EASINGWOLD cemented their leadership of the Costcutter York and District Senior Cricket League Premier Division when they took the maximum 30 points from their game with bottom placed Osbaldwick.

Easingwold's Bank Holiday haul of 56 points contrasts starkly with the four points earned by Thirsk, whose batsmen failed for a second time. They followed Saturday's record low of 29 with 86 all out at Pickering who went on to win by 5 wickets.

Easingwold dismissed bottom club Osbaldwick for 152. Martin Robinson was Easingwold's top scorer with 70 and had early support from Australian Matthew Schenke (42), who has yet to fail with the bat this season.

The impetus was maintained by Tom Darnell, who hit an unbeaten 54 then Paul Skilbeck hit 24 no off just 11 balls to bag the maximum batting points.

Adam Kratzman took 3 for 69 for Osbaldwick and then added a useful 24 runs with the bat. Gawain Hogg hit 53 but Dan Copeland claimed 4-22 and Schenke plied his medium pacers to grab 3-29 as Osbaldwick were dismissed for 152.

Driffield batted first at Woodhouse Grange and had reached 70 for 3 when the rain terminated the proceedings after 17 overs. Phil Woodcock had made 27 and Ankur Sondhi 30.

Having been rained off on Saturday Pocklington were no doubt pleased to get a game in at Heworth although the result was not a satisfactory one from their point of view.

The visitors batted first and found the Heworth bowlers again in good form following their demolition exercise at Thirsk on Saturday.

Martin Sigsworth claimed 3 for 26 and Mark Bell 3-31 with only Mike Newhouse, who made 36, making any mentionable contribution to a total of 123 all out.

Skipper Dave Simpson then led Heworth's reply making an unbeaten 72 and sharing a second wicket stand of 60 with Richard Bowling (22). Mal Harrison claimed three for 25 but he could not prevent the home side winning by 6 wickets at 129-4.

Acomb rounded off a profitable weekend with an advantage draw at Whitkirk, whose last pair were able to prevent the York side taking the full 30 points. Andy Tute made 54 and Sri Lankan Suminda Perera 44 to help Acomb reach 203-9. Whitkirk's best bowler was Mark Selth who claimed 6 for 48 with his medium pacers while teenager Tom Glover took 3-48. When Whitkirk replied, Selth made 43 and Robert Horner 56no but Tim Merrick took his side to the brink of victory with 5 for 34.

Champions Clifton Alliance had a miserable weekend when they followed their defeat on Saturday by Acomb with another setback at Sheriff Hutton Bridge, who won by 4 wickets.

Dave Taylor made 39 for the Alliance and brother Robert (57) helped him add 59 for the third wicket after Joel Sotham had been run out for nine. Pakistan paceman Shakil Nawaz embarked on a marathon 23-over spell for Bridge and eventually dismissed Robert Taylor shortly after he had reached his half century with a six.

Taylor latched on to a Nawaz bouncer but fell to a stunning running boundary catch by Nick Scaling when he had made 57. Nawaz also removed Clifton skipper Duncan Naylor with the aid of a long distance stumping by Peter Crowder, who spotted the batsman's walk-about and finished with 4 for 79.

With Paul Oldfield taking 3 for 26 to reach the 20 wicket milestone, Clifton were restricted to 139-8 in the reduced 49 overs.

Bridge's openers reached 33 before both fell at the same score and home fans were fearing the worst when a third wicket fell at 36. Paul Scaling and Nawaz then added 40 before the former was caught by Naylor off John Hunter for 21 and the same bowler quickly removed Peter Crowder for no score.

Thirty-seven runs were added for the sixth wicket as Nawaz showed his batting talents then Nick Scaling provided the necessary support, striking 18 off 17 balls including the winning six in the 47th over shortly after Nawaz had made his first half century to be unbeaten on 51.

After their horror show on Saturday, Thirsk must have feared the worst when they were reduced to 13 for 4 at Pickering. Andrew Hawke showed some resistence with 23 but his side were dismissed for only 86 as stand-in wicket keeper Colin Frank bagged five catches.

When Pickering batted, Barry Petty removed three batsmen for 35 but Brian Leckenby's 22 and Colin Frank's 20 saw Pickering reach a five-wicket win.