Champions Stamford Bridge opened their Foss Evening Cricket League defence with a division one victory over Heworth.

Veteran bowler Des Healey ripped apart the Heworth batting, taking 4-6 as the visitors were restricted to 61-7 in 16 overs. Dan Walton did his best to keep his side afloat with 3-15, but Will Parker’s 27 not out saw Bridge home by six wickets with 16 balls left.

York scored an easy victory over promoted Osbaldwick. Russell Bowry’s unbeaten 49 saw the Clifton Parkers home in only 12 overs, chasing down Osso’s 62-6 in which Chris Burn bowled a miserly spell to take 2-5.

Pocklington and Westow unable to raise sides for their top flight games against Dunnington and Woodhouse Grange.

In division two, Simon Lazenby (5-13) took the first five-wicket haul of the season, while two wickets each for Neil Pratt and Rich Readman allowed Bubwith to restrict Yapham to 69-9. Yapham skipper Jack Holman made 21. Readman then made 24 and Charlie Lambert 19 as Bubwith won by seven wickets.

Stockton & Hopgrove handed out a heavy defeat to promoted Thixendale. Thixendale made a respectable 100-6 with A Wooley (45no) top-scoring, but an unbeaten 67 by Giles Smith sped Stockton home by eight wickets in 12.2 overs.

Aviva Vikings tasted defeat on their league debut after they were restricted to 64-5 at Londesborough Park. Youngster Greg Drewery (26no) saw Park home by eight wickets with four overs to spare.

Bishopthorpe were left to rue their extras count in a three-wicket defeat by Retreat. Ross Kelly (41) and S Clapham (35) saw the Bishops to 115-6 despite two wickets each for Nad Saqid and Wasim Akram. Akram (25) then top-scored for Retreat but, even with two wickets from Ian Holmes and Mark Riley, the 14 wides sent down proved costly as the hosts crept home.

Eshan Malhotra put in a superb all-round performance for leaders Dunnington Academy against Ovington in division three. Malhotra (62no) and ex-York City footballer Jonny Andrew (33) led the Academy to 132-6. Ovington struggled to 95-7 as Malhotra took 3-14.

Askham Bryan made a great start to life in the Foss League with a ten-wicket thrashing of Retreat II.

Retreat made a competitive 93-5, with Ben Hepworth (39) in the runs, while Glynn Botterill took 3-20. Steve Mason (53no) and Chris Copeland (35no) then saw the hosts home without loss.

Heworth Colts rolled Melbourne over for 76, with Tim Blackmore making 27. Youngster Freddie Coughlin (30no) and shared an unbeaten third-wicket partnership of 66 with Greg Sykes (36no from 32 balls) to see the Colts to victory.

York RI’s skipper Matt Corr took 3-11 to bundle out Fulfordgate for 76. Michael Charno (46no) saw the Railwaymen home by eight wickets.