Runs flowed at Acomb after three-times Hunters the estate agent York and District Senior Cricket League premier division champions Dunnington had been presented with the League Trophy before the start of the game.

Collis King led the way with his second century of the season and his 28th in the York League as he made 127 to confirm his rating at the top of the divisional averages.

Hamid Khan failed to reach the 1,000 run mark when he was out for 25, leaving him 29 runs short of the four figures, but Dave Greenlay's seasonal best of 78 enabled Dunnington to post a total of 251-4.

With both pride and the runners-up trophy at stake, Acomb picked up the gauntlet in fine style, with Chris Simpson (40) and Sanjay Rodrigo (44) laying a foundation which was built on by Scott Nicholls (49) and then converted into an eight-wicket win by Andy Tute, who made a splendid 112 to clinch second place for the home side.

Carlton Towers' battle to avoid relegation ended when they suffered a five-wicket defeat at the hands of Easingwold, whose Paul Skilbeck punished the Towers' bowlers by hitting 16 fours and four sixes in an unbeaten 107.

Carlton's total of 168-9 came by virtue of Matt Holmes, who made 39, and K Hemingway with an unbeaten 43 as Paul Skilbeck captured 3-40 and Paul Redshaw 3-24.

Skilbeck's onslaught then saw Easingwold to their eighth win of the season, despite Sam McNally claiming 3-43.

The most convincing victory was Pickering's ten-wicket mauling of relegated Osbaldwick, whose 158 all out proved to be hopelessly inadequate when Paul Witty made 81 not out and Mark Shepherd 61 not out to sweep their side to victory.

Osbaldwick's top performance was Ian Wilson's 56, while Charlie Marwood took 4-15 for the Pikes.

The closest game in the division saw Thirsk lose by just three runs after they had bowled out Clifton Alliance for 135.

Richard Musgrave made an unbeaten 32 to stand as the lone obstacle as Richard Bentley (3-34), Barry Petty (3-48) and Mark Wainwright (3-49) shared the wickets. Petty's three wickets took his premier division tally to 68 for the season and 389 since the inception of the premier division.

Thirsk youngster Dean Bramley then made 54 but his team-mates lent scant support as Francis Hawthorne took 6-41 and teenager Alex Renton 3-28 to dismiss them for 132.

A first-wicket partnership of 174 between Jonathan Bean, who missed his century by four runs, and Nick Hadfield, who made 65, set Woodhouse Grange up for a six wicket victory in double quick time against strong rivals Heworth.

Kashif Mahmood made 54 and Richard Woodmansey 33 as Heworth collected five batting points by reaching 200-6.

Woodmansey followed with 4-18, but Bean and Hadfield caused mayhem as Woodhouse took a mere 34.2 overs to reach their target and send Heworth to their sixth successive defeat since beating Dunnington in early August.

The highest aggregate was at Beverley, where the home side clinched a place in the top half of the table by knocking off Sessay's score of 253-7.

Matthew Till narrowly failed to his his second ton when he was dismissed for 94, but Chris Till hit 68 and Ian Watkinson 38 not out as Sessay mounted a big score,

Beverley responded in fine style as Neil Stephenson hit 52 and Jamie Mitchell 76 and then Andy Burton's unbeaten 54 saw Beverley to victory at 255-5.

Updated: 11:30 Monday, September 15, 2003