SHERIFF Hutton Bridge and Woodhouse Grange remain separated by just eight points at the head of the Hunters York & District Senior Cricket League premier division after rain played havoc with the Bank Holiday Monday fixture list.

The leaders hosted bottom side York and, despite five wickets from Tom Forsdike, reached 157-8, Adam Fisher (38), Paul Scaling (35) and Robert Pinder (30) contributing.

Ted Patmore (39) made the match’s highest score in difficult conditions but his was a lone hand as the visitors were dismissed for 108, Stephen Croft taking 3-31.

Woodhouse Grange’s match at home to Scarborough was reduced to 25 overs each, and the visitors, put in first, managed 103, thanks to Darren Harland (31) and Kristian Wilkinson (28), Dave Suddaby taking 4-22. The hosts reached their target for the loss of four wickets, Chris Bilton (38 not out) seeing them over the line with a couple of overs to spare.

Despite the abandonment of their match at Heworth, a share of the points was enough to lift Acomb above Scarborough into third and also ensure back-to-back promotions for Andy Tute’s side.

The skipper took 5-41 to restrict their hosts to 135-7, Richard Walton making 35, and the match was interestingly poised after the visitors had slipped to 99-6 when rain brought a premature end.

The only other match to beat the weather took place at Stamford Bridge where the home side enhanced their chances of a top-six finish with victory over Studley Royal. Stamford had Luke Robinson (4-53) and Kevin Murphy (4-26) to thank as the visitors lost their last five wickets for 27 runs after Anthony Mackle (38) had given them a decent start. Needing 150 to win, the hosts looked in trouble at 53-6 but Dominic Rhodes (94no) rescued them, sharing stands of 64 with Phil Hill (23) and an unbeaten 33 with Paul Milner (15no) to secure his side a first win in six.

Driffield Town went second in division one - their match at home to Malton & Old Malton the only one in the tier to beat the rain. The visitors chose to bat first but only Stephen Linsley (31) caused the home side problems, Tom Norman (4-21) and Nick Johnson (4-28) dismissing Malt for 125 inside 25 overs. Norman then top-scored with 34, with Damon Jenkinson making 28 as the hosts won by six wickets.

The result leaves them needing 10 points from their final two games to secure promotion. There was no play in division two north or south, leaving the competitions intriguingly poised. It was a similar story in division three north and south.

 

ONE fixture in Hunters York & District Senior League division four west avoided the wet weather on Monday as Whitkirk climbed into the second promotion spot with a three-wicket victory over Cawood.
In a low-scoring affair, Robert Flynn collected 5-22 as Cawood were reduced to 118 all out. In response, Ashley Ogden struck 39 as the visitors scraped home with 17 balls to spare, finishing on 119-7.
Three games reached a conclusion in division four central.
Huby and Dringhouses beat the weather to complete victory, while Sheriff Hutton and Osbaldwick were forced to settle for a draw.
Dringhouses smashed Duncombe Park by 153 runs to join the promotion race. Good contributions from Murray Coyle (40), Martyn Baggaley (43) and Mudassir Ali Kahn (66) helped them to 216-7 declared from just 27 overs. Skipper Tim Owen (4-6) then produced a stunning spell of bowling to dismiss Park for a paltry 63.
Huby, meanwhile, secured a low-scoring success over Rowntrees & Huntington. Matthew Avison (3-10) and Ed Wright (4-17) combined to dismiss R&H for just 60. It took 18 and a half overs for Huby to knock off the runs. Huby’s win leaves them fourth, 24 points behind second-placed Civil Service.
In a rain-reduced encounter, Osbaldwick’s Jake Tomlinson collected 4-33 but Alistair Hammond (45) and Dave Sowden (50no) were in the runs as Sheriff Hutton reached a respectable 153-8. After another shower, Osbaldwick steered their way to 86-6 at the close to secure a draw.
Only the rain-reduced fixture between North Dalton and Driffield Town saw any play in division four east.
Dalton batted first in a 25-over contest and played positively to reach 201-4. Shaun Tate then collected four wickets as he helped to reduce the hosts to 111-8, Jason Goldsworthy striking 25 to help his side to a draw.

* Stamford Bridge’s Sawkill Cup will no longer be played in a knockout format. Instead, the club will stage an annual 40-over President’s fixture. The two teams - a President’s Invitational XI and a Harwood Williams XI - will be captained by League legends Martin Robinson and Williams. The match is on Sunday at 1.30pm.