DAN Fairclough was the star performer as Stockton & Hopgrove stormed to the first leg of what they hope to be a trophy double.
The division two leaders overpowered Stamford Bridge by nine wickets in the T20 Guy Mitchell Cup final at Selby after restricting their opponents to 101-5.
Tight early bowling by Fairclough (1-5), Tom Williams (1-19) and Dean Tyler (1-18) reduced Bridge to 19-2. Charlie Wilson (24) and Lewis Wilson (19) got the scoreboard moving but Charlie Wilson was bowled by Tyler and Lewis Wilson was one of two victims for Athula Rathanayke (2-25). The experienced Rob Gilyeat (30no) got Bridge into triple figures but the total never troubled Stockton.
Fairclough, who scored 72not out the previous day in the league, smacked an unbeaten 65. He put on 80 for the first wicket with Jamie Kerrison (21) before Rob Cockerill (12no) joined Fairclough to finish the job with 6.1 overs to spare.
Simon Brown struck a match-winning 47 not out as Clifton Alliance II beat Ovington II in the Prendergast Memorial Cup final with three balls to spare.
The Knavesmire side lost two wickets with the score on 14 but were boosted by a half-century partnership by Joe Browning (28) and Jacob Lamb (23). Jimmy Taylor (27no) continued the good work but Freddie Mills (2-19) and Brown (2-22) kept Clifton firmly in the game as Ovington finished on 131-7.
Alliance made a decent start to their run chase until 40-1 quickly became 48-4 with the odds stacked in Ovington’s favour after a great spell by Lamb (3-24). Brown came in to join Joseph Hodge (29) and the pair put on 64 before Hodge was bowled by Jeremy Fowke for 29 with 20 runs still needed.
Brown managed to harvest the strike to take the Clifton club its second cup success of the season following the first team’s triumph in the HPH Cup.
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