HUNTERS ECB Yorkshire Premier League North 
Division One Review 
The challenge of a shortened season for the York & District Senior Cricket League meant those that manage the competition had to come with an innovative format, and the resulting three divisional top-tier provided some engrossing cricket along the way leading to a pivotal final day which began with all three titles still up for grabs. 
 
Knaresborough topped the North table despite losing in their final match to local rivals Harrogate. The visitors no doubt determined to do all in their power to prevent the title heading to Aspin Lane scored 181-5, Andy Hawkswell (46no) and Charlie Stokes (40) putting on 65 for the fifth wicket after Tom Metcalfe had taken 3-30. ‘Boro openers Harry Dawson and skipper Greg Pickles began the home sides reply with a stand of 88, and despite the knowledge that nearest challengers Easingwold were in trouble against Malton & Old Malton, a collapse which began when Stokes struck four times in the space of ten deliveries, including the wicket of Pickles for 57 must have sent a shudder through the ranks. It formed the start of a collapse which saw the home side eventually bowled out for 114, leg-spinner Stokes finishing with 8-26 the best return by any bowler across the entire top tier this season. 
Easingwold began the day in second place the only side in with a chance of catching the leaders, but their hopes quickly disappeared as Malton & Old Malton opening pair Robert Pinder and William Spencer (77) shared a stand of 186. Pinder, the competition’s leading run scorer reached 107 as the home side posted 245-5 from their 40 overs. The visitors slumped to 50-8 debutant Kristian Wilkinson picking up 4-10 and Luke Smith 3-27,. The highlight of a disappointing batting display came in the form of a 48-run partnership for the ninth wicket between James Postill (23) and top scorer Josh Sargent (28no) their efforts helping reduce the losing margin to 118 runs, a result which meant the visitors dropped from second to fifth. 
 
Sessay finish as runners-up thanks to a six wicket win at home to Sheriff Hutton Bridge. Two wickets from Stuart Peirse and three from Mark Wilkie (3-10), including Paul Oldfield for 30, put the visitors on the back foot and had it not been for 47 from David Phillips the total would have been well short of the 161-8 they eventually reached. Matthew Till provided the match-winning innings for the hosts, the opener batted through finishing unbeaten on 78 the winning runs coming with a couple of overs to spare. 
 
After going six weeks without a win Sessay II brought double-delight to the Oval View faithful with a 13-run victory away at Studley Royal. In a low scoring contest the visitors having been put in made 117-6, Tom Wilkinson top scoring with 38. The home side have also struggled this season managing only two wins and the opportunity for a third was missed when they were bowled out for 104 James Skelton taking 3-23. 
The battle of the bottom two went the way of Pannal who opened their account for the season at the last opportunity, but it was a close call as they held on at Thirsk to win by two runs. The match was dominated by two fine individual all-round performances, Carl Wilson scored 42 in the visitors total of 135-8 which included three wickets from Dan Magee (3-26) and when the pair switched roles for Thirsk’s reply Wilson finished with 4-18, and Magee looked to be steering his side to victory with six needed from the final over but Dom Burdett (3-26) struck twice in the final three balls including Magee stumped off the last for 58. 
 
York came out on top in the West after a day of twists and turns in the most hotly contested of the three divisions. The result at Clifton Park between the eventual competition winners and Cartlon Towers could have been rendered meaningless after Goole Town had powered their way to victory against Heworth. 
 
Town knew they needed a commanding victory to have a chance of over-turning the net run-rate of their rivals and they were given the perfect opportunity by David England who took 5-39 as Heworth were bowled out for 129, and that could easily have been less had it not been for Chris Klays (33) and Alex Bell (31) whose contributions book-ended an otherwise disappointing display with the bat. The chase was immediately taken up by Ben Shelton who passed 50 for the fourth time in 2020, his 53 coming from only 28 balls, then a brisk 25 from Edward Hasdell saw the target reached inside 16 overs then all they could do was wait for news from Clifton Park. 
York had reached the break with 202-9 on the board when news of the Goole result came through. The total had been built around a 98-run partnership between Tom Spearman (68) and Alex Collins (65) but it might have been more had they not lost their five wickets for 13 runs towards the close visiting captain Robert Holah with 4-34 and Matthew Torn 3-44. Holah (24) and opener Henry Bayston (53), with his third half-century of the season, gave the visitors the early advantage but the game turned on the introduction of spinner Ted Patmore (5-28) who took five wickets and earned his side victory by 51 runs the margin large enough to ensure the home side maintained their net run rate advantage to clinch the title. 
 
Dringhouses ended their campaign with a third successive victory Liam Hancy (98no) narrowly missing out becoming the fourth batsman in the West division to make a century, however alongside Chris Evans (35) and Paul Milner (53no) he was able to contribute to a nine wicket win as the hosts chased down Thorp Arch & Boston Spa’s total of 190-9. Harry Contreras (47) top scored for the visitors, George Gibson (30) and Guy Whatmore (34) also contributing but ultimately thier sides inability to take wickets proved costly. 
 
Bolton Percy were among the leaders in the title race up until the half-way stage but then faded their campaign culminating in a 76-run defeat to Whitkirk whose form line has been almost the opposite. Simon Webb (48), Alfie Wilkinson (30) and Jake Thompson (31) all contributed to the home sides score of 199-7, and then Thompson provided the stand out performance of the match with ball in hand, taking four wickets as the visitors were dismissed for 123. 
 
The remaining game was between two sides both of which had yet to win, and for Osbaldwick that remained the case as they lost out to Clifton Alliance by seven wickets 
Beverley Town were deserved winners of the East Division going the entire campaign undefeated a rained off game three weeks ago the only blemish on an otherwise 100% record. A second five wicket haul by Joey Franklin (5-24) set up their latest victory as Cottingham were restricted to 140-7 despite 47 form Jonathan Mawson. Danny Moss (4-29) picked up four wickets ensuring the home side did not have things all their own way but an assured innings at the top of the order from Brad Dobson (45) helped settle whatever nerves the Norwood Park supporters might have had, their side winning with three wickets in hand. 
 
Hull Zingari finished a point behind the leaders after winning at Folkton & Flixton with four balls to spare having chased down a target of 207. Nathan Johnson (4-43) took four wickets for the visitors, to finish as the divisions leading wicket-taker, Tom Norman with 78 among his victims, Connor Stephenson (38) had earlier contributed useful runs to the total too. Hull’s top three of Jack Storey (47), Lawrence Wilkinson (46) and Guy Martinson (51) all prospered before their side progress was checked by four wickets from Chris Mann (4-42), and it was left to Fergus Wilkinson to guide them to victory remaining unbeaten on 23. 
 
Jack Oakley helped Driffield Town finish with back-to-back victories, a third half-century and three wickets coming in a four-wicket win at Sutton-on-Hull. Ryan Peck (33) and Harry Masterman (36) shared the batting honours for the home side who reached 160-9, and their side were well on top when Rob Gainer (4-19) removed the visitors top three with just five runs on the board, that became 21-4 before Oakley (51) dug in adding 52 with his captain Kevin Woodcock (56no) who went on to form a match-winning partnership of 68 with Simon Oxendale (20no). 
Elsewhere Londesborough Park beat Patrington by six wickets whilst a low scoring thriller brought the curtain down at Welton where they beat Bridlington by five runs. A partnership of 54 between Daniel Gittings (25) and James Windeatt (33) gave the hosts' innings stability after three wickets from Simon Leeson (3-43) but once they were separated by Russell Robinson (4-15) the innings subsided from 111-4 to 126 all out. Bridlington’s Casey Rudd may be pondering for a while how he failed to finish on the winning side in this match, the opener scored 82 and besides only one other batsman in the line-up reaching double figures he got them to within sight of the winning post at 111-2, only for an amazing spell from Luke Hills to turn the contest on it’s head. Having just been struck for back-to-back boundaries by Rudd Hill proceeded to take four wickets, including Rudd’s, from his next ten balls, Harry Nightingale (3-13) added to the chaos with two in three balls as in the space of nine overs the visitors lost eight wickets for ten runs and with it the match. 
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