Dunnington took the first step towards repeating their League and Cup double of last season when they won the York and District Premier League Cup for the fifth successive year, thus equalling the six wins recorded by their beaten opponents Easingwold.

Batting first at Woodhouse Grange, Easingwold made a slow start against the bowling of Simon Cook and John McHale, whose eight over spell cost a mere ten runs.

It was McHale who eventually broke through at 25 when he had in-form opener Martin Piercy caught behind by Paul Miles for four.

Skipper Martin Robinson was playing a solid innings but the overs ticked away as Dave Kitching bowled his eight overs for just 15 runs. The introduction of Steve Precious into the attack in the 25th-over brought about a second breakthrough when he had James Pringle caught by McHale after the youngster had made nine.

With batsmen attempting to lift the strike rate, Collis King accounted for Paul Skilbeck and Dan Copeland while Cook returned to the attack to dismiss Paul Redshaw.

Precious then ended Robinson's resolute innings when he bowled the opener for 77 and the Dunnington spinner went on to claim a man-of-the-match winning figures of 4-30 as Easingwold's innings closed on 136-8.

Dunningon's reply had reached 24 when Skilbeck removed Harwood Williams for four but then enjoyed a 52 run stand between Hamed Khan and Collis King until the former West Indian star, one of five players with first class experience in the Dunnington side, was caught by keeper Kevin Hollinrake off Dan Copeland for 36.

Ex-Yorkshire player Simon Kellett then joined Khan and the pair seemed to be moving towards victory as 60 runs were added.

However, with the scores level, Kellett was caught by Skilbeck off Jason Sargeant and it was left to Miles to confirm his side's superiority with a firmsly struck boundary. Opener Khan remained unbeaten with 60.

The League Cup, together with trophies for all the players were presented by Mark Fenton, of Hunters Estate Agents, while the Ian Reed Memorial Trophy for the man-of-the match was presented by the adjudicator, Richard Whaley of Woodhouse Grange.

Easingwold: M Piercy c Miles b McHale 4; M J Robinson b Precious 77, J Pringle c McHale b Precious 9, P Skilbeck c Kitching b King 2; D Copeland b King 5; P Redshaw c Miles b Cook 3; A Robinson c Burgess b Precious 12, A Leckenby st Miles b Precious 3, J Sargeant no 0. Extras 21 Total 136-8

Did not bat: T Langstaff, K P Hollinrake.

Bowling: S H Cook 8-1-26-1, J McHale 8-2-10-1, D Kitching 8-1-15-0, C L King 8-0-35-2, S M Precious 8-0-30-4

Dunnington: H Williams c Copeland b Skilbeck 4, M H Khan no 60, C L King c Hollinrake b Copeland 36, S A Kellett c Skilbeck b Sargeant 32, P A Miles no 4. Extras 4 Total 140-3

Did not bat: A I Kallicharran, C Burgess, S H Cook, S M Precious, J McHale and D Kitching.

Bowling: D Copeland 8-1-30-1, J Sargeant 7-3-17-1, P Skilbeck 8-2-26-1, P Redshaw 4-0-17-0, T.Langstaff 3-0-22-0, A Robinson 3-0-14-0, M Robinson 2-0-10-0

Umpires: Rob Smith and Derek Brockless

The York and District Senior League took a major step in retaining the Leeds Area Cricket Council Championship for the second successive year, thanks to an emphatic eight wicket victory against the Nidderdale League at Carlton Towers.

Carlton spinner Chris Pitts took 5-36 to restrict Nidderdale to 158, while a third wicket partnership of 99 from Goole Town's Neil Foster (55no) and Hornsea's Richard Medforth (42no) saw the York League home with nine overs to spare.

The Nidderdale League had begun well with an opening partnership of 78 between Stephen Potter who made 43 and Olly Uffindall with 33.

The partnership was broken in the 22nd over, following the introduction of David England (Goole Town), who went on to take 2-28 in his eight-over spell.

Michael Shires made 30 for Nidderdale before being out to a fine return catch to Chris Pitts.

Goole Town's wicketkeeper-batsman Steve Foster took one catch and made two stumpings.

Acomb's Andy Tute and Stuart Coleman (Carlton Towers) made a fine start for York, producing 52 before Coleman was caught for 31. Tute followed two overs later though having made 27.

Foster made his half century just after the hour and with Medforth, took York to a place in the final that will be a repeat of last year against the Wetherby League at Spofforth on September 1.

Nidderdale League: S Potter c Wright b Pitts 43, O Uffindall b England 33, D Spence run out 1, M Houseman lbw England 4, M Shires c and b Pitts 30, K Crack c Foster b Medforth 4, L Peachey no 14, S Rennison b Pitts 10, P Pattison c Shipton b Wright 3, R Thompson st Foster b Pitts 1, A Peachey st Foster b Pitts 4. Extras11 Total 158 all out

York League: A Tute c D Spence b Thompson 27, S Coleman c O Uffindall b Thompson 31, Foster not out 55, Medforth not out 42. Extras 4. Total 152-2

Did Not Bat: C Shipton (Whitkirk), Paul Wright (Carlton Towers), S Foster (Goole Town), D England (Goole Town), C Pitts (Carlton Towers), C Young (Castleford), M O'Brien (Whitkirk)

Updated: 12:08 Tuesday, August 20, 2002