Selby joined the York Amateur Bowling Association League last year and won promotion from division three in their first season with a team that included several teenagers.

Their 7-1 victory over Stamford Bridge, current leaders of Division Two, shows they can follow Shipton's example of progressing to Division One in consecutive years and maintain a place in the top league.

Selby managed to hold on to their unbeaten record against Poppleton Road WMC with a 5-3 victory and have Joe Ciplinski's rink to thank for all five points.

In Division One, maximum 8-0 victories for Haxby Road over Dringhouses and Dunnington plus Holgate against RI Corinthians and West Park has eased those two teams clear at the top with unbeaten RI Amateurs only three points away.

Three consecutive wins for Bert Keech has lifted them out of the bottom half and a first win for RI Corinthians over Shipton 6-1 moves them out of last place.

Although reduced to only nine teams, Division Three has at least six sides with equal chances of promotion and only four points cover the top five teams. A considerable difference in the number of games played results from byes caused by clubs dropping out.

Williamson Cup First Round (Wednesday, June 2): Acomb v RI Corinthians, Poppleton Road WMC v Clifton, Shipton v Stamford Bridge, Stewart v Bert Keech, Minster v West Park, Scarcroft bye, Bootham v Burnholme, Osbaldwick v Hull Road Park, Dunnington 'A' v Holgate WMC, University v Nestle Rowntree, Haxby Road v Harrogate, Dringhouses v RI Amateurs, Tockwith v Poppleton, Retreat v Heworth Cons, Holgate bye, Vickers v City Amateurs, Selby v Dunnington 'B'.

Updated: 11:11 Thursday, May 27, 2004