DIVISION one pace-setters Ripon, who were relegated from the top flight last season, made it three wins in a row when they beat Hull Zingari by five wickets at Chanterlands.

Last week's bowling hero for Zingari, Andy Hamson, this week delivered with the bat, scoring an undefeated 70 in his side's 189-7. Anthony Knowles made a solid 50, while skipper Alistair Markham added 31 as Mark Barber took 3-65.

Chris Warters (68) top-scored for Ripon and there were two other half-tons, for Dave Bickel (66no) and Gary Blackburn (50), and, although Knowles exchanged bat for ball to pick up 4-55, he had little support from the other Zingari bowlers.

Driffield moved up three places to second by beating Whitkirk at the latter's Selby Road ground.

Whitkirk posted 192-8, in which Craig Shipton made 42 and Neil Edgecock 43. Rich Harrison's 22 overs earned him 4-77, while John Driskell picked up three of the other four wickets to fall.

Driffield achieved their objective for the same five-wicket price that Ripon had paid, taking just over 36 overs to do so. Andy Morfitt finished on 32 not out, while Dave Williamson had made 62 and Phil Woodcock 38.

Sessay also moved up a place, to fifth, and are now only one point behind Duncombe Park and just four behind Carlton Towers, of whose hospitality they took full advantage when the latter were only able to make 148.

More than half of this total came from two batsmen, Paul Wright, who scored 57, and Dave Longley, with 30, and who shared in a partnership of 75 for the fourth wicket. Stuart Peirse's four victims were earned for a very economical 24 runs.

Sessay's Matthew Till was there at the end with 88 as Sessay cruised past their target for the loss of three wickets, with Nick Harrison, who shared with Till in a stand of 88 for the third wicket, also making 33.

At the other end of the division, Dringhouses achieved the biggest score of the day when they made 250-5 in their draw with Crayke.

John Thornton (42) hit four consecutive sixes in the final over of the first innings and Mick Kenyon missed out by just five runs on a century, while his son Andrew made 32 and Mark Fenton hit 30.

An undefeated century for Andy Dawson helped Crayke towards their total of 200-4 in reply, as John Wright also finished unbeaten on 34.

Stillington remain rooted at the foot of the division after losing at Clifton Park.

York reached 166-9, with Dave De Silva's 39 the only score of any note, and Matthew Coulson taking 3-39.

Aussie Kent Stone's 5-41, supported by 3-43 from Marcus Bellerby, ensured that Stillington were never in the hunt, despite Mark Maddocks hitting 25 in just two overs. Daley Wharton was left stranded on 44 at the end with no more partners to come.

Duncombe Park's Paul Wilkie was one of two century-makers in the division, but his 100 represented more than half of the visitors' first innings total of 181 against Goole Town.

With Brian Leckenby making 53, that left only 27 runs to be shared by the other nine batsmen and extras, due in the main to the tight bowling of Richard Mann, who returned 7-38, with the other three Park wickets falling to Neil Foster for 22.

In reply, Anthony Gibbins almost matched Wilkie by hitting 98, but he also received little support from the rest of the batsmen, and, with Colin Humpleby and Justin Lewis taking three wickets apiece, the home side just managed to hold out for the draw at 158-9.

Updated: 12:01 Monday, July 15, 2002