Heslerton virtually threw away any chance of retaining the premier division crown in the Scarborough Beckett League after a poor batting display led to defeat to Ebberston.

Ian Atkinson was their chief nemesis, running through the line-up with 7-19 as Hezzo were bowled out for 98.

Club stalwart Malcolm Spaven showed his team-mate how to bat with 33 not out but only Michael Dawson (17) and Jake Keyworth (21) added further runs of note.

After the break, Adrian Turnbull anchored the visitors’ reply, carrying his bat to score a match-winning unbeaten 51 as Ebberston eased to victory by six wickets.

There are three games to go and second-placed Heslerton are now 24 points behind leaders Staxton, who picked up 15 points from a six-wicket win at Seamer.

Anthony Jenkinson hit 67 to take Seamer to 168-5 but Staxton’s batters responded well as Nick Gibson made 35 before Paul Witty (47no) and Linden Gray (41no) took them to victory with an unbeaten fifth-wicket stand.

Staxton were further cheered not only by Heslerton’s loss but also defeat for Forge Valley, who were at home to Staithes.

It was a high-scoring game. Valley reached an excellent 200-2 through Tom Brough (88) and Dave Morris (69) but the run-rate was not fast enough as Staithes reached their target despite losing eight wickets.

Richard Hegarty (67) led the way despite Chris Jackson’s 3-36 and Jaymaine White’s 4-32.

South African all-rounder Jacques Budricks had a fine day for Kirkbymoorside as he took 5-22 to helo bowl Cayton all out for 106 before hitting 45 runs in a four-wicket win.

Jake McAleese (53) and Colin Denton (4-49) shone for Cayton 106.

Nawton Grange kept alive their hopes of promotion from division ‘A’ thanks to victory over Wykeham, which saw them leapfrog their opponents into third place.

Craig Bateman made 46 for Wykeham but Nick Thornicroft (4-23) and Peter Wilson (3-21) had them all in the pavilion for 120. Jonny Pickard (27) and Charlie Allott (25) led Nawton’s victorious reply, which came with six wickets down.

The Grange are now 25 points off second-placed Grindale, who lost at leaders Scalby. Wykeham are two points further back.

At the bottom, relegation-threatened Cloughton made 230-8 against Sherburn thanks to a century by A Leeman (101), Michael Holtby taking 6-80.

But they still ended some 71 runs short of their target after Craig Sanderson cracked a superb 146 in their 301-7.

There was a much lower-scoring game at Brompton where the hosts were all out for 120, Karl Theobald making 40 of those runs as Jon Huntsman claimed 3-29 and A Monkman 3-30. But it was still more than enough as visitors Settrington were shot out for 89 by Ross Triffit (7-48).

Wold Newton had a big win over the division’s whipping boys, Sewerby II.

M Southwell hit 85, Charles Gray 30 and James Knaggs 31 in Newton’s 246-6. Oliver West took 6-35 and Mark Holtby 3-42 as Sewerby were dismissed for 107.

 

Grove in the groove as Dales shock leaders

FYLINGDALES shocked runaway leaders Mulgrave in division ‘B’ of the Scarborough Beckett League to boost their own promotion hopes.

Mulgrave were shot out for 104 to set up only their second defeat of the league campaign, Phil Stentiford (3-44) the biggest wicket-taker.

Robert Grove was the hero of the reply with an unbeaten 70 as Fylingdales won by six wickets.

Fylingdales remain just ahead of Forge Valley, who beat Bridlington II, and 17 points behind Cayton II, who beat Ganton by 41 runs, despite making only 127-9 themselves. Simon Glave (47) scored vital runs for Cayton before Richard Bannister took 3-34 and James Richardson 3-32.

Steve McAleese grabbed 3-25 and James Ward 3-23 as Ganton were all out for 86.

Thornton Dale cruised to a huge 149-run victory over a depleted Scarborough 3rds to consolidate in division ‘B’.

Scarborough won the toss and, despite having only eight men decided to bowl first, a decision they could have regretted come 45 overs as Oli Sigsworth (37), Gareth Hunt (38), Matthew Clark (44) and Iain Farrow – whose cameo of 59 not out included four sixes and five fours - led the home side to a commanding 261-7.

In reply, Scarborough shut up shop, but 4-15 from skipper Chris Headlam finally drew the innings to a close at 113 all out in the 39th over.

Matthew Pearson cracked 78 off only 57 balls to take Staxton II to a winning 196-3 against bottom club Ryedale.

Pearson’s innings included nine fours and five sixes and was supplemented by 49 from Andy Dove.

Ryedale had earlier made 192-8, as Ian Smith (57) and Dan Hardey (59) made half-centuries as Chris Brown took 4-21.

Pete Shepherdson cracked 124 and put on 188 for the first wicket with Andy Sheperherdson (66) as Wykeham surged to victory by five wickets against Seamer II in division ‘C’.

The visitors had earlier made a decent 237-4 through Phil Metcalfe (84no), Dave Allen (82) and Gary Dixon (39).

Ebberston II won by seven wickets at home to Fylingdales II thanks to 51 from Alex Machen, which countered Guy Shrimpton’s 53 not out in Dales’ 103 all out.