Barmby Moor enjoy winning start to HPH York Vale Cricket League season (From York Press)

Barmby Moor enjoy winning start to HPH York Vale Cricket League season

9:50am Thursday 30th April 2009 in York Vale League By Martin Jarred

BARMBY Moor got off to a flying start in the defence of their HPH York Vale Cricket League crown by making short work of Wheldrake.

Mark Smith (4-20) and Dave Brent (4-29) floored Wheldrake for 95 leaving the division one champions to ease to a six-wicket win.

Promoted University of York Staff thumped Hemingbrough by 91 runs with Salman Syed scoring exactly 100 from 87 deliveries.

Burn pace bowler Adam Prescott (5-41) soon had North Duffield on the back foot leaving Rob Webster (65no) and opener Ed Clarke (31no) to share a stand of 80 to take Burn beyond Duffield’s 112. Webster’s 38-ball innings included six sixes and four fours.

Clifton Alliance edged a great battle with Bishopthorpe with Paul Atkinson top scoring with 70 in Alliance’s total of 214-8. All-rounder Ian Holmes took 5-53 but tore a hamstring while batting and Bishops closed on 192, Paul Walton taking 4-49 to add to his 42 runs.

British Sugar, having earned a late reprieve after successful ground-sharing talks with York RI, were unable to raise a team to face Drax. However, Sugar officials are confident they will fulfil this Saturday’s fixture at Bishopthorpe.

Some observers have tipped North Cave for another promotion and they opened their division two campaign by beating Acomb by nine wickets, Rob Page’s unbeaten 95 taking them home with more than 15 overs to spare.

Father-and-son combination Willie and David Knight powered Askham Bryan to victory against Copmanthorpe, David smashing 108no and his dad making 55.

Neil Metcalfe hit an unbeaten 103 in Ovington’s 207-5 against Kelfield who fell well short as Dave Brummitt returned 5-25.

Fulfordgate made 213-6 against Westow thanks to Mick Nelson’s 74, but their bowling was pummelled by Andrew Welford (111no) and Neil Earle (65), who steered the villagers to victory.

Chris Barrett smacked 70 off seven overs to see Heworth past Ben Johnson’s imposing 244-4.

Drax II gained a last-ball win against Thixendale in division three thanks to a terrific unbeaten 108 by James Brook.

Rich Grimes, last season’s leading wicket-taker in the league, continued where he left off for Stockton & Hopgrove with 4-33 in a nine-wicket win against Hemingbrough.

Ian Underwood was Melbourne’s match-winner with an unbeaten 103 and 5-4 against Thorpe Willoughby. Russ Stones’ unbeaten 63 earned Hirst Courtney victory at Burton Salmon.

Bishopthorpe II put Heworth II in to bat and the visitors notched 180-6 in division four. At 96-6 and needing a run a ball, the Bishops reply was in trouble but skipper Ben Smith and teenager Tom Eckhart shared an unbroken 87-run stand to seal victory.

Malton and Old Malton’s new skipper Wayne Cullen took 6-5 from 21 deliveries as newcomers Thorp Arch & Boston Spa were bowled out for just 66 – the last five TABs batsmen failing to muster a run.

Malt’s second team also enjoyed victory in division five thanks to the efforts of Simon Cass. He took 5-41 as Ovington II were bowled out for 179, then hit an undefeated 71 to share in a fourth-wicket partnership of 110 with John Sims.

Jason Halliwell struck 87 in Huntington’s 232-7 against Thorpe Willoughby II and was supported by Stu Ross whose first shots went for six, six and four. Left-arm spinner Colin Stockport strangled Thorpe’s reply with 5-11 off 4.1 overs.

Askham Bryan’s Terry Kiernan took a hat-trick and debut man Mike Clark 5-24 in the win against Tadcaster Magnet.

Performance of the week

All-rounder Ian Underwood (Melbourne) was one of six opening-day centurions with his unbeaten 103 against Thorpe Willoughby in division three – and he weighed in with five wickets too.