Easingwold & Cottingham in pole position

Hunters York & District Senior Cricket League Division One West leaders Easingwold returned to action, after last week’s enforced lay off, with a six-wicket win at promotion rivals Carlton Towers. Kyle Waite (65no) was involved in two telling partnerships the first, coming after the visitors had lost three wickets in quick succession, was worth 79 with Jack Redshaw (47) who narrowly missed out on a half-century. The second was a crucial match-winning one of 103 alongside Zak Wilson (57no) which sealed the points with just nine balls remaining. Earlier Carlton opener Tom Collins, the competition’s top run scorer, continued his impressive run of form adding 92 to his tally, and there was also a half-century for Mark Spetch (58no) in a total of 235-8 which included three wickets for Stephen Piercy (3-57). 

 

A first defeat for over two months means Carlton down a place in the standings but remain in contention for at least the play-off place, whilst Harrogate climbed into second with a resounding 88-run victory over bottom of the table Thorp Arch & Boston Spa. 

 

The Clifton Alliance trio of Jack Heartshorne (3-46), Elliott Precious (3-48) and Cristofer Gwilliam-Lopez (3-11) each took three wickets as one time leaders Knaresborough slumped to a third defeat in the space of four weeks. The visitors looked to have averted their recent slide when the hosts were reduced to 98-8, despite the efforts of Jake Mead (30), but Joe Kilvington (57no) managed to almost double the score for the final two wickets including a partnership of 65 for the last with Heartshorne. Four of the visitors top five got starts but they also found themselves in a similar position to the hosts at 85-8, Toby Giddings (58) scored a valiant half-century batting at number eight, but it was not enough as the side were bowled out for 155 loosing by 40 runs and are now fourth in the table. 

 

Dan Magee produced a match-winning performance taking 4-62 and scoring 46 to lift Thirsk out of the relegation places following a five-wicket win at Dringhouses. The hosts skipper Tom Owen (51) scored a half-century at the top of the order for his side before becoming one of three wickets for James Wilkinson (3-30), his effort alongside that of Magee helping to restrict the home side to 165. Mark Cook (32) and Ben Collinson (42) both contributed to the visitors reply as they recorded their first win since mid-June. 

 

Christopher Till (39no) and Sam Abel (81no) put on 124 from 93 balls to give Sessay their third straight win as they beat Osbaldwick by nine wickets. Chris Morrison finished with figures of 4-25 as the hosts found themselves 26-4 before eventually being bowled out for 125, opener Matt Dunne the top scorer with 26. 

 

Tom Atkinson (71) and Ian Lynch (50no) set up a six-wicket victory for Bolton Percy to end Heworth’s three match winning run. The pair shared a stand of 98 as the home side chased down a target of 177. The visitors total had been built around a fine 82 from Guy Wilkinson who held the innings together, but once he was bowled by Tom Anderson (4-49) the final four wickets added just eight more to the total, leaving the home side with a moderate total to chase. 

 

Cottingham look to be on track for promotion from Division One East after they won their latest match, convincingly by 143 runs after they bowled out Sutton-on-Hull for just 64, and nearest rivals Bridlington were beaten by the weather for the second week in a row, there game at North Marine Road against Scarborough never getting underway. 

 

Nicky Johnson took six wickets for just 17 runs as Driffield Town moved up to third with a six wicket win over Pocklington, his haul including top scorer Ted Donkin who made 47 of his side’s total of 98 all out, having at one stage been 68 for two. Skipper Kevin Woodcock came in at the fall of the first wicket in the visitors reply and remained unbeaten at the end finishing on 42 as his side reached their target in 21 overs although Harry Collins (3-30) did his best to make the match a contest taking three wickets. 

 

Woodhouse Grange must have felt they were in with a good chance of making it three wins on the bounce after Christopher Wood (4-34) and Ted Baty (4-46) took four wickets each to bowl out hosts Patrington for 140, Ashley McKinley with 39 one of only three batters to reach double figures, the home side losing seven wickets in the space of 46 runs. Visiting openers Wood and Robert Draper both made 23 but the rest of the line-up fared worse than their opponents as they went from 27 without loss to 91 all out. Grant Van Es finished with 4-17, Ian Buss and Bob Eldon-Smith with two wickets each to wrap up a seemingly unlikely victory. 

 

Charles Rook (97no) narrowly missed out on a century as Londesborough Park scored 268-3 at Hornsea, he was responsible in part for stands of 86 alongside opener Tom Jennings (68) and 107 with Ben Shingles (33no) as the hosts heaped more misery on the divisions bottom side. Jonathan Fisher made 42 at the top of the visitors order but the highlight on a tough day was provided by a stand of 74 for the ninth wicket between Joe Butterworth (61no) and Luke Brightmore (26) before they eventually went down to a 101-run defeat, Martin Pearson the pick of the Londesborough attack taking 3-40. 

 

Hull Zingari’s last wicket pair held on deny Beverley Town victory at Norwood Park. Michael Cooke top scored for the home side with 67, as Muhammad Ayub picked up 4-33 as the hosts were bowled out for 191. Lawrence Wilkinson (52) responded with a half-century for the visitors, but despite three wickets each for Edward Chapple (3-12) and Matthew Saint (3-52), they held on to earn a share of the points. 

 

Report by Kevin Hutchinson