MARK Grewer hit an unbeaten century for Horwath Pulleyn Heselton York Vale League division two bottom club Askham Bryan at Thixendale.

His 103 including out of a total of 164 included five sixes and eight fours. Dean Tyler and Adrian Brader both picked up three wickets for Thixendale, who were unable to bat because of heavy rain.

None of the scheduled games in the division were able to finish which meant that Ovington were crowed champions and return to the first division at the first attempt.

The weather ruined the bulk of the day's programme but there were still some good indivdual performances before the heavens opened.

Trevor Ward (70) and Greg Moulds (28) gave Kelfield, playing against Post Office, their best start of the season and Wilberfoss opener Tony Cattle reached 57 before the rain set in against Westow.

Burythorpe retained their lead in division one, picking up 14 points from their abandoned game at Aldby Park.

They had reached 138 for 8 with Pete Aconley top scoring at 33. Phil Hill and Bobby Brewer shared the wickets for Aldby Park.

Burn's Geoff England and David Prime helped restrict Thorpe Willoughby to 135 for 8 on a slow wicket despite an excellent 74 by Dave Taylor.

In reply, Stuart Nesbitt scored 74 and England 34 as Burn eased home with nine wickets to spare.

Burn have closed the gap on Burythorpe but may have left it just too late to pinch Burythorpe's crown.

At the other end of the table, Thorpe Willoughby are being left behind after Stockton and Hopgrove and Drax had good wins.

John Bonarius and Martin Lancelot held the Heworth innings together against Drax with a second wicket partnership of 72, but David Cartwright and Keith Powell put the brakes on as the innings closed at 129 for five.

Drax lost opener Gary Slaywe for a duck but Powell and John Finch put on 60 for the second wicket. Matthew Wragg, bowling throughout, and Andy Bonarius, broke through to have Drax struggling but Kevin Thomas hit an invaluable unbeaten 38 to shepherd the tail and take Drax to a welcome win with four balls to go.

CGU were well placed at 75 for two against Stockton and Hopgrove but when Will Robinson was bowled by Derryk Fryer for 38 it set off a chain reaction. Fryer went on to return a season's best of 7 for 27 from 20 overs as CGU limped to 108 for 9.

Simon Morgan soon had the Villagers in trouble at 27 for five in less than 13 overs. Steve Fraser dug in but it still looked bleak for Hopgrove at 56 for 7 until Rich Kerrison came in to lend valuable support to Mick Carroll, who saved his best for the club for this vital game with a splendid 46 not out.

This weekend's clash between Drax and Stockton and Hopgrove will be the most important game of the season for the two clubs.

Jimmy Ledgeway's 7 for 65 helped to dismiss Melbourne for 126 against division three leaders Clifton Alliance, Matt Howden and Jon Clark taking the honours with the bat for the visitors.

Clifton skipper, Paul Thorpe, followed up his 19 over stint with an unbeaten 55 to steer his side to a seven wicket win.

With the rest of the division washed out, it left Clifton with a big lead from British Sugar who they meet on Saturday.

The only game to be completed in the fourth division was at York University where the Staff XI easily beat a short handed Stockton and Hopgrove.

A maiden 50 for Dave Murrell, 49 from Jan Heaton and 31 from Gordon Finlayson were features of the Staff innings who declared having attained maximum batting points.

Barry Sellers held the Villagers innings together with a patient 36 before they folded for 85, leaving them relegated.

Stillingfleet maintained their leadership with Burn in close attendance and the end of season game between the sides could well decide the league winners.

There was just one result in the fifth division as Drax beat Wheldrake by nine wickets.

Wheldrake lost both openers without a run on the board as Bob Wrigglesworth took advantage of a spinners' wicket. Wheldrake recovered well from 19 for 4 to reach 101. Simon Newby and Kevin Dent provided the backbone of the innings as Wrigglesworth went on to take 6 for 40.

An unbeaten half-century from Danny Hennesey and 32 from Ian Goulden enabled Drax to romp home and cut into Ovington's lead at the top.

PICTURE: HOWZAT: Aldby Park batsman, Roy Lawson, is trapped lbw by Burythorpe's Bobby Brewer

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