Sessay hit top spot in division one for the first time when they closed the promotion hatch on Duncombe Park with a convincing eight-wicket win.

Sessay now lead second-placed Driffield by six points and are a further eight points ahead of long-time leaders Carlton Towers.

Steve Langstaff (4-34) and Steve Frare (3-32) bowled Park out for 155 with Peter Kent making 33 and Marek Mulvihill 29.

When Sessay batted, Matt Till fell for 47 but John Flintoff remained unbeaten with 62 as Sessay strolled to victory.

Former leaders Driffield had to be satisfied with the worst of a draw with Ripon, and the East Riding side's vital final day clash with Sessay may well prove beneficial to Carlton's hopes.

Simon Tennant (6-57) bowled well for Driffield when Ripon took first innings but the citizens still made a handy 175-8 through Peter Squires (44) and Mark Barber (37).

M Green (40) and Robert Beckett (28) then made runs for Driffield but Mark Barber's 6-42 ensured Ripon's superiority as Driffield closed on 147-8.

Former Stillington skipper Dave Allitt took centre stage in Crayke's 27-run defeat of his former club.

Allitt (43) top scored in Crayke's 193-9 with other runs being supplied by Andrew Dawson (33), Eric Watson (40) and Andy Gilleard (32).

Stillington's Matt Coulson (7-58) did not deserve to be on the losing side. However, this was the case as Dave Allitt's 4-47 had Stillington all out for 166 despite the efforts of Mark Maddock (61).

Dringhouses maintained their improved form with a big win at the expense of Goole Town, but their surge has come too late to prevent their relegation into division two.

Mark Fenton and Grant McLean both missed half centuries by a single run, while John Crowe hit 30 as Dringhouses totalled 176-8.

Goole's batsmen then failed badly as they were dismissed for 98 by Alistair Darnell (4-41) and Ian Bews (3-20).

Having won division two last year, Hull Zingari have made little impression in division one and are likely to finish just one spot above relegation following their nine-wicket defeat at the hands of promotion chasing Carlton Towers.

Teenage spinner Chris Pitts, who has been a member of the successful East Yorkshire Joe Lumb squad, took 5-64 in a fine 17-over effort, while Kashif Siddique took 3-33 as the pair dismissed Zingari for 153. Alistair Markham made 34 and Mark Richardson 30no.

Siddique followed with 33 before his dismissal provided the Hull bowlers with their solitary success, as Paul Wright (58no) and Stuart Coleman (62no) enabled Carlton to go into their final game still in contention for promotion.

Another nine-wicket victory at Clifton Park saw Whitkirk lose to York.

Grant Galloway hit 75 and Mark Murphy 29 for Whitkirk, who were all out for 189 after Marcus Bellerby took 4-7 in a 21-ball sequence.

York lost an early wicket before being taken to the winning post by John McGrady (77no) and Brendan O'Donovan (86no).

Updated: 14:22 Monday, September 02, 2002