HULL are the new leaders of the Hunters ECB Yorkshire Premier League North after they beat York when the top two met at Shipton Road.

Elsewhere, Sheriff Hutton Bridge and Stamford Bridge maintained their unbeaten records, whilst at the other end of the table Castleford climbed out of the bottom two after recording their first win.

The early season top-of-the-table clash between York and Hull turned out to be a low-scoring affair after some good bowling saw the hosts dismissed for 156.

Neither Joe Ashdown (31) nor Tom Brooks (31) were able to capitalise on good starts as the bowlers kept control thanks to three wickets from Charlie Hodgson (3-43) and two each for James Anson (2-26) and Jahangir Alam (2-16).

Despite 35 from Matthew Wilkinson, the visitors found themselves in trouble at 99-6 thanks to Daniel Woods (3-57) and Tom Pringle (2-58) but an unbroken partnership of 59 between Ross Davy (25no) and Tim Appleyard (33no) secured the new leaders a fourth straight victory.

Sam Drury (120no) became the first batsman to score a century in the newly-formed premier league but finished on the losing side as Sheriff Hutton Bridge beat Driffield Town to move into second place in the table.

Drury’s efforts and those of Ali Asad (58) and skipper Danny Broumpton (46) saw their side reach 259-5.

But a partnership of 141 for the second wicket between Mark Fisher (73) and Samuel Anthony (106no) set up a successful chase for visitors as they reached their target with eight balls to spare.

Stamford Bridge climbed one place to fourth with a three-wicket win at home to Scarborough.

Skipper Ben Elvidge top scored with 95 but the visitors were restricted to 215-8, both Luke Robinson (3-49) and Donovan Sinclair (3-71) finishing with three wickets.

Theo Smith replied with 4-46 but the hosts eased to a comfortable victory with seven overs to spare thanks to Dominic Rhodes (49), who just missed out on a half-century, and Sinclair who completed a fine all round performance with 48.

Yorkshire Academy returned to winning ways with a four-wicket victory at home to Acomb, the league’s leading wicket-taker James Logan (6-44) again adding to his tally.

The visitor’s total of 146 included 40 from Andy Tute and 52 from Brandon Weal, but once the pair were separated with the total on 97 the innings fell away.

James Brown (44) and Matthew Waite (50) looked to have set the hosts on their way to a comfortable victory, but three wickets from Mark Bell (3-52) give the visitors hope before Muson Hussain (31no) saw his side over the line with almost 13 overs to spare.

George Ross (100no) just lost out to Sam Drury in the race to become the competition's first centurion but his innings paved the way for Harrogate’s imposing total of 355-5 against Dunnington. Matthew Good (94) and Jonathan Tattersall (83) were also in the runs for the visitors.

The home side replied with 245-9 which included an unbeaten 48 from Daniel Barrett and 45 from skipper Jack Bolam.

But three wickets from Tom Geeson-Brown (3-69) and tight spells from Cameron O’Donnell (6 overs for 12) and Ben Coad (10 overs for 36) allowed the visitors to secure a victory although they were denied maximum points by the last wicket pair.

Castleford beat hosts Woodhouse Grange by two wickets in the day’s closest finish, to secure their first victory of the season.

Eddie Morrison took 4-37 as the home side were all out for 133 with Steve Burdett (26) the top scorer.

The visitors found the going equally tough and, once Liam and Connor Hyde had departed for 27 each, their cause was hampered further by three run outs, before in a tense finish they got home with just two balls to spare.