UNDERDOGS Burn lifted the Guy Mitchell Cup after beating HPH York Vale Cricket League division one leaders Stockton & Hopgrove by 30 runs at Selby on Sunday.

It completed a bad weekend for Stockton, whose advantage at the top of the league table had been cut the previous day by losing at Bishopthorpe.

Burn captain Ed Clark won the toss and elected to bat on a very placid Sandhill Lane wicket, and the decision soon paid dividends.

Openers Ray Adamson (66) and Leigh Adamson (35) got off to an excellent start, putting on 69.

The rest of the Burn batsmen continued to make steady progress, finishing with 192-7.

Rich Grimes was the pick of the Stockton bowlers with 3-48 from ten overs.

Stockton made a poor start with four wickets down for 42 but Rich Kerrison kept his head while wickets fell steadily, going on to make 51.

At 100-8 it seemed Burn would claim an early victory but spirited batting from nine, ten, jack – Tom Williams (25), Matt Bradshaw (19) and Grimes (14no) – kept Stockton in the hunt until the last wicket of Williams fell to an excellent catch low down at mid-on by Jamie Bingle off the bowling of Richard Miller.

Matt Smith had the best bowling return for Burn with 3-36 off ten economical overs.