Easingwold extended their lead at the head of Hunters the estate agent York and District Senior League premier division to 27 points with a seven-wicket victory at Sessay.

The hosts were restricted to only 128-8 in their 50 overs as Paul Skilbeck took 4-24. Overseas player Mick Polson (36) was the only Sessay batsman to profit.

Easingwold skipper Martin Piercy, who will captain York Senior League XI next Sunday against Huddersfield League, made 34 but the master-class performance was by Martin Robinson, whose unbeaten 64 took Easingwold to victory.

Dunnington were frustrated at Sutton-on-Derwent, where home side Woodhouse Grange earned a draw at 189-8 after Dunnington had posted a total of 210-9.

The champions' runs came from Collis King (68), Hamid Khan (44), Ajaz Akhtar (29) and Dave Greenlay (26). Kamran Sajid (3-56) and Peter Head (3-22) got among the wickets for Grange.

Sajad followed up with 43, while Richard Steele made 53 and Mike Burdett 26 to gain an honourable draw.

Clifton Alliance were again premier division top scorers when they followed their two 300-plus totals with 250 all out at Sheriff Hutton Bridge.

Richard Musgrave maintained his fine form by hitting 88 while John Gilham hit a neat half century and John Hunter made 42.

Pick of the Bridge attack was Dave Houldridge who celebrated his call into the first team by taking 4-35 and claiming the tenth premier division hat-trick.

Paul Oldfield (3-78) and Mike Smith (3-59) provided backing but then saw their batsmen, with the exception of Paul Scaling, who made 32, fail as Lorenzo Ingram took 3-13 with his left arm spin to reduce them to 129-8.

Heworth's batting star Dave Simpson cracked his 15th league century when he made exactly 100 not out to help his side to their second win of the season with a six -wicket advantage over Beverley Town.

Neil Stephenson made 32 for the East Yorkshire side, who were bowled out for 158 by Mark Bell (4-53) and Darius Slabbert (3-56). The South African then supported Simpson by making 37 in Heworth's successful response.

Pickering are still looking for their first win but did have the advantage in a draw when they entertained Acomb.

The hosts made 174-8, with Colin Frank hitting 51 and Chris Nicholls 30 as Andy Tute took 4-37 and Dave Sykes 3-65 in his 25 overs.

In reply Chris Simpson and Joey Burton both made 29 and Paul Hemmingway chipped in with 23 but Tony Evans turned in a decisive spell which earned him 5-63 to hold Acomb to 150-8.

York moved into the top half of the table when they outclassed a Thirsk side who could make only 117-9 as Richard Carroll took 3-47 and Scott Gregory 3-51.

Gregory's fellow Australian Nathan Bell was the only Thirsk batsman to show as he made 36.

When York replied Andy Kay made 39 as one of the three victims before Will Warne (27no) and Mike Mortimor (38no) steered the home side to victory.

Updated: 08:09 Tuesday, June 01, 2004