NORTH Duffield continued their fine start to the HPH York Vale Cricket League season with a crushing victory against Fulfordgate in division one.

Paul Johnson’s 57 and an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 71 between Trevor Britain (47no) and Nick Hadfield (44no) propelled Duffield to 208.

Their opening bowlers James Knibb and Steve Miller kept a vice-like grip on the Gate batsmen with figures of 8-1-12-1 and 8-3-9-2 respectively as Fulford crawled to 85-7 at the close.

Sixteen-year-old Andrew Seager took just 36 deliveries to make his highest score of 71 not out as Bishopthorpe amassed 269-6 against promoted Thixendale. Ian Holmes notched 65 and then took 5-15 as Dale were routed for 46.

Dan Fairclough’s haul of 5-35 saw Kelfield all out for 82, Stockton & Hopgrove completing an easy win on the back of skipper Richard Kerrison’s unbeaten 56.

Burn openers Ed Clark (83) and Leigh Adamson (76) enjoyed a partnership of 152 against a blunt North Cave attack. Niv Judah (65) led Cave’s chase but became the first of Adam Prescott’s all-bowled victims. Prescott finished with 5-47 as Burn won by 21 runs.

Ben Johnson went top of division two with victory at Melbourne who collapsed from 68-2 to 91 all out after Steve Thornton (4-27) turned the tide with the run-out of in-form Harry Collins.

Heworth paid for dropping Hirst Courtney’s Lee Wild (114no) and Tony Hinch (59) while they were in their teens as the villagers amassed 241-7. Pete Fairburn’s gallant unbeaten 68 gave Heworth hope but it was quickly extinguished by swing bowler Gareth Knight’s 5-27.

Phil Johnson (125) shared a seventh-wicket stand of 120 with Jonny Wright (32) as Stillingfleet defeated Selby.

Simon Cook was the star performer in Clifton Alliance’s last-over win against Askham Bryan. After taking 3-45, his undefeated 55 guided Alliance to victory with three balls and three wickets to spare.

Hemingbrough’s 100 per cent winning record in division three was ended when they lost at Yapham whose Tom Connell scored a decisive 54.

Ovington II crushed Askham Bryan II at The Retreat thanks to three wickets each by Ben Busby, Jonathan Souch and Op Sor-in (corr).

Tight early Wheldrake bowling had Stockton & Hopgrove II in big trouble before Ashley Quinn, playing for the first time in four years, mopped up the lower order with 4-5 from 29 deliveries to set up a 10-wicket win.

Thorpe Willoughby made a match-winning 278-8, their highest score for many years, against Dunnington, Andy Kirk making 80 despite needing a runner after pulling a hamstring. Sam Blain hit a boundary-laden 75 for Dunnington.

A big opening stand between Mark Williamson (72) and Andy Ingle (52) guaranteed Acomb victory against Bishopthorpe II.

In division four, Pocklington secured their first win – other than a conceded game – since 2012 by beating Thorpe Willoughby II whose Steve Beach made an unbeaten 69 in vain.

Martin Senior’s analysis of 8.3-2-12-6 gave Burton Salmon victory against Heworth II while all-rounder Ahmed Hussain’s 78 and 3-16 earned Ovington III victory against Stamford Bridge.

Press Performance of the Week

Stillingfleet batsman Phil Johnson’s 125 against Selby in division two is the highest innings of the season so far