THE top two in the Hunters ECB Yorkshire Premier League North dodged the worst of the weather to pick up victories leaving them separated by four points ahead of next week’s top of the table clash at Moor Farm.

Leaders Sheriff Hutton Bridge beat Harrogate by just nine runs at St George’s Road. Mark Fisher (43) and Dulash Udayanga (31) helped the visitors reach 159-8 from 24 overs, Ashley Griffin (2-17) and Tom Geeson-Brown (2-36) picking up two wickets each.

The home side, currently languishing in the bottom two, made a bright start reaching 96-1 thanks to Josh Atkinson (38), George Ross (33) and Edward Wilson (28) but wickets from ‘Bridge spinners Karl Carver (2-27) and Ben Harrison (2-40) pegged them back.

By the close the hosts had reached 150-5 which was enough to earn them four valuable points.

An outstanding all-round performance from Duncan Snell at a rain-soaked Clifton Park helped second-placed York see off neighbours Clifton Alliance in a match eventually decided by DLS.

Snell took 5-40 including the wickets of Liam Hope-Shackley, top scorer with 84, and Samuel Grant (41) but the visitors still managed to reach 198-8 in 30 overs.

The competitions leading run-scorer then opened the innings for the home side with Yorkshire’s Jack Leaning (68 not out) and together the pair put on an unbroken stand of 177, enough to secure victory when bad light brought an early end to proceedings, Snell finishing on 84no.

The only other match to reach a positive conclusion took place at Weetwood where Yorkshire Academy ran out convincing winners by 66 runs against Driffield Town.

A stand of 124 between Matthew Revis who made 82 and Billy Whitford who ended the innings unbeaten on 77 provided the platform for the hosts’ total of 221-3 in a 34 overs a side contest.

The visitors briefly threatened while Kavindu Kulasekara and Danny Broumpton (39) were at the crease but two wickets each from the Sullivan brothers Harry (2-44) and Joshua (2-52) kept things under control and, despite Kulasekara finishing 68no, the visitors closed on 155-7, and have now failed to win in six matches since beating Castleford on the opening day.

There were only 18 overs possible at Sandhill Lane but that was enough time for Andrew Bilton (50no) to score his third half-century of the season in an unbeaten opening stand worth 90 with Chris Wood (30no).

The York pair of Daniel Woods and Duncan Snell became the first players to play 50 matches since the formation of the new league.

They would have been joined on that mark by Ryan McKendry and Ben Elvidge, both of who were denied the opportunity when the match between Stamford Bridge and Scarborough was abandoned without a ball bowled. It was a similar story at The Green between Acomb and Castleford.