STAXTON ‘A’ retained their Andy Hire Scarborough Evening League crown after rising up the standings in recent weeks and toppling leaders Ebberston on the last night of the season.

It completed a memorable double for Staxton after their Harburn Cup victory over Flixton ‘A’.

Staxton beat Ebberston by 24 runs in their winner-takes-all challenge last Thursday.

Rob Pinder (63) and Chris Dove (79) were the hosts’ batting heroes as they totalled 183-5.

Ebberston looked on course for victory – and Staxton’s crown – at 105 without loss, but then Ed Cooper (4-43) and spinner Linden Gray (3-28) stepped in to halt them.

Matt Turnbull (66) and Eddie Craggs (36) had batted well but the reply ended on 159-8.

At the other end, Cloughton were relegated despite beating Flixton ‘A’.

Cloughton made 112-5, R Davies top-scoring with 41, before bowling out the visitors for 108.

Wykeham ‘A’ saved themselves from the drop and sent Forge Valley ‘A’ down by beating them by seven wickets.

S Day (3-15) and M Vincent (3-21) helped to bowl hosts Valley out for 86. B Pashby (28) led the successful reply.

Aussie Michael Dawson (68no), Anthony Stones (67) and Tom Benthall (4-22) shone as Heslerton beat Seamer ‘A’ by 23 runs.

The promotion decider in division ‘B’ went Sherburn’s way as they beat Ganton by five wickets. Phil Pickard took 3-19 as Ganton were restricted to 3-14.

Champions Scalby ‘A’ finished their season with a shock defeat at Filey – a result which spared the seaside team the drop and instead sent Cayton ‘A’ down.

Cayton, who did not have a game on the last night of the season, finished on the same points as Filey and Flixton ‘B’ but finished bottom due to an inferior runs-per-wickets-rate.

Flixton lost their last game at home to Scarborough, despite 57 from L Lowery.

Cayton scored 1,116 runs at a cost of 70 wkts for an average 15.94. Flixton managed 1,034 runs for 63 at an average 16.41, and Filey 1,037 for 56 for 18.51.

Ebberston ‘B’ brought some joy to their club as they sealed the division ‘C’ title with a 47-run win over Muston.

J Dunnett (27) and C Palmer (29no) helped to take Ebberston to 119-5. J Dunnett ripped through the reply with 5-15.

Scalby won a tight race for the second promotion berth thanks to a vital win over Seamer ‘B’.

It meant they leapfrogged Ravenscar, whose fixtures had already finished, and stayed above Staxton ‘B’ and Wykeham ‘B’, who both won.

Only one point separated all four teams.

J Aldcroft was unbeaten on 67 as Staxton ‘B’ totalled 155-5 before dismissing Snainton for 88.

S Staveley hit 60 in Wykeham’s 156-8 before his side bowled visitors Forge Valley ‘B’ all out for 114.

Elsewhere, J Brown (51) top-scored as Cayton ‘B’ beat Wykeham ‘C’, who batted too slow in their reply of 103-1 to get near their target of 155-4, while P Chambers’ 43 and C Lyon’s 34 was not enough as the rest of their Cloughton ‘B’ side were out cheaply en route to a four-wicket loss at Valley Bar Nomads. Lyon also took 3-14 in vain.

The winner of the Scarborough Evening League’s award for the highest score went to Ian Cousins with 129 for Ganton against Cayton ‘A’, while the bowling award went to Frankie Beal with 6-27 for Ebberston ‘A’ against champions Staxton ‘A’ earlier in the season.

Staxton ‘A’ were to host Scalby ‘A’ tonight (Wednesday, 6.15pm) in the end-of-season division ‘A’ versus division ‘B’ winners’ presentation game at Staxton. Ebberston and Sherburn are asked to attend to collect their runners-up awards, as is Beal to be presented with his bowling gong. Cousins got his award at the Hunter Cup final this week.

It was put back from last night due to the Scarborough Hospital Cup final being called off on Friday night and being switched to last night, the only available date at host ground North Marine Road. Staxton and Flixton meet again in the Hospital Cup showdown as they had in the Scarborough Evening League's Harburn Cup.

HUNTER CUP TO COME