Having lost the leadership of the Hunters Estate Agent York and District Senior League premier division last week, Clifton Alliance showed they are still serious contenders by clinching a 30 pointer in extra time against Heworth.

The 11-run win with just an over to go, trimmed Dunnington's lead to seven points, and was gained by Duncan Naylor's declaration after 47 overs.

Apart from Naylor's inspirational decision, Clifton's heroes were batsman Dave Taylor, who cracked an unbeaten 133 off 127 balls, and spinner John Hunter ,who claimed 8 for 57 in 15 overs.

The free-scoring Darren Reeves (33) played another good innings for Clifton but the limelight belonged to Taylor who hit 13 fours and four sixes as he dominated the Heworth bowlers, the most successful of whom were Graham Hayward (3 for 76) and Trevor Walton (3 for 81).

Hayward then followed with a fluid 81 and, with Dave Simpson making 35 and Chris Meade 48, Heworth threatened to pull off a fine victory until Hunter intervened and ended their brave bid on 237 in the 52nd over to finish a cracking game of cricket.

Dunnington were only able to net 26 points at Thirsk where they had a comfortable six-wicket win.

Recent signing Darren Wyrill made 40 for the hosts, while Mike Gear top scored with an unbeaten 64 as Thirsk reached 156 for 6.

Dunnington then lost Simon Kellett for 44, Chris Burgess for 26 and Hamid Khan for 25 but were guided to victory by Collis King, who was unbeaten on 35.

Two sides enjoying contrasting fortunes met at Easingwold, where the much improved hosts gained a seven-wicket win over Osbaldwick whose recent dip in form has seen them slip to the periphery of relegation.

Osbaldwick could only make 103 as Paul Redshaw took 5 for 33 and Dan Copeland 3 for 18, with only Stuart Boyle (33) making an appreciable contribution with the bat.

Martin Robinson then made 48 and Jonathan Marwood 38 as Easingwold cemented fourth place in the table.

Sheriff Hutton Bridge moved back into mid-table safety with a four-wicket win over Pickering who were dismissed for 148. Craig Aconley was the Pikes' top scorer with 38 as Mike Smith claimed 3 for 16 and Paul Oldfield 3 for 35.

Mike Sinclair made 30 when the Bridge replied but G Smith (3-34) made the home side fight for the spoils and it was left to skipper Steve Crowder (30no) to ease his side to victory.

Whitkirk boosted their hopes of retaining premier status when they took 21 points from a draw with Acomb, whose last pair held out to deprive the Leeds side of the maximum which would have lifted them above Osbaldwick.

Whitkirk's 235 for 7 was built on a 141-run second wicket stand between David Bouccher, whose 114 was his first premier ton, and Neil Edgecock, who made 50.

For Acomb, skipper Dave Sykes had 4 for 65 and James Byford 3 for 78. When their side responded, Paul Hemmingway made 49 and Richard Clayton 48, but their colleagues struggled against young paceman Tom Glover (4-51) and Robert Horner (3-43) and they were left clinging on for a draw at 178 for 9.

There was a cracking finish at Woodhouse Grange where bottom-placed Ripon gained a thrilling three-run win when Grange's last wicket fell off the fourth ball of the final over. Ripon's batting star was 17-year-old Gary Blackburn. He hit four sixes as he made a handsome 73. The youthful batsman shared a 123 third-wicket stand with the more experienced Peter Squires, the former county man making 51.

Richard Hawley (26) also chipped in with runs as Ripon gained full batting reward in reaching 204 for 6.

For Woodhouse, Phil Stothard made 33 and Jonathan Bean 41, but Paul Mason (3-98) and John Gains (3-54) combined to reduce the home team to 143 for 8.

Number eight Sajid Ali then made his highest score of the season as he raced to 62 off 44 balls and seemed likely to have won the game when, with his side's score on 201 for 9 he hit the ball high, wide and seemingly to the boundary for the winning six - only for Squires to take a two-handed catch above his head to end the Woodhouse reply at 201.