BURN opener Ray Adamson was left stranded on 99 not out by his own team-mates in his side’s HPH York Vale League division one victory against Heworth.

The former England rugby union international moved to within a single of his century with a couple of overs to spare – but didn’t get to face any of the remaining 12 balls.

Burn had recovered from 7-3 to post 167-6 thanks to Adamson’s innings. Despite an unbeaten 50 by debutant Dave Patmore, Heworth were bowled out for 107, Richard Miller taking 4-28.

Champions University of York Staff won at the third time of asking, beating Bishopthorpe by five wickets.

Richard Waites had a brilliant return of 10-5-13-5 before Salman Syed (49no) steered Staff home.

Hemingbrough continued their good start with a comfortable 64-run win against Barmby Moor, Matty Milburn top scoring with 57. Adrian Stancer took 5-53 for Moor but they were never in the hunt.

Clifton Alliance edged a see-saw game against Copmanthorpe by two runs with Ali Wray’s 79 proving crucial before he become one of Ryan Partington’s five victims. Matty Howden (63) set up a nail-biting finish but his side fell just short.

North Cave held all the aces in beating Wheldrake with Craig Hew-son and Rob Page both scoring half-centuries before John Buttle’s 5-38.

Stockton & Hopgrove top division two after thrashing Ovington by nine wickets. The York-based side couldn’t handle Dan Fairclough (6-26) as they crashed to 57 all out.

Eddie Oliver (60) led Melbourne to victory against Selby, whose spinner Colin Banks took 5-46 to keep the run-rate down.

Fulfordgate collapsed from 97-2 to 129 all out as Mark Grewer (6-32) came on to swing the game in Askham Bryan’s favour.

Martyn Rhodes was nearly unplayable as he claimed figures of 12-8-7-4 in Kelfield’s nine-wicket romp against Westow.

In division three, Thorpe Willoughby successfully defended their 158-9 by just six runs despite an unbeaten 76 by Bishopthorpe skipper Ben Smith.

Brian Howard (92) led Hirst Courtney to a winning 219-8 against Thixendale, whose James Wigby finished with 5-52 – Craig Lawson taking 5-29 for Hirst.

Woodhouse Grange amassed 246-4 against a young Hemingbrough II with Paul Townsley (86no) and Freddie Collins (79) leading the way to a crushing 145-run triumph.

Bowlers generally prospered on a cold day and a well-beaten nine-man Stillingfleet crawled to 69 as Acomb’s Steve Buckton proved deadly accurate with his 9-4-11-3.

Junior bowler Connor Munro’s best-ever senior return of 4-12 set up Wheldrake II’s win against Huntington in division four Phil Holland struck 72 but it was not enough to see York RI past Burton Salmon’s 150-5.

Fifteen-year-old Jacob Taylor, in his first game of senior cricket, took 5-33 for Drax II in their exciting division five tie with Burn, whose Leigh Adamson top scored with 79.

Eric Montgomery (54) and Matty Torn (63no) put on 83 for Drax’s third wicket, but the innings ran out of steam.

There was another close contest at Selby II where York edged a three-wicket win with two overs to spare.


Performance of the week

Ray Adamson’s unbeaten 99 for Burn against Heworth in division one gets the sympathy vote.