STOCKTON & Hopgrove beat Clifton Alliance to become the third team to top division one of the HPH York Vale Cricket League in as many weeks.

Only five of last weekend’s 26 fixtures survived the rain and two of them were in the top flight, featuring the trio battling for the title.

While Stockton were seeing off Clifton Alliance by six wickets, Copmanthorpe lost the leadership as they were defeated by Bishopthorpe in a remarkable match at Baron’s Court which saw 20 wickets fall in 45 overs – 17 of them lbw or bowled.

The Bishops, who led the pack a fortnight ago, looked out of it when they were shot out for only 64.

Chris Hall applied the early pressure with figures of 7-5-3-2 before Andy Spence (23) staged a mini-recovery, only for Darren Hughes to blow the visitors away with 5-18.

But Cop found Bishopthorpe bowlers Ian Holmes and Tom Eckhart in devastating form and were dismissed for 43 as the visitors recorded a remarkable 23-run win. Holmes’ analysis was 7.2-2-13-5 and Eckhart’s 7-1-22-5.

But Bishopthorpe’s effort was not enough to regain top spot as Stockton beat Alliance in between the heavy showers.

Alliance slipped from 100-5 to 127 all out as Dan Fairclough (5-24) and Matt Bradshaw (2-37) were well supported by excellent catching and fielding. Middle order batsman Simon Cook top-scored for Clifton with 43.

Steve Fraser (49no) then held Stockton’s innings together, despite the run outs of Dave Kerrison and Giles Smith, to wrap up victory in 32.4 overs.

University of York Staff hauled themselves off the bottom of division two with a surprise 19-run home win against promotion- chasing Selby.

The sides opted for a 20 overs aside game and Staff totalled 111-8 as Dan Collins (4-60) and Steve Clarke (3-45) kept the rate to under six an over. However, it proved enough as Muhammed Suleman (4-41) and M Saeed (3-43) bowled tightly.

Ovington II boosted their division four promotion hopes by thrashing Huntington by 152 runs.

An aggressive 65 by teenager Alex Payne and 42 from Joe Whale saw Ovington total 184, Jamie Ross taking 3-40.

Huntington were then skittled by David Aidie (5-18) and Graham Haigh (4-12) before Alistair Souch took a wicket with his first delivery to see Huntington all out for a meagre 32.

Bishopthorpe II lost ground as they lost to Copmanthorpe II in a game reduced to 30 overs.

Cop set 181-6 thanks to Roy Atkinson (53) and a blistering 42 not out in only 14 balls by Alistair Byers, which included four sixes and three fours.

John Latimer took 3-25 for Bishopthorpe who fell well short despite Will Brennand’s 33.

Phil Jackson took 4-51 and was supported by Byers and Atkinson, who took a couple of wickets each.

The Scothern Construction Cup semi-final between York RI and Thorpe Willoughby on Sunday was rained off for a second time.

The teams have rescheduled the tie for Sunday, July 31 and the winners will meet Hirst Courtney in the final at Hemingbrough the following Sunday.

Press performance of the week

IAN HOLMES – On a bowler dominated rain-lashed day, Bishopthorpe’s Holmes (5-13) blew away division one title rivals Copmanthorpe in an astonishing match.