The Costcutter York and District Senior Cricket League title race has been thrown wide open.

Premier division leaders Easingwold failed to gain a single point at Woodhouse Grange in a rain reduced game and second placed Clifton Alliance took the maximum 30 points at Whitkirk to reduce to gap to a mere 14 points.

Easingwold's cruise towards the league title ran aground in dramatic fashion at Woodhouse Grange when they were trounced by nine wickets in a game reduced to 35 overs.

Home bowlers Ashley Quinn and Paul Grewer exploited the conditions fully and the powerful Easingwold line up would only stutter to 92-9 as Quinn claimed his best premier division figures of 6-60 and Grewer backed him up with 3-26.

Having seen their batsmen fail to bag even a single batting point, Easingwold's bowlers fared equally badly as West Indian Terry Rollock hit ten fours to race to 51 not out and Nick Hadfield made a more sedate 30 not out.

Grange reached their target in the 21st over and, losing only one wicket, ensured that Easingwold's day was devoid of reward.

In contrast, champions Clifton Alliance boosted their chances of retaining their title when they took maximum points at Whitkirk.

Batting first Clifton produced a typical performance as they showed defensive tactics in pursuit of runs.

Dave Russell hit 57, Dave Taylor 64 and John Hunter 29 as they bagged the full batting reward in reaching 218 all out.

Whitkirk's Andy Proctor bowled well to take 6-66 and Tom Glover gave support with 3-62.

Whitkirk's reply was spearheaded by Dave Boucher (77) but, after his departure, Tim Heggarty (38no) watched as Richard Musgrave produced a devastating spell to clinch victory.

Musgrave bagged four wickets in one over and his 7-32 engineered a collapse which saw Whitkirk lose their last eight wickets for only 35 runs to be all out for 156.

No fewer than 11 batsmen passed the 20 run mark on a good track at Sheriff Hutton Bridge as the home side had the better of a draw with Acomb.

Bridge skipper Steve Crowder had made 33 when he was second out at 59, then Mike Smith and Paul Oldfield built a third wicket stand of 59 before the latter was lbw to James Byford for 41.

Another good stand then ensued as Smith and Shakil Nawaz took the total to 187.

Smith was dismissed for 57 by Acomb skipper Richard Clayton but Paul Scaling proved to be an adequate replacement making 21.

Nawaz completed a handy half century being undefeated on 52 when the Bridge innings closed on 236-5.

Acomb opener Richard Sykes gave his side a good start in making 36 before he was bowled by Nawaz at 62.

Richard Clayton (23), Duminda Perera (23) and Steve Simpson (24) all maintained the momentum, but Nawaz (4-72) then collected three good wickets to keep the visitors in check.

Acomb rallied as Leo Burton (21) and Dave Skilbeck (32no) added 51 for the seventh wicket, but Burton was bowled by Nawaz at 183 and Acomb settled for a draw at 186-6.

Heworth have had a horrendous time in the past few weeks and are seriously threatened with relegation as all three teams below them are showing much better form.

At home to Pickering, Heworth made 154-9 with Nick Fisher making 37, Mark Lynch 26 and David Bowling 27.

Mark Yates took 3-16 for the Pikes, who then strolled to an eight wicket victory as Brian Leckenby made 70 not out and Colin Frank 31 not out.

Pocklington gained valuable points in their quest to avoid relegation when they had the better of a draw against Thirsk, despite a second successive six wicket haul by Barry Petty.

Andy Inns (45) was the only home batsman to score significantly as Petty moved to a season's haul of 68 wickets with 6-58, Pocklington making a seemingly inadequate 145-8.

The home bowlers then set about defending this modest total and, in doing so, almost snatched a dramatic win.

Thirsk's Aussie Lincoln McCrae made an important 43, but with Kev Hinch taking 4-38 and Mike Newhouse 3-23, Thirsk were on the brink of defeat at 129-9 when stumps were drawn.

Two relegation-haunted sides met at Driffield where a run feast produced a draw in favour of visiting Osbaldwick - to leave the hosts at the foot of the division.

Only a reduction of their innings to 48 overs prevented Osbaldwick's batsmen notching up their third successive total in excess of 250 when they closed at 245-7.

Dave Cooper made 77, Richie Carew 54, Andy Hall 40 and Eddie Storr 30 to offset James Fisher's 3-82 as maximum batting points were again pouched.

Driffield's overseas star Ankur Sondhi then counter attacked with 73, but Peter Machin produced an important spell and his 4-34 saw Driffield close at 202-8.