OVINGTON will begin the defence of their HPH York Vale Cricket League crown with a home game against promoted North Duffield on Saturday, April 26, writes Martin Jarred.

This season the league will have 42 teams spread over four divisions.

The fixtures, which have just been announced, can be viewed in full on www.yorkvale.co.uk Hirst Courtney resigned their second team after the annual meeting in November at which Tadcaster Magnet were elected along with Ovington III.

Since last season, Hemingbrough I, Copmanthorpe and Woodhouse Grange have joined the Senior League and Goole Town II folded.

The Vale pre-season meeting will be held on Monday, April 14, at 7.30pm at Fulfordgate WMC when handbooks will be issued.

Pocklington will once again host the junior six-a-side competition which will be held on Sunday, June 29.

HPH Cup holders Bishopthorpe begin their quest to retain the trophy with a first round trip to Selby on Saturday, May 24.

There are 24 teams in the running for the league’s senior knockout cup with the rest, from the lower divisions, contesting the Scothern Construction Cup.

As this involves playing on a Sunday when it is difficult for some clubs to raise a side, those in the Scothern were given the option to pull out of the competition this year. Four sides took up that option – Thorpe Willoughby II, Burn II, Pocklington and Stamford Bridge.

HPH Cup

Preliminary round (to be played on Sunday, May 4)
South Cave & Brantingham v Fulfordgate, Ben Johnson v Melbourne, Ovington v Westow, Stockton & Hopgrove v Stillingfleet; round one (to be played on Saturday, May 24) York RI v Burn, South Cave & Brantingham or Fulfordgate v Heworth, North Cave v Ovington or Westow, Askham Bryan v Thixendale, Selby v Bishopthorpe, Stockton & Hopgrove or Stillingfleet v Hirst Courtney, Kelfield v Clifton Alliance, North Duffield v Ben Johnson or Melbourne; round two will be played on Saturday, June 21, the semi-finals on Sunday, July 13 and the final, at a venue to be announced, on Sunday, August 3.

Scothern Construction Cup

Preliminary round (to be played on Sunday, May 4)
Wheldrake v Burton Salmon, Askham Bryan II v Ovington II; round one (to be played on Sunday, May 25) Wheldrake or Burton Salmon v Dunnington, Acomb v Selby II, Ovington III v Tadcaster Magnets, Bishopthorpe II v Thorp Arch & Boston Spa, Hemingbrough v Askham Bryan II or Ovington II, Yapham v Malton & Old Malton, Heworth II v Stockton & Hopgrove II, Malton & Old Malton II v Thorpe Willoughby; round two will be played on Sunday, June 22, the semi-finals on Sunday, July 13 and the final, at a venue to be announced, on Sunday, August 10.

There will also be plate competitions with the Guy Mitchell Cup for sides eliminated in the early stages of the HPH Cup and the Prendergast Memorial Trophy for those knocked out in the early stages of the Scothern Construction Cup.

Dates for Guy Mitchell Cup ties are preliminary round (Sunday, June 1), round one (Saturday, June 21), semi-finals (Sunday, July 27) and final (Sunday, August 17).

Dates for the Prendergast Memorial Trophy are preliminary round (Sunday, June 15), round 1 (Sunday, June 29), semi-finals (Sunday, August 3) and final (Sunday, August 31).