HIGHLIGHT in division three was a wonderful spell of bowling by 14-year-old Andrew Bilton who took 8-41 for Woodhouse Grange against Heslington.

It was the best bowling of the season and earned him the honour of being the youngest winner of a league monthly award since the scheme started in 1992.

The youngster's stunning performance had Heslington all out for 141 with overseas man Ryan Elliott top-scoring with 39.

Details of Grange's reply were not submitted, so top spot in the division is currently held by Hovingham despite being deprived of victory by New Earswick's last pair.

Hovingham lost an early wicket when Alistair Thorpe fell for 16 but this proved to be a minor setback as Stuart Prest and Phil Ryan set about the Earswick attack. Ryan was the dominant figure as he moved to a personal best score of 152no, while Prest was undefeated with 85 as Hovingham posted a score of 275-1.

John Hetherton then led the way for Earswick with 62 while James Routledge added 30, but John Fairburn's 7-43 had Earswick tottering on the brink as they closed at 213-9.

Bolton Percy gained their first win of the season in dramatic fashion when they followed their extraordinary last ball win in their league cup game on Monday with another thrilling triumph.

Skipper Howard Hall claimed the last two Pickering wickets with the fifth and sixth balls of the final over. Tyden Latti helped Bolton reach 101-1 then Peter Houseman (38) and Alistair Rigby (29) made handy scores. But Bolton's fortunes waned as Andrew Grayson (5-51) and Ian Johnson (4-64) gained regular successes and the home side's last nine wickets were only able to move the total to 174 all out.

Pickering's Kevin Wilson then rattled 71 and K R Aconley made 37 to help Pickering close in on their target. Martin Pears (3-34) and Dave Randall (3-14) edged the game towards the hosts but a draw seemed odds on when Pickering required eight runs off the final two deliveries with two wickets in hand.

Bolton skipper Hall then clinched the least likely result when he captured both wickets with the final two deliveries to earn his side a fine seven-run win.

Yapham gained full batting points in a productive draw over bottom-placed Bubwith.

Yapham's 226-7 came via Barry Pearson (80) and Dick Wright (62). Chris MacLaren (55) and Gary Moore (37) responded for Bubwith while John Flint's long stint earned him 4-92 and Bubwith were restricted to 187-9.

Hemingbrough were set on the way to a convincing home win against Civil Service when Stuart Cox took 5-21 and Maqsood Akbar 3-26.

James Chisholm made 45 for Service before being bowled by Akbar but the rest of his side made little impression as they were outed for just 91. Akbar then showed his high class by racing to his half century in 54 minutes and had made an unbeaten 67 off 53 balls when Hemingbrough recorded a nine-wicket victory.

Heworth totalled 189-8 against Clifton Alliance with runs coming from Mike Taylor (31), Guy Wilkinson (38) and Joe Johnson (41).

In reply, Clifton's Paul Atkinson made 28 and John Bladen 44 but a 23-over spell by David Bowling proved to be decisive as his 5-67 ensured Heworth had the better of a draw as Alliance closed at 151-7.

Updated: 10:02 Monday, June 02, 2003