ALNE continue to top the Pilmoor Evening Cricket League despite losing at home to Easingwold.

No matter who leads the way at the end of the season, though, the eventual champions will be decided by a series of play-off matches in the closing weeks of term.

Against Easingwold, Alne batted first and posted a respectable 157-5 with Henry Stevens making 36, T Fairburn 52 and S Morley 29 not out while Sheraz Kasi took 3-38 for Easingwold.

Andrew Metcalfe led the Easingwold reply with 62 and Zac Wilson was 32 not out when Easingwold took the main points at 161-5.

Alne’s consolation came by way of the point they took from winning the super over, with their 27 the highest super over score of the season.

Clifton Alliance batted first at Crayke and made 95-8, J Clark making 26 and Sam Grant adding a rapid 22 not out late in the innings.

Crayke’s bowlers did well as Alex Lynas took 2-18, Jude Barton 2-19 and James Pocklington 2-21.

Joe Wright (24) and Paul Barton (24) were the basis of Crayke’s winning reply of 97-6 after they had earlier failed in the super over, Clifton successfully defending the two runs they scored.

There was a run spree at Newburgh where home openers Sam Backhouse and Rob Nicholson put on 167 for the first wicket against Dringhouses.

Backhouse was out for 64 and Nicholson unbeaten on 116 as Newburgh closed on 187-1.

Jacob Green (85no) and Simon Desborough with (35no) did well in reply, but Newburgh’s total was never seriously threatened as Dringhouses closed on 152-2, both wickets falling to Ferdinand Rex at a cost of 52.

The super over was tied as each team made six for the loss of one wicket.

Danny Cass (55) and Rob Stevens (34) provided the bulk of Sheriff Hutton Bridge’s 112-4 against Helperby, Dan Marston responding with 54 as Helperby won by six wickets.

The super over was shared with each side making 12.

Thirsk batted first against visiting Raskelf and James Wilkinson’s 58 helped them to 117-6, despite Angus Taylor’s 3-33.

After a tie in the super over - each side made eight for the loss of one wicket, the third tied super over of the evening - Wilkinson came to the fore with the ball, taking 3-23 as Raskelf were restricted to 86-9.

Alex Snowball top scored with 37.