HOLDERS Hirst Courtney were bundled out of the HPH York Vale Cricket League’s HPH Cup by in-form Stockton & Hopgrove.

Solid batting by Matt Durkin (43) and Giles Smith (34) helped S&H to 198-8, which proved beyond Hirst despite Nigel Goddard’s 48.

Scott Clapham scored the first round’s only century as he caned Fulfordgate’s attack for 102 – half of Bishopthorpe’s total. He raced from 29 to his century in only 30 balls with Ian Holmes slamming an unbeaten 50 from 33 deliveries.

’Gate were never in the hunt after being 11-2 after ten overs, teenager Rory Watson finishing with 4-28.

Clifton Alliance hit the competition’s highest score of the day with 227-4 against Westow with a 119-run partnership between Ali Barton (61) and Niall Tilsley (31) the main feature. Andy Phillips responded with 78 not out but Westow were bowled out for 136.

Lee Freeman (95) led Askham Bryan to an easy 95-run victory against Selby, who struggled to 120-7 – 14 of their 40 overs being maidens.

Ed Clark (74) and Leigh Adamson (53) guided Burn into round two at Kelfield with a 129-run second- wicket partnership.

Solid batting by Ovington earned them a six-wicket win against Ben Johnson, whose Jamie Agnew struck an unbeaten 58 in a total of 138-8. The game saw Ovington’s Paul Mizon capture his first wicket in 117 Vale overs after failing to take a wicket last summer.

North Cave continued their excellent start to the season by sneaking a one-wicket win with two balls remaining at Hemingbrough.

Chasing 126 for victory, Cave were wobbling on 87-6 but were indebted to 69 from Richard Moore.

Graham Hogben (75no) scored his third successive century to lead Heworth to a ten-wicket win against Thixendale in the first round of the Scothern Construction Cup.

York RI won by the same margin at Yapham, Phil Holland taking four outfield catches to back up RI’s bowlers before Graeme Byrne (48no) completed the win in 14 overs.

Steve Miller followed his 3-26 with a rapid 56 not out to guide North Duffield to a seven-wicket win at Stillingfleet.

Harry Collins played a captain’s innings for Melbourne, his 52 lifting his team to 155-5 against Acomb, who were hustled out for 85.

Neil Brook took 4-18 for Copmanthorpe as Goole made 146 thanks to Jason Greaves’ 52, which he followed with 4-24 as Cop were shot out for 88.

Immaculate line and length by Pat Durkin earned him 3-3 from 19 deliveries as Stockton & Hopgrove II won at Heworth II in the first round of the President’s Cup.

Despite 5-44 by league secretary Andy Copeland, Bishopthorpe II lost at Dunnington, whose Joshua Salter scored 67 and Kevin Bradley 55 not out in an imposing 222-8.

Seventeen-year-old Rob Peet (50no) followed his maiden half-century with 5-34 from ten overs of off-spin as Hemingbrough II won at Stamford Bridge, whose skipper Des Healey scored an undefeated 74.

Half-centuries by Gary Bell (57) and Paul Townsley (54) earned Woodhouse Grange a narrow win against Thorp Arch & Boston Spa in division five.


Press performance of the week

Centuries in Vale cup cricket are pretty rare so Bishopthorpe’s Scott Clapham takes the award for his 102 in the HPH Cup against Fulfordgate.