WOODHOUSE Grange's two-year reign as Hunters Premier Cup holders was emphatically ended when Dunnington's formidable batting line-up handed out a heavy eight-wicket defeat on Bank Holiday Monday.

The two clubs have won the trophy ten times between them in the past 11 years but there was only one winner at Grange's Sutton-on-Derwent ground - Dunnington's West Indian strokemakers.

Grange posted a decent first innings total as Andrew Anderson made 45, Steve Burdett 26 and James Rudd 54. Dunnington paceman Oral Blackford took 4-26 and then saw three more of his fellow Carribean team-mates make mincemeat of the home attack.

Skipper Harwood Williams hit an unbeaten 77 as he and Collis King (55) added 120 for the second wicket before Kevin Patterson provided the real fireworks as he crashed seven sixes in racing to an unbeaten 59 off just 20 balls. It is thought that Patterson's half-century was the fastest in the 33-year history of the competition.

Sessay's Mark Wilkie followed his 89 in the league game on Saturday with an unbeaten 88 as his side defeated Hull Zingari by nine wickets to book a second round home game against Dunnington.

Zingari had reached 185-9 with Mike Stellings making 43 and Matt Bunn 48 but Wilkie had useful companions in Matt Till with 26 and then Chris Till whose unbeaten 48 ensured Sessay won by nine wickets.

There were two century makers at Pickering where Colin Frank's unbeaten hundred for the home side successfully countered an unbeaten 102 from Thirsk skipper Dave Towse as the Pikes gained a five wicket victory.

Teenage brothers Liam McKendry (58) and Ryan McKendry (30) gave solid support as Towse made his first three-figure score since moving into the York League from the North Yorkshire & South Durham League. The trios' efforts enabled Thirsk to reach 222-6. Pickering lost skipper Sean Stuchbery for 25 but then enjoyed a 93-run partnership for the fourth wicket as Frank found a sound ally in Simon King who made 36. Neil Laidlaw bowled a tidy eight overs to gain 2-26 but the experienced Frank was able to steer his side to a five-wicket victory reaching exactly 100 not out in the process.

Malton & Old Malton took Easingwold to the last over before their visitors clinched a six-wicket win. The Johnson brothers provided the bulk of the runs in Malton's 214-6 with Neil making 46 and Greg 67.

Easingwold openers Jon Marwood and Martin Piercy progressed to 126 before they were parted with Marwood making 72 and his skipper 59. Despite this solid foundation, Easingwold found themselves requiring eight to win at the start of the final over but Dan Copeland smashed the first delivery for a six before striking the winning hit to move to 38no and take his side to a second round home tie against Clifton Alliance.

Heworth were reduced to 24-3 at Clifton but then staged a good recovery as Richard Woodmansey made 51 and Richard Bowling 65 in a fourth wicket stand of 115. Andre Wickramasinghe then hit an unbeaten 41 to boost the Heworth total to a competitive 221-7. Clifton's batsmen made light of the target and cruised to a four-wicket win in just 36.5 overs as James Packman made 52, Richard Musgrave 56 and John Myers 42.

There was an all first division match at Stamford Bridge where the home side went down by six wickets to Hornsea.

Tamar Lambert made 38 for Bridge while other valuable runs came from captain Matt Beckett (28no) and Max Pimlott (26) as the hosts reached 191-8. Hornsea skipper Paul Johnson struck an unbeaten 95 to see his side home with ease.

Sheriff Hutton Bridge were only able to field three regular first team players for the visit of first division Studley Royal and their second string were well beaten by seven wickets with 11 overs to spare.

Skipper of the day Adam Fisher made 25 but no other Bridge batsman was able to make a meaningful contribution as they were dismissed for 101.

Studley lost three wickets for 52 as 14-year-old Mark Fisher took 2-15 but Australian Ben Torney then hit a rapid 40no to take the Royals to victory.

* There was no play in the game between Acomb and Beverley Town due to a waterlogged ground.


Hunters York Senior Cricket League Premier Cup

First round: Sessay 186-1 (M Wilkie 88no, M C Till 26, C J Till 48no), Hull Zingari 185-9 (M Stellings 43, M Bunn 48); Woodhouse Grange 196-7 (A Anderson 45, S Burdett 26, J Rudd 54; O Blackford 4-26), Dunnington 197-2 (H W Williams 77no, C L King 55, K Patterson 59no); Pickering 223-5 (S Stuchbery 25, C Frank 100no, S King 36); Thirsk 222-6 (L McKendry 58, D Towse 102no, R McKendry 30); Acomb v Beverley Town no play - ground unfit; Malton & Old Malton 214-6 (N Johnson 46, G Johnson 67), Easingwold 215-4 (J P Marwood 72, M J Piercy 59, D Copeland 38no); Clifton Alliance 223-6 (J Packman 52, J E Myers 42, R F T Musgrave 56), Heworth 221-7 (R Woodmansey 51, R J Bowling 65, A Wicranasinghe 41no); Stamford Bridge 191-8 (T Lambert 38, M Beckett 28no, M Pimlott 26; R Medforth 3-21), Hornsea 192-4 (P Johnson 95no, B Wallis 30, J Hickey 25no); Sheriff Hutton Bridge 101 (A Fisher 25; A Mackle 3-24), Studley Royal 105-3 (S Walmsley 20; M Fisher 2-15)