for Dave Chaplin (3-35) as the visitors lost by 40 runs.

Earlier, the home side reached 180-8 thanks largely to 60 from Salman Syed, although James Tindall looked to have given his side a chance of recording back-to-back wins for the first time since mid-May by taking 4-34 to restrict the hosts’ total.

James Wainman claimed 3-24 and Harry Rinke 3-3 as Scarborough beat relegation-threatened Harrogate by five wickets at home.

Harry Stothard (42) was one of only three batters to reach double figures as the visitors were bowled out for 124.

Scarborough were made to work for the points, Dominic Bradburne (2-41) with two wickets early on and Ishan Abeysekara taking 3-42, but neither was able to dislodge the in-form Breidyn Schaper (45no), who guided his side to victory.