PITCHES in the Feversham Cricket League are beginning to favour batters - with none taking advantage of that more than Lockton’s James Boyes over the Bank Holiday weekend.

The opener batted just nine overs of Lockton’s innings in a stunning display of clean hitting in his first century knock to steer his side to a 28-run victory over hosts Slingsby in a high-scoring encounter.

Lockton were invited to bat first, and Boyes initially struggled to time the ball and gave his opponents a couple of chances. Both were difficult, but they were put down.

After that, however, he decided to deal almost exclusively in boundaries.

Slingsby’s ground is by no means small, but such was Boyes' hitting that balls disappeared into the surrounding fields with regularity.

Despite the hosts picking up wickets at the other end, there was no stopping Boyes and his domination of all the bowlers was evident when he reached his hundred in only the eighth over of the innings.

Sportingly, given the ease with which he was batting, Boyes retired an over later having scored an incredible 115 runs which included 14 sixes and 5 fours - all coming from Slingsby’s four most senior bowlers.

With another seven overs remaining, Boyes could well have overtaken the previous League highest score since 1971, namely 146 not out for Harome’s Stephen Dodsworth in 2002, or even got close to a double-hundred.

Other batsmen contributed useful runs - Sam Beal hit a memorable maximum into the tennis court on his way to 12, and Ben Hurst cracked four boundaries on his way to an unbeaten 27.

Ashleigh Turner and Lenny Fox, both 15, made successful debuts, each picking up two wickets at the cost of 7 and 12 runs respectively.

However, Lockton’s 173-7 from 16 overs was too much for Slingsby to even begin to contemplate an unlikely victory.

Nevertheless, they gave it a good go in reply, ably led by Ben Corner and brother Jack.

They were never going to find the same sort of rhythm and timing displayed by Boyes, but Ben managed a top score of 46 and Jack contributed 19.

Sam Newton (18) kept the scoreboard ticking over, but Slingsby were always behind the very daunting run rate of 10.8 an over.

Andrew Moutrie added some useful late blows in his undefeated 35 not out, as Slingsby closed on a spirited 145-6.

It was, however, the superb innings by Boyes which defined the game, and will live long in the memory.

Elsewhere, High Farndale travelled north to Glaisdale full of optimism, and batted first.

Their total of 91- 7 in 16 overs was adequate, but nothing particularly special, William Gibson (26) and Neil Brown (22) excepted.

Jack Allanson kept it very tight, conceding only two runs in his four overs, and taking two wickets into the bargain. Joe Dowson also impressed with figures of 2 for 22.

At the interval, High Farndale pondered as to whether they had made enough runs to cause problems for Glaisdale.

However, it quickly became apparent that they had not as Ryan Hewison (51 not out) and Jack Allanson (36 not out) with contemptuous ease stroked their way to a 10-wicket success for Glaisdale in only 9.1 overs.