INVESTMENT paid off for Copmanthorpe as they beat Heworth in the only HPH York Vale Cricket League first division game to defy Saturday’s rain.

The Barons Crescent club bought a flat full pitch cover in the winter and it was put out on Friday night to protect the ground. With the aid of another off-season purchase, a water removal machine, the game was able to start on time.

Heworth batted in light rain for an hour before the teams came off and the whole ground was covered during a two-hour rain break, but they resumed at 5pm to reach a conclusion.

Copmanthorpe’s determination to beat the elements was rewarded as they won by three wickets with eight deliveries to spare. It was a fifth successive defeat for Heworth, who remain firmly anchored to the foot of the table.

The game was reduced to a 26 overs a side with Heworth making 105-8 after being 72-1, Bob Graves top-scoring with 34. Andy Northfield had the best return of 3-15.

Cop got home thanks to major contributions by Andy Godfrey (32) and Darren Hughes (25) before the winning runs were, fittingly, hit by league chairman Peter Northfield (15no), who is also Cop’s groundsman.

With leaders Ben Johnson’s game against Ovington off, Stockton pacemen Josh Barratt (4-14) and Dan Fairclough (3-19) rolled Melbourne over for just 55. Skipper Richard Kerrison finished unbeaten with 36 while Brian Underwood took both Stockton wickets to fall.

The only division three games to go the full course were played on Sunday. Nasir Shefta scored exactly 50 in Thorpe Willoughby’s 163-9 against Welton & Brough before Nadeen Shefta’s 4-21 earned a 53-run win.

Excellent bowling by Acomb’s Steve Buckton (3-10) and Adam Coulson (3-18) put the skids under Goole, who went down by seven wickets as John Littlewood finished on 35 not out.

Amazingly, four matches went the distance in division four on Saturday with York RI’s in-depth batting taking them to 213-6 from their 30 overs against Pocklington, with Matt Corr (36no), Phil Holland (35), Paul Anderson (34) and Jon Latham (31) leading the way. Andy Walker followed his 3-55 with 57 in Pock’s reply of 117-7.

Ovington II continued to push on at the top with a seven-wicket win against third-placed Wheldrake II.

Chasing Wheldrake’s 142, Ovington were in difficulty at 44-3 but were pulled round by an unbroken 101-run partnership by Craig Theaker (62no) and Bobby Clapham (42no).

Jim Dawson produced superb bowling figures of 8.3-4-10-6 as Malton & Old Malton beat Burton Salmon by seven wickets.

Copmanthorpe II made it a club double against Heworth with a convincing eight-wicket win. Roy Atkinson took 4-27 as Heworth were bowled out for 118, Tom Neal top-scoring with 36. Cop lost a couple of early wickets but Paul Newton and Neil Brook each finished on 49 not out.

In division five, Dan Cliff (4-22) was the pick of the nine bowlers Drax II used to restrict Thorp Arch & Boston Spa to 135-9. Sam Jackson (64) then eased Drax to victory.


Performance of the week

Jim Dawson’s 6-10 for Malton & Old Malton against Burton Salmon in division four.