THE leading three sides earned advantage draws in division one of the Hunters York & District Senior Cricket League.

Leaders Selby received 27 points to stretch their lead over Sheriff Hutton Bridge, who had a 26-pointer at Hornsea which was matched by Acomb at Clifton Alliance II.

The day’s biggest run festival was at Clifton Alliance, where the hosts and third-placed Acomb scored 530 runs for the loss of 13 wickets.

The basis of Acomb’s 271-6 was laid by Harry Booth (71) and Joe Halstead (69) who put on 127 for the fourth wicket.

Joe Dale (59no off 38 balls) and Neil Grant (30no off 23 balls) added an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 81 in the final eight overs.

Early Clifton runs came from Sean Holmes (34) and John Hetherton (35) before Reece Crowe (66no) notched his first half-century for Alliance.

Joe Dale took 3-75 but the entertainment continued as John Thornton hit five sixes in reaching 37 off only 16 balls before being caught off the last ball of the match with Alliance on 259-7.

Selby batted first at home to Thirsk and lost in-form batsman Tom Collins for 32.

A 129-run third-wicket stand between Matt Hoyle (89) and Andy Jarvis (63) led to a total of 234-5.

The Cook brothers then frustrated Gareth Roberts (4-30) with Mark making 48 and John 33 as Thirsk eked out a draw at 125-8.

Second-placed Sheriff Hutton Bridge were given a superb start at Hornsea by youngster Mark Fisher (114) and Paul Oldfield (78) as they forged an opening stand of 185.

The Bridge score of 256-5 was not challenged as Paul Johnson made 39 and Dan Dales hit 30 as the innings meandered to 153-7. The league’s top wicket-taker, Jamie Hopper, took his tally to 45 with 3-50.

Driffield’s last wicket fell on the final ball to hand Bridlington a 12-run win. The dismissal cost Driffield nine points and handed Bridlington a gift-wrapped extra five points.

A half-century by Nick Tennant (55) helped Brid to 172 all out, with Nick Johnson taking 6-51.

Driffield’s Mick Drury made 46, while there was a 5-44 return from Sam Edmondson.

Carlton Towers cemented their mid-table standing in division three with a good home win at the expense of Hovingham, who are beginning to have relegation worries.

Carlton posted 249-4 with runs from Darren Graves (43), Jonathon Dilks (42) and Mark Holmes (61).

In reply, Will Prest made 33 and Tom Lund 40 but a 4-31 return from Orthon Sennett had Hovingham all out for 162.

Duncombe Park’s Brian Leckenby went out to bat against Scarborough needing only 18 runs to reach 1,000 for the season, but was out for 15.

His side then failed by four runs to chase down a modest target of 138 to lose for the first time this season and slip from first to third.

Paul Wilkie took 3-15 to help bowl out the Seasiders. Hov’s Alistair Holmes then hit an unbeaten 29.

Malton & Old Malton II kept in touch with the leading trio when they had a comfortable home win over 11th-placed Goole Town.

Goole’s 168-9 included 3-25 from Tony Linsley. Des Wyrill hit 69 not out, Jim Baxter got 40 and Jim Dawson made 46 not out as Malton eased to a nine-wicket victory.

Welton & Brough beat New Earswick by four wickets. Earswick’s Nigel Pepper hit 73 and Andy Routledge made 35 in a home score of 181-8.

Thorp Arch’s Giles Toogood lived up to his name at Sheriff Hutton where his unbeaten 98 and 3-31 earned an advantage draw.

Arch’s 219-7 included 60 from Matt Bentley, while Sheriff’s David Hull claimed 5-57. Charlie Foster then hit 44, but Toogood’s efforts saw them fall short at 203-8.