HPH York Vale Cricket League Cup holders Bishopthorpe began the defence of their trophy with a comfortable first round victory at Selby.

After all the recent rain it was no surprise batsmen found the going difficult on a slow Sandhill Lane pitch.

Only three Selby batters made double figures as the home side were hustled out for just 88 in 34.4 overs. Occasional off-spinner Scott Clapham took 3-10, Matthew Riley 3-26 and Scott Reeves 2-10.

Bishopthorpe found themselves 4-2, but a 64-run third-wicket partnership between Reeves (41) and Clapham (23) virtually settled the outcome.

Both fell forcing the issue with rain threatening but Bishopthorpe reached their target in the 20th over to win with five wickets to spare.

The weather was not so kind to Bishopthorpe’s second team, who were denied a likely Scothern Construction Cup first round win at Thorp Arch & Boston Spa.

John Kelly was the star performer as Hemingbrough beat Ovington II by five wickets in a game switched to Knavesmire because Hemingbrough’s ground was waterlogged.

Ovington’s batsmen slumped from 59-1 to 94-9. Granville North (4-33) and Kelly (3-46) struck at regular intervals and only 42 not out by skipper Andy Cole, batting at nine, enabled Ovington to close on 140-9. Layton Hallam, making his return from injury, had an analysis of 8-0-19-2.

Hemingbrough were 33-2 but Kelly, dropped early on, made 68 and an unbeaten 33 by Alex Barraclough completed victory.

Burn II beat Stamford Bridge by three wickets to replace them at the top of the division four table on Sunday.

Lewis Wilson top scored in Bridge’s 138 all out with 37 before falling to Henry Wilson, who took 3-3 in 24 deliveries. Dan Robinson bowled 12 overs off the reel for 2-24.

Rob Gilyeat (24) and Des Healey (26) had given Bridge a decent start but their total was below par after being 82-2.

Opener Diccon Edwards, the Leeds Carnegie rugby union academy coach, led the Burn counter attack with 40. Although Tom Lawson took 3-18 to trigger a mid-innings wobble, Tom Harland struck the winning runs with six overs to spare.

That was the only league game on Sunday after the entire programme was washed out by heavy rain the previous day.

Everyone is hoping for fine weather this weekend as the Vale League has its “Cash for Runs” initiative. The Good Night’s Sleep appeal in aid of Martin House Children’s Hospice is to benefit as clubs pledge ten pence for every run scored in league games this Saturday and Sunday.