AWARE that defeat would mean the end of their stay in the Pilmoor Evening Cricket League first division, Newburgh toppled Crayke.

Their batsmen rose to the challenge, posting an imposing 147-3 on a wet pitch. Rob Proudley top-scored with 49, while James Banks added 39 and Tom Banks 18.

Crayke’s reply was always in difficulty, and although Sam Peel battled hard to make 28, Newburgh’s all-round attack held all the aces. Crayke limped to 60-9 as Jason Sargent (2-13), Tom Banks (2-9), Dave Taylor (3-22) and Charles Ramsay (2-14) confirmed supremacy.

Hosts Sheriff Hutton Bridge squeezed past Dringhouses , for whom Chris Storey with 50, Sam Lingard with 37 and Tim Owen (17no), were the principal scorers against bowling led by Danny Cass (2-30) and Dave Phillips (3-22).

In the Bridge reply, Steve Crowder made 21 before Danny Kiernan weighed in with 58. Sam Bibby kept the visitors in contention with 2-18, but David Speake saw them over the line with an unbeaten 23 as Bridge reached 132-4 with just two balls remaining.

In the second division, Alne totalled 114-3 in the top of the table clash at Easingwold led by N Johnson’s 48 not and 40 by Will Bell.

For Easingwold, Brad Scott struck some important early blows, but Paul Skilbeck with 50 (ret) and Josh Greenlay (19) kept Easingwold in the hunt. Scott claimed another wicket to finish with 3-17, and with Adam Keighley taking 2-16, Easingwold closed on 102-8.

Acomb kept alive their promotion hopes with a hard-earned win over Civil Service.

Acomb struggled to 93-8, Dan Littlewood top-scoring with 24 as Civil Service regularly took wickets through Chris Lowen (3-15), Phil Northing (2-18) and Richard Brown (2-15).