DIVISION three north leaders Sheriff Hutton were forced to settle for a winning draw against Stillington in the Hunters York & District Senior Cricket League.

Sheriff batted first and Geoffrey Schofield hit 86 as they posted 220-6. Stillington’s Barry Milburn (26), Mark Aconley (33) and Ben Drummond (32) were held in check by Nick Schofield (4-42).

Second-placed Thorp Arch & Boston Spa were 163-run winners over winless Hovingham.

Opener Guy Whatmore top-scored for promotion hopefuls Arch with 60 in their 276-7. Hovingham were staring down the barrel at 47-8 before a 55-run stand between tail-enders Paul Higginbotham (29) and Richard Chilton (29) restored some pride.

Pickering were six-wicket winners despite a fine hundred from Castleford’s Nathan Smith (106) in their total of 181.

Pickering’s Tom Croot took 5-45 and the Pikes' chase was underpinned by half-centuries from Ian Smith (54) and Matthew Butler (69).

Pocklington brushed aside fellow strugglers Woodhouse Grange by eight wickets.

Woodhouse set a below-par 145-7 with Sam Craven (86no) top scoring. An unbeaten 75 from Chris Saltmer guided Pock to their first win of the season.

Malton & Old Malton had a three-wicket triumph over Copmanthorpe.

Cop posted 195-8 thanks to Andrew Godfrey (61) and Giles Ricks (50). Malton's Josh Berry (40) and Tom Hodgson (32) guided their side to victory.

Huby and Sessay racked up 414 runs in a high-scoring draw.

Huby posted 214-6 with half-centuries from Daniel Grainger (57) and Sean Dixon (52). Chasing 215, Jess Watson (60) and Matthew Wass (41) had Sessay in control but they finished 15 runs short of victory.

Division three south leaders Cottingham suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Yapham, who won by four wickets.

Jonathan Flint's 4-28 restricted the table-toppers to 168-8 and Martin Pearson hit 51 for Yapham.

Cottingham’s defeat was the Civil Service’s gain as they closed the gap at the top to nine points after beating Goole Town by four wickets.

Town were 188 all out against Layton Hallam's 4-31.

Hallam then struck 33 and Glenn Crouch an unbeaten 59.

Scarborough claimed a mammoth 200-run win over York to climb up to third.

Kieron Howard struck 111 not out and Darren Mills hit 95 as they set a target of 306 and York collapsed to 105 all out.

New Earswick bagged a low-scoring success over Welton & Brough. Welton were skittled for 85 by Martyn Hewitson (3-20) and Paul Stimpson (4-21). Andrew Routledge then hit 45.

A total of 540 runs were scored as Hemingbrough and Carlton Towers drew.

Hemingbrough posted 324-4, with Tom Collins smashing 124 before Towers battled to 216-9.