Acomb clinched the division four title in fine style when they hammered Osbaldwick by ten wickets to leave Malton and Old Malton 16 points adrift in second place.

James Byford, who went into the final game with a batting average of 134, proved that he is also a force to be reckoned with in the bowling department when he captured 6-47 as home side Osbaldwick, whose Matt Dunne made 27 and Dave West 28, were dismissed for 119.

Acomb then passed this target without loss but no details of this innings were supplied by the home club.

Malton's bid for the title floundered at Londesbrough Park, where the home side's 218-6 proved to be beyond the reach of Malton's batsmen although both sides enjoyed a measure of success, with Park avoiding relegation and the visitors confirming promotion.

John Williamson (69) and Ian Hodson (58) made the major contributions to the home total, with Chris Barlow (29) and Paul Youngman (25) giving support as Shane Bonsor took 4-85 and Jim Dawson senior 3-41.

Bonsor followed with 41 in conjunction with Neil Smith (48) and Chris Smith and John Foxton, who each made 33, but Malton were only able to reach 198-6.

Following their recent slip-up which took them out of the promotion race Huby bounced back with a vengeance when they won their Galtres derby with Sheriff Hutton Bridge by ten wickets.

Sixteen-year-old David Coverdale made 77 for Sheriff Hutton Bridge, who reached 160-7 as Dave Ellis made 31 and Geoff Schofield 25.

Huby skipper Paul Moore cemented his rating as leading wicket-taker in the division by taking 3-36 and then sat back in relaxed admiration as Dave Patmore made his second century of the season by reaching 103 not out as he and Darren Howell (56no) knocked off the runs without loss.

There was a dramatic climax to the season at Thorp Arch and Boston Spa when the home side's last pair held on to ensure their side's divisional safety by denying visiting Cawood and extra nine points which would have taken the visitors one point ahead of their hosts.

Cawood skipper Richard Nicholson did everything within his power to earn his side a reprieve from relegation when he followed his 51 with 4-75.

Former Studley Royal player Andrew Cliffe added 44 and Stuart Baxter 33 as Cawood claimed full batting points before declaring at 201-7.

Matt Linacre had 3-45 for the Arch, who needed to avoid defeat to stay ahead of their opponents.

None of the home batsmen made a significant score as Nicholson and Simon Hall (4-24) chipped away at the order, but the Cawood bowlers were disappointed as the Boston side held out for probably their most important draw of the season at 111-9.

All 20 wickets fell at Easingwold, who gained a four-run victory over Sheriff Hutton.

Alan Robinson was the pick of Easingwold's batsmen, making 34, but Richard Armitage took 3-16 in a miserly 15 overs spell to dismiss the hosts for 130.

Eddie Hull hit a half-century for Sheriff Hutton, but Adrian Leckenby, with 6-50, and Alan Robinson, who took 4-51, pulled off a good win by dismissing the Castlemen for 126.

Updated: 11:52 Monday, September 15, 2003