Castleford defeat Acomb to go top.

Castleford moved to the top of HUNTERS ECB YORKSHIRE PREMIER LEAGUE NORTH beating former leaders Acomb at The Green by 72 runs. The visitors lost two wickets in the first three overs but recovered thanks to two excellent partnerships involving Umair Khan. The Pakistani overseas signing added 77 with Brayden Clark (35) and 92 with his captain David Wainwright (46) before being dismissed by Acomb counterpart Darius D’Silva (3-55) for 77, the visitors finishing on 236-8. Acomb’s UAE international top scored in the home sides reply with 37 but Joe Schofield (33) was their only other batter to reach 30 as three wickets from Wainwright (3-23) and two each from Eddie Morrison and Chesney Hughes saw them stumble to 164 all out. Such is the nature of the competition a first defeat of the season sees Acomb drop from first to fourth in the standings. 

 

A fourth consecutive victory for James Finch’s Woodhouse Grange side means they are now second in the table. A strong performance from the visitors top three set up a 114-run victory at St George’s Road leaving hosts Harrogate still searching for their first victory. Openers Harry Gamble (56) and Christopher Suddaby (31 put on a stand of 71 which was built upon by Christopher Bilton (45) before Ishan Abeysekara struck back taking 4-44 in a total of 231-8. The home side were soon in trouble in reply finding themselves 11-3 and then 68-9, only a last wicket partnership of 49 between Ashely Griffin (31no) and Dominic Bradburne (24) sparing their blushes, Finch finishing as the pick of the visiting attack with 3-35. 

 

Only Clifton Alliance sit below Harrogate in the table, and they lost for the third game in a row, this time going down by eight wickets after being bowled out by Scarborough for 129 at North Marine Road. Scott Hopkinson tried to hold the visitors’ innings together finishing unbeaten on 38, having come in at number four, but Linden Gray (3-24) part of a six-man attack every one of which contributed at least one wicket proved irresistible to the rest of the line-up. Opener Oliver Stephenson (30no) lost his partner early on but runs from Breidyn Schaper (29) and a half-century from former skipper Ben Elvidge (55no) eased the home side to a comfortable victory with 18 overs to spare. 

 

There was no shortage of rivalry on show at Common Lane as a Dunnington side with several former Kings Mill Road favourites in their line-up took on Driffield Town, the home side coming out on top by 28 runs. Alec (83) and George (80no) Drury showed their former side little mercy both contributing heavily to the home sides 225-3, sharing a partnership of 79 in the process. Noah Kelly (30) and Sam Drury (44) shared an opening stand of 66 in reply and Owen Goldsworthy made 32 but Jonathan Anderson (3-41) and long-time Town captain Dave Brent (3-44) showed there is no room for sentiment when chasing a league title both picking up three wickets to bowl out their former side for 197. 

 

Mark Fisher produced miraculous figures of six for nine from seven overs as Sheriff Hutton Bridge dismissed Stamford Bridge for 50, the second lowest total in the competition’s history came as the hosts replied to visitors 150 all out which included 30 from Dulash Udayangaby, by some way the highest individual innings of the match. Spin duo Liam Burgess (3-32) and Dave Chaplin (4-12) looked to have bowled the home side into a strong position at the interval, but Fisher had other ideas and back-to-back wins over the weekend lifts the former champions clear of the relegation places. 

 

There was double disappointment for York at Weetwood where they lost by five wickets to Yorkshire Academy and finished the game with only nine fit players after losing captain Ryan McKendry who was injured while batting and Finlay Bean who injured a hand in the field. Half-centuries from Duncan Snell (60), who became one of three wickets for Edward Booth (3-30), and the visiting skipper (58 retired) helped their side build a solid total which was boosted to 217-6 by 57-run stand between Tom Brooks (36) and Oliver Leedham (34no). The home side only faltered slightly towards the end of their innings and by the time Tom Forsdike (4-54) picked up the last of his four wickets a partnership of 135 between Will Luxton (75) and James Wharton (59) had all but sealed the result. 

 

Report by Kevin Hutchinson