Acomb maintained their bid for runners-up spot in the premier division of Hunters the estate agent York and District Senior League when they gained a seven-wicket win over bottom-placed Pocklington, whose spell in the top bracket is virtually ended.

Sri Lankan Shanuka Dissanayake produced another top performance to underline his rating as one of the top overseas players in the county.

He took six for 57 with his left arm tweakers and had good support from Andrew Sykes, who bagged 3-18. Their joint efforts had Pocklington all out for 110, Ian Camwell top scoring with 45.

Acomb's Richard Sykes scored 27 and Chris Simpson added 38 while Mike Newhouse captured all three Acomb wickets to fall, at a cost of 30 runs.

Runs flowed like summer wine at Clifton Alliance, with 509 scored for the loss of only six wickets.

After Dave Russell had hit 51, Simon Dwyer cracked an unbeaten 85 off only 58 deliveries to lift the Alliance total to 254-4.

Undaunted, Thirsk's batsmen set about their task with gusto. Skipper Darren Wyrill (68) shared a second-wicket stand of 119 with Keogan Luiters.

Dave Greenlay scored 67 off only 35 balls as home skipper Duncan Naylor desperately juggled his bowlers. Luiters moved to 103 off 114 balls as the pair shared an unbroken match-winning stand of 110 to gain Thirsk an eight-wicket win which puts them 53 points clear of a relegation place with four games remaining.

Bowlers held the balance of power at Easingwold, who crashed to a 54-run defeat when they were bowled out for 92 by Woodhouse Grange.

Steve Burdett was the only Woodhouse batsman to make any mark, scoring 40, as his side struggled to 146-9 against Paul Skilbeck (3-15) and Tom Langstaff (3-45).

Easingwold's Dan Copeland made 30 but the pace of Kashif Raza was too much for his team mates as the Pakistani claimed 5-23. Ashley Quinn completed the demolition with 3-6.

Heworth had the worst of a draw at Elm Park Way in a thrilling game against Beverley Town. The result could have had four different results off the final delivery.

Jamie Mitchell made 49 and Peter Parnaby 35 as Beverley posted a first innings total of 191-9. Former Dalton player Kashif Mahmood took 3-39 for Heworth.

His skipper Paul Mosey led the home reply with 42, but Barry Sayer (4-68) and Ian Sugden (3-39) nibbled away at their batting line-up.

Heworth benefited from 40 extras, but when they lost their ninth wicket at 177 they seemed likely to lose.

However, Mark Lynch stood firm in making 23 not out and, with last man Mark Bell making three not out, their innings ended on 188-9 with honours just about even.

Relegation fears re-emerged for Pickering, who suffered a five wicket home defeat by an Osbaldwick side who have moved up to fourth place.

Shaun White took 7-40, his best figures of the season, as Pickering were dismissed for 159.

Chris Nicholls (43) was Pickering's top scorer. Steve Jackson scored 60 for Osbaldwick and Dave Cooper was unbeaten with 39 when the visitors clinched the match.

Batting first against Dunnington, Sheriff Hutton Bridge lost two wickets for only seven runs as John McHale and Simon Cook made early inroads.

Paul Oldfield and acting skipper Paul Scaling took the score to 41 before Cook's lbw appeal was rewarded with Scaling's wicket, then the Aussie gained a further immediate success.

Nick Scaling then joined Oldfield in a fine fifth-wicket partnership which added 115 runs until Alvin Kallicharran took a fine catch to dismiss Oldfield off Hamid Khan for 74.

Scaling followed on the same score, being removed by Collis King for 59, and Cook then sewed up the innings with 5-33 to have the Bridge all out for 185 in the final over.

Dunnington were given a steady start by Harwood Williams and Hamed Khan, who had reached 56 when Khan fell to Mike Sinclair for 26.

Sinclair then brought about a rare failure for Collis King, who was caught by Craig Hunter for 13, but Simon Kellett then joined Williams in a telling stand.

The former Yorkshire player had reached 40 when he became the first victim of Nick Scaling, whose bowling abilities were getting a first airing of the season.

He soon followed with a second success when he had Williams caught for 76.

Faint home hopes of gaining a draw were then ended by Alvin Kallicharran (14 not out) and Paul Miles (12 not out), who ensured a Dunnington win by six wickets with two overs to spare.

Updated: 11:37 Monday, August 19, 2002