Clifton Alliance hit the second highest total in the seven-year history of the Hunters York and District Cricket League premier division when they amassed 304-5 against Beverley Town.

The tone of the innings was set by Richard Musgrave 71 and Lorenzo Ingram 51 while John Myers maintained the format with 29.

Ian Gillyan took 4-61 in ten overs for Town but the Clifton innings then exploded into a flurry of runs as John Hunter hit 76 off just 40 balls and Dave Taylor 53 off 31 as the pair added 117 in just 39 minutes for the fifth wicket.

Beverley's batsmen also found the Shipton Road track fa-vourable as they moved to a draw at 180-8 with Jamie Mitchell making 70, Tom Fordon 25 and Richard Taylor 27. John Gilham's 4-41 off ten overs was the pick of the home bowling.

Second-placed Acomb entertained leaders Easingwold and the resulting draw went true to form.

Martin Piercy 41 and Jonathon Marwood 49 laid Easingwold's foundation then Martin Robinson pressed home the advantage by hitting his fourth premier division ton as he reached 113no in a total of 241-5.

Sanjay Rodrigo took 4-89 for Acomb, who replied with 161-6 with Richard Sykes 25 and Chris Simpson 42 holding the visiting bowlers at arms length.

Dunnington took the opportunity to move into second place by inflicting a convincing defeat on Thirsk, who thus drop a notch to fourth.

Dunnington benefited from a fine opening stand of 118 between Paul Miles 54 and Hamid Khan 64 while Collis King added 38 in a total of 223-7 as Nathan Bell took 4-53.

Thirsk were then dismissed for 131 by Ajaz Aktar 3-33 and former Thirsk skipper Dave Greenlay 3-14 with only Des Wyrill 28 showing on the batting charts.

Heworth suffered their third defeat when Jon Bean led Woodhouse Grange to a seven wicket victory by making 71.

A quartet of handy knocks from Rich Woodmansey 41, Mark Lynch 28, Guy Wilkinson 46 and Graham Hogben saw Heworth to 176-8 but Bean's effort, supported by Stuart Craven 29 and Kamran Sajid 28no, decided the outcome.

A good all-round effort by skipper Paul Oldfield enabled Sheriff Hutton Bridge to gain their first win at Sessay. Matt Till made 38 and Darren Atkinson 39no for the homesters but Oldfield's 5-39 restricted them to 143-9.

He then followed with 44 and, with Paul Scaling making 51, the Bridge went on to victory at 144-5.

York II were denied their first win in the top flight by Pickering skipper Colin Frank, whose 74 enabled his side to survive at 153-6 despite 4-55 from Aussie Scott Gregory.

Earlier John McGrady had hit an unbeaten 105 and James Pringle 52 in York's 203-6.

Updated: 11:56 Monday, May 17, 2004