WESTOW’S dreams of a league and cup double melted in the Sunday heat at Clifton Alliance.
The unbeaten York Vale League division one leaders lost their HPH Cup semi-final at Shipton Road by seven wickets as Alliance reversed the league result of the previous week.
Westow lost star man Mark Earle cheaply and, despite 53 from Ali Fothergill, they slid from 144-3 to 182 all out.
After Jack Heartshorne and Tom Bews had put the squeeze on Westow’s top order, Matt Mellor (3-28) and Joe Hodge (3-29) wiped out the middle and lower order.
Although Earle, hero of the previous week’s league win, took a couple of wickets, Clifton took control thanks to a 103-run third-wicket partnership between Alan Parkinson and Jake Atkinson (44).
Parkinson, who made an unbeaten 74, then eased Clifton to victory in the company of Jason Gatus (30no) with six overs to spare.
Clifton will face South Cave & Brantingham in the final at Acomb on Sunday, July 29.
Cave beat Melbourne by 29 runs in a match reduced to 30 overs a side.
Melbourne had both Cave openers back in the hutch with only 25 on the board before Mark Ash (39) increased the run rate.
Helped out by crucial runs by Arun Kalwani (29), Harshal Patil (19) and Dom Hinson (21no), Cave managed to get to 162 all out. Stand-in wicketkeeper Adam Thomas took five catches while Oliver Steels and Robin Miller were the pick of the bowlers.
Melbourne made a good start but began to lose wickets regularly as some accurate bowling by Tony Scotter (2-26) and good fielding put on the pressure. Andy Forman top scored with 41 but Tom Mounser (5-35) ended the innings in spectacular style with four wickets in five balls.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here