BEN Johnson broke their duck with a shock victory over former HPH York Vale Cricket League leaders Clifton Alliance.

It was the printers’ first league win at the sixth attempt and put a dent in Alliance’s title hopes, leaving Ovington and Westow with clear daylight ahead of the rest.

Ben Johnson set Clifton 164 to win after Paul Anderson top-scored with 40 but, apart from Jake Atkinson (37), none of the Clifton batsmen got going against a four-man attack led by Zahoor Khan (4-39) and were bowled out for 136.

Ovington continued their good form with an eight-wicket win against Melbourne. The latter recovered from 27-2 to 200-7 thanks to half-centuries from Joss Room, Oliver Steels and Andy Forman. Ovington’s second-wicket pair, Pete Kelly (75) and Tom Armes (67no), put on 118, leaving Armes and Craig Nicoll (39no) to knock off the required runs.

Westow remain just three points behind Ovington at the top after thrashing Burn by 151 runs.

Mark Earle rattled up 118, sharing a century opening partnership with Andrew Phillips (44). Westow took 168 off the last 20 overs to finish on 249-5.

Burn could only muster 14 from the first 10 overs and were bowled out for less than 100, Adrian Upton picking up four wickets.

Stockton & Hopgrove crashed to 16-6 against Kelfield, whose Matt Walker took 4-20, before recovering to 121 all out, Dan Fairclough striking 49. An unbroken second-wicket stand of 121 between Craig Lawson (71no) and Neil Atkinson (34no) saw Kelfield home by nine wickets.

Askham Bryan’s Parag Mohite (79) and Ujwal Bhagwat (41) put on 95 against Wheldrake but slid from 116-1 to 182 all out on a good pitch. Dan Nicholson took 4-45 from a dozen overs.

Mohite then took wickets with the second and third balls of the Wheldrake reply, but Antony Carter (91no) and Ben Challis (59no) finished the job.

Division two leaders Thixendale amassed a monster 328-8 against struggling Malton & Old Malton with Simon Walgate (85), Joe Robinson (75) and Henry Harrison (68) leading the way in a 256-run win.

Thixendale’s innings included 20 sixes and 24 fours in what is thought to be a club record score.

Hemingbrough were to rue dropping Chris Smith in the second over, as he went on to smash an unbeaten 111 as Stamford Bridge cruised to victory by eight wickets inside 20 overs.

Left-arm spinner Iain Kirkup produced stunning figures of 7-22 to give Ovington II victory against Yapham at Bishop Wilton. Yapham only needed 130 to win but could not handle Kirkup and were bowled out for 85.

Dunnington’s scratch side of youngsters was put to the sword in division three by Bishopthorpe’s new star Daniyel Qaderbutt. He scored 163 from 88 balls, rattling 13 sixes and 10 fours, leaving Dunnington to count a high cost of dropping him eight times, the first when on only two.

Spinner Nigel Huggins (5-37) took a hat-trick in Thorpe Willoughby II’s win against s Ovington III.

Malton & Old Malton II were no match for Pocklington’s accurate and economical attack led by George Baty, who returned 8-3-6-4.

Press Performance of the Week: Ovington III spinner Iain Kirkup produced the joint best bowling figures in the league this season with 7-22 against Yapham.

* The HPH Cup first round match between Kelfield and Hirst Courtney was completed at the second attempt with Kelfield winning by seven wickets with 15.5 overs to spare.

Ben Copeland (47) and James Hinchcliffe (57) enjoyed at stand of 97 but Hirst’s next seven wickets went down for 51 runs in the last 16 overs. Kelfield also had a stand of 97 with Matt Walker (51) and Craig Lawson (90no) proving the match-winners. Lawson’s rapid innings only took 58 deliveries and contained 18 boundaries and a six.