IT was a bad day for the top sides in division two of the Horwath Pulleyn Heseleton York Vale Cricket League.

Tollerton Outlaws lost their first league match of the season against a strong Heworth team.

Heworth's John Bonarius and Mal Caddie batted sensibly to lay down the platform for their total of 133-6. Tollerton started well enough in reply but then lost their ten wickets for 47 runs to slump to a 48-run defeat.

Second-placed Kelfield did little better at Thixendale where they made 131 but it was not enough as Keith Wallace blasted 48no in guiding Thixendale home by two wickets with ten overs to spare.

Fulfordgate, in third place, went down at home to a resurgent Wheldrake.

Once danger man Keith Pepper was removed Fulfordgate lost regular wickets and stuttered along to 117 all out. Wheldrake were in some trouble though at 65-7 but some hard hitting from Nigel Exton (48no) saw Wheldrake home with eight overs in hand.

Hirst United's good run continued at Thorpe Willoughby as Les Stones 33no set the foundation for a score of 155-7. Russ Stones then took 5-43 to restrict Thorpe Willougby to 103-9.

Copmanthorpe were involved in a tight game before overcoming Ben Johnson.

The printers hammered out 195-7 with Martin Reynolds (57) and Neil Drew (55) sharing a stand of 93. Runs were hard to come by at first for Copmanthorpe and with 100 runs still needed from the last ten overs, but the middle order saw Cop home in the penultimate over.

Tadcaster Magnet all-rounder Trevor Hardy kept his side firmly on top of division five.

His 3-13 kept Copmanthorpe in check at 111-9, Neil Brooke scoring 53. Hardy then top scored with 37 as Tadcaster took 20 overs to reach their target.

Malton and Old Malton cemented second place by defeating Woodhouse Grange. Neil Salisbury providing the spine of Malton's 170 with 52.

In reply only Ed Smith shone with 56 as Grange fell 47 runs shy.

Stockton and Hopgrove gained a much needed victory over Thorpe Willoughby. Mick Jay was the pick of Hopgrove's attack with 4-32 as Thorpe were all out for 93. Peter Fairclough and Mick Anderson then added an unbroken 63 runs as Stockton won by eight wickets.

Wheldrake's game against Selby was all over in 32 overs. Wheldrake were all out for 40, Darley and Nurden sharing eight wickets. Callum Dent then grabbed 3-6 but Selby ran out comfortable seven-wicket winners.

The battle of the top sides in division one saw leaders Norwich Union defeat Askham Bryan YPO.

Union batted first and Simon Morgan again top-scored, this time carrying his bat for 65no. Their total of 164-9 was always out of Askham's reach as Gawaine Hogg took five wickets to settle Askham's total at 106-8.

Westow are now just six points adrift in third place after beating Stockton and Hopgrove.

Fourteen-year-old Elliott Taylor top-scored with 48no and shared an unbroken stand of 54 with Dave Coverdale to take Westow to 193-9. Stockton never got going as Neil Earle added 4-28 to his earlier innings of 46.

North Duffield batted first against British Sugar and were soon in trouble. Andy Heaton took 7-58 from 20 overs as Duffield finished on 106-9. Sugar then collapsed to 24-7 as Dave Suddaby took 6-20 to send Sugar spinning out for 68.

Colin Markham's 55no helped Bishopthorpe to 174-6 against Derax who were bowled out for 131, Mike Cunningham taking 5-55.

Burton Salmon's Max Driscoll hit the day's top score, his 131no enabling his team to rack up 239-4 against Askham Bryan YPO, who folded to 112 all out against Martin Senior (5-36).

Stillingfleet took maximum points at Clifton Alliance after Rob Murray top scored with 88no in a total of 178-5. Clifton had no answer to the all-round attack of'Fleet and were all out for 91.

York University Staff had just the better of Malton and Old Malton, Richard Waites scoring 66 of Staff's 155-7. Malton got off to a disastrous start at 4-3, but then the middle order gave them a sniff of a win. However, the Staff side came back and eventually Malton ran out of batsmen 28 runs shy. Sue Brannigan claimed four dismissals behind the stumps.

Division four top dogs Drax overcame Acomb by five wickets. Paul Barnes took five wickets for Acomb and John Pennistone cracked 43.

York leapfrogged their opponents Bishopthorpe into second place in style. Dave Murray's figures of 4-28 from 20 overs curtailed the Bisthopthorpe innings at 76 and York lost three wickets in pursuit of their target.

Melbourne were indebted to last pair Ken Hayton and Dave Room to take them to 70 all out but Pocklington wasted no time in knocking off the runs.

Ovington's score of 130-9 centred around a 61-run partnership between Dave Samson (41) and Mark Corr (37no). Heworth then raced to the winning line for a six-wicket win.

The Guy Mitchell Cup final will be between Drax and Tollerton after Drax overpowered Westow by nine wickets and Tollerton scrambled past Copmanthorpe by 28 runs.

Updated: 09:54 Thursday, July 31, 2003