STAMFORD Bridge put the pundits firmly in their place by beating Heworth by 109 runs in the Hunters the estate agent York and District Senior Cricket League on Saturday.

Having been tipped as relegation favourites prior to the season, the club's first premier division victory coincided with the debut of Indian all-rounder Shikar Dhawan, who made 52 and claimed 3-6 with his spinners.

The return to Catton Road of Dave Chaplin, who made 62 following his midweek move from Wilberfoss, and Martin Veysey's 26 saw Bridge bank 209-8 despite 3-45 return from Ashfaq Ahmed.

When Heworth replied only former Stamford man Andy Parkinson offered any resistance, making 36, as Dhawan was supported by Mark Fairweather (3-28) and Heworth were all out for 100.

Easingwold skipper Martin Piercy hit his fifth premier division century and played a crucial role in his side's four-wicket victory at Beverley with two balls to spare.

Beverley's 18-year-old Paul Groves established the supremacy of bat over ball early in the game when he struck two massive sixes in the fourth over. Jamie Mitchell (44) and Oliver Grantham (41) then helped Beverley to 197-9 with Paul Skilbeck taking 3-39 and Jon Marwood 3-72 for the visitors.

Marwood then made 44 as he and Piercy set Easingwold on course with an 82-run opening stand. Simon Roe hit back with 3-61 but the 2004 champions squeezed to victory to open up a 19-point lead over champs Clifton Alliance.

Clifton had a comfortable victory at bottom-placed Pickering despite being pegged to a relatively modest 168-9 by Charlie Marwood's 5-62.

Four Clifton batsmen made valuable runs as Chris Malthouse (39), John Gilham (27), James Postill and Paul Boraston (37) all made contributions. Wicketkeeper Malthouse then held five catches to support bowlers Boraston (3-32), Postill (also 3-32) and Francis Hawthorne (3-11) as Pickering were all out for just 96 with only Sean Stuchbery (30) offering any resistance.

A typically aggressive unbeaten 78 from Paul Miles, batting at number six, enabled Dunnington to recover from a mid-innings wobble to reach 214-7 when they batted first against Hull Zingari.

The early part of Dunnington's innings was solid as Simon Kellett made 51 and Hamed Khan 39, but Roger Burnham's 6-61 in 15 overs caused consternation.

When Zingari batted Ali Markham made 42 but Dave Greenlay took 3-17 in 11 overs and Simon Kellett 3-36 and it was down to 15-year-old Matthew Scarr to ward off defeat for the Hull outfit as his composed 23no saw his side draw at 165-9.

Australian Dan Davies hit an impressive 96 to help Malton & Old Malton to a three-wicket home victory at the expense of Acomb with seven overs to spare.

Richard Sykes hit 76 for Acomb with Paul Hemingway (35) and Joey Burton (25) supporting as a total of 167-8 was reached. Mike Linsley, aged 17, produced two fine bowling spells, each of the permitted six overs, which saw him take 5-43 while Matt Yates claimed 3-55 for the hosts who won by three wickets despite Dave Sykes's 3-60.