ALL but two of the 34 Costcutter York and District Senior Cricket League matches due to have been played on Saturday had to be abandoned without any play because of the wet weather.

Prompted by rain having affected a number of fixtures during April and early May during the past few seasons - and also by the Indian Summers which are becoming increasingly regular - there has been growing support recently for starting the Costcutter League season a week or so later than usual. But who would ever have contemplated suggesting delaying the start until after the beginning of June?

The number of weather-hit games this year has, with less than a third of the season completed, already exceeded the total for the whole of 1999.

So far this season 72 games have not produced a result, and in only 14 of these has a ball been bowled. Last year only 26 games were abandoned altogether, with a similar number getting under way before being rained off.

Wisely, it seems, the majority of Saturday's games were called off well in advance of the scheduled start times, due to the waterlogged ground conditions. Only a few sides decided and were asked to travel in order to discover the bad news for themselves.

In the division one fixture at Dunnington, the home side managed to get in just three overs during which they scored 12 runs without loss before agreeing to call it a day.

In division three, however, Whitkirk took full advantage of the comparatively drier conditions towards the west of the region to record a five wicket victory over Thorp Arch, and climb two places into fourth position, with a game still in hand over both the leaders, Cawood, and also second-placed Heworth.

Man of the match John Colley followed his return of 5-33 in the Thorp Arch innings of 154-9 with the day's top score of 59 not out.

Matthew Warrilow and Matthew Fraser scored 33 and 25 respectively for the visitors, while Colley's knock was well supported by useful contributions from Dave Boucher (26) and Garry Thorpe (30) in Whitkirk's reply of 156-5, during which 16-year-old Michael Linnecar took three wickets for 42.

Costcutter York and District Senior League results and tables

Division One

Dunnington (9pts) drew with Duncombe Park (pts): Dunnington 12-0, match abandoned after three overs (rain).

Division Three

Whitkirk II (27pts) beat Thorp Arch and Boston Spa (5pts): Thorpe Arch and Boston Spa 154-9 (M Worrilow 33, M Fraser 25, J Colley 5-33), Whitkirk II 156-5 (D Boucher 26, G Thorpe 30, J Colley 59 no, M Linneker 3-42).

All other fixtures in all divisions were abandoned without any play because of rain or waterlogged grounds. Each side gets 9 points.

Premier Division

P W D L Pts

Easingwold 7 5 2 0 155

Pickering 7 2 4 1 119

Heworth 7 3 3 1 112

Clifton Alliance 7 3 1 3 106

Acomb 7 1 6 0 100

Sheriff Hutton Bridge 7 2 2 3 97

Thirsk 7 2 2 3 88

Woodhouse Grange 7 1 4 2 84

Driffield 7 0 6 1 83

Pocklington 7 1 4 2 82

Whitkirk 7 1 3 3 78

Osbaldwick 7 0 5 2 62

Division One

Wilberfoss 7 4 3 0 127

York 7 3 4 0 126

Dunnington 7 2 4 1 114

Goole Town 7 3 3 1 109

Ripon 7 3 3 1 108

Stamford Bridge 7 2 5 0 93

Dringhouses 7 2 3 2 92

Duncombe Park 7 1 4 2 83

Crayke 7 1 3 3 65

Beverley Town 7 0 4 3 56

Sessay 7 0 4 3 48

Civil Service 7 0 2 5 31

Division Two

Carlton Towers 7 5 1 1 147

Stillington 7 2 4 1 110

Harrogate 7 3 3 1 108

Castleford 7 2 4 1 103

Bubwith 7 1 4 2 93

Clifton Alliance II 7 2 3 2 91

Scarborough 7 1 5 1 86

Rowntree 7 1 3 3 85

Woodhouse Grange II 7 0 7 0 72

Bridlington 7 1 5 1 71

Hovingham 7 0 5 2 49

Osbaldwick II 7 0 4 3 39

Division Three

Cawood 7 4 3 0 151

Heworth II 7 2 4 1 115

Tadcaster Magnet 6 3 3 0 111

Whitkirk II 6 2 3 1 89

Acomb II 6 1 4 1 89

Heslington 6 2 3 1 85

Londesbrough Park 7 2 2 3 76

Selby 6 1 4 1 69

Bolton Percy 6 1 4 1 68

Easingwold II 7 1 3 3 64

Thorp Arch & BS 7 0 1 5 32

Division Four

Yapham 7 2 4 1 129

Dunnington II 7 4 1 2 125

New Earswick 7 3 3 1 124

Huntington 7 3 2 2 111

Thirsk II 7 3 2 2 103

Pocklington II 7 3 2 2 101

Huby 7 1 4 2 83

Tadcaster Magnet II 7 2 2 3 82

Carlton Towers II 7 1 4 2 82

Selby II 7 1 2 4 70

Sheriff Hutton 7 1 5 1 65

Sheriff Hutton Bridge II 7 1 3 3 64

Division Five

Sessay II 7 4 3 0 151

Stillington II 7 4 2 1 134

Stamford Bridge II 7 4 2 1 131

Dringhouses II 6 3 2 1 111

Cawood II 7 3 3 1 106

Rowntree II 6 2 3 1 88

Hovingham II 6 1 4 1 77

Bolton Percy II 6 1 1 4 49

Thorp Arch & BS II 6 0 3 3 35

New Earswick II 6 0 2 4 30

Civil Service II 6 0 1 5 14

Tied and abandoned games included with draws.